Page 4 of Love, Lies, and Whiskey

He scowled.

“Second of all, I heard it from Dare.”

“Dare needs to learn to keep his mouth shut, and the women I date know damn well I’m not going to catch feelings for them.”

“That’s the problem. They think they can change you. Girls.” The word dripped with sarcasm.

“You’re a female, Birdie.”

“Not a silly one who would waste her time trying to change some stupid man. If a guy says he’s not going to catch feelings, I drop him like a hot potato. Unless I’m in it for a night of fun, of course. Then…”

He crossed his arms, glowering, drumming his fingers against his muscle to keep from giving her hell.

“Don’t look at me like that, doing your finger thing.” She pushed the button again, and the elevator doors opened. As they stepped inside, she said, “Listen, you and I can join forces and be each other’s wingmen. Let’s hit the Roadhouse tonight. Two lone wolves on the prowl.”

Had she lost her fucking mind? “Lone means one, not two, and you damn well better not be on the prowl.”

She lifted her chin, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Guess I’ll be prowling alone.”

“Over my dead body.”

“Well, I did just listen to a true crime podcast and learn how to poison someone using eye drops.”

“You’re a scary little bird.”

She grinned. “I told you I could take care of myself.”

As they stepped out of the elevator, she said, “The exit is to the right.”

He turned to follow her as a woman came around the corner. She looked up, and his chest seized at the hauntingly beautiful blue eyes staring back at him. They both froze.

“Doc, what’re you doing?” Birdie complained.

Birdie’s voice was white noise to the hurt and anger brewing inside him as he gritted out, “Juliette.”

“Seeley?” tumbled from her lips full of confusion, and the to-go cup she was holding crashed to the floor, sending liquid splashing all over their legs as a teenage boy came around the corner.

“Mom,” the kid exclaimed. “What happened?” When Juliette didn’t respond, he grabbed her arm. “Mom!”

She blinked repeatedly and choked out, “Nothing, honey. It’s okay. I’ll get it.” But she stood stock-still.

“Juliette? That’s Juliette? Ohmygod!” Birdie said with shock, then lowered her voice. “Doc, it’s Juliette!”

“I’m aware,” he bit out, and ground his back teeth against the barbed wire twisting around his heart. She’d been gone for years. What the fuck was she doing there?

“It’s…been a long time,” Juliette said a little shakily.

Glowering, Doc said, “Not nearly long enough,” and headed for the exit.

JULIETTE COULDN’T BREATHE. Heartache and anger clawed at her as raw and painful as they had more than a decade ago. Birdie was looking at her like she didn’t know what to do, and Lucas—Oh God, Lucas—looked horrified and angry. She’d known when she’d inherited her maternal grandmother’s property and moved to Weston, Colorado, there was a chance she’d run into Seeley, but living in a different town had kept her safe the last few months. They were only in Hope Valley for one of Lucas’s bull-riding competitions. When he’d been thrown off a bull, she’d taken him to the closest hospital to be evaluated for a concussion. Seeley hadn’t even crossed her mind.

Now it took all of her focus to drag air into her lungs.

“Okay, um. Nice to see you. Or not. I don’t know,” Birdie said apologetically. “Have a better day.” She hurried after her brother.

“Mom, what’s going on?” Lucas snapped. “Who are those people?”

She met her son’s worried gaze and felt her heart shredding all over again. His eyes were as blue as hers, but the shape and keenness were all Seeley’s, just like his sharp nose, thick brown hair that refused to be tamed, and the stubbornness that had taken root during puberty. At fifteen, Lucas was practically bursting with it.