He scoffed at my question. “It fucking amazes me how much people gossip in this town.”
“Because I asked what you were planning on doing?”
“Because that seems to be the question on everyone’s minds,” he snapped.
“Pardon me for asking. It was purely a conversation starter.”
He sighed, drinking his beer. “Never said I wanted to have a conversation.”
“You sat next to me,” I snapped. “I was sitting here, enjoying my drink, when you walked over and started talking to me!”
The man had the nerve to sigh, like I was causing all his problems.
“You know, there are plenty of other seats in the bar. You could use any of them.”
When he didn’t move, I grabbed my drink and headed over to a high-top table, sliding my fat ass onto the stool. I hated sitting at these tables, where my feet hung in the air and I always felt like I was a kid at the adult table.
But anything was better than sitting next to Mr. Grouchy Pants. The door opened and I perked up, hoping it was my date. Sadly, it was just another townie, coming in for a drink on a Tuesday. What was with that? Why was everyone in the bar on the night I was supposed to have a date?
I took another sip of my drink, ignoring the two women in the booth near me. Their hushed tones were not quiet enough to keep their vile words from reaching my ears.
Liam’s whore.
She broke them up.
What did he see in her?
I had built up a good resistance to the gossip a long time ago, but as I sat here waiting for my date to show up, the whispers started to get to me. And I would have broken down in tears if it weren’t for the annoying man who suddenly appeared at my table, plopping his beer down with a bang.
“Listen, I may have been an ass.”
“You think?”
He sighed, rubbing a hand over his forehead. “I just got back from visiting the folks,” he muttered.
“You don’t get along with them?” I asked, curiously, my focus taken off the gossiping women and on the man in front of me.
“Not exactly.”
“Well…I can sympathize.”
“I thought you had the perfect relationship with Jim and Eileen.”
“That’s what they want everyone to think,” I said, forcing a smile. “The truth is, we did have a pretty good relationship until?—”
I choked off my words, glancing over at the women in the booth, who quickly looked away.
“Until what?” he asked, his eyes focused and curious.
I chewed on my lip, not really wanting to go there.
“Until she screwed Liam,” Kasey smirked from her seat. Sliding out of the booth, she sauntered over to Ryder and practically shoved her fake breasts in his face. “I bet you don’t remember me.”
“Sure do. School slut,” he said, taking a sip of his beer. “Got your sidekick with you and everything.”
Raleigh shoved out of the booth and stomped out the door, but Kasey never did know when to quit.
“If you want a good time, I’m always available. And I’m a lot more flexible than her,” she purred.
