Page 55 of Perfect Pact
Chapter 11
Dusty
“Comeon,beerbitch.You’re slack-a-dackin’.” Cole pushes a couple empty bottles into my hands, interrupting my pity party for one.
“I just bought a bucket.” I nod over to the table where Jase and his brother Grady are sitting.
“Yeah—gone.”
“Fine.” I head to the bar to grab another round. “Fuckin’ alkies,” I mumble.
“What can I get you?” Toby, the bartender from the other night, sees me walking up.
“A couple more buckets.”
“Coming right up.”
“Thanks, man.”
Tonight was supposed to be a Beth-free zone. Then I walked through these doors and memories of our date keep hitting me in the face.
We did shots at this bar. She moved her ass so slowly on that dancefloor. I held her against my chest as she seduced her way into my heart with a few sways of her hips and alcohol brave lips. But even before that, I knew there was something special about her.
“Here you go.” Toby slides the drinks my way.
“Just add it to my tab.”
“Will do, man.”
I get back to the table just in time to see they started a new game of pool without me
“What the fuck, Cole?” I set the buckets on our table, take a cold one out, and twist off the top. “You couldn’t even wait ten minutes?
“This guy was talkin’ shit.” He points his pool stick at some schmuck racking the balls. Four-hundred-dollar bills sitting on the rail the reason. “Called Jase in for this one.”
“Thanks.” Cole swipes the beer out of my hand just as I’m about to take a sip.
“Seriously?” I throw my hands out.
“Shhh!” Cole makes a pretend knob and turns it down. “I’m trying to channel my inner Rain Man. You’re screwin’ with my mojo.”
“Rain Man?” I turn to Grady, who’s sitting quietly in the corner. “He realizes Rain Man played poker, right?”
“What did he say? I tune him out most days.” Grady tosses a handful of pretzels in his mouth.
“You know what?” I walk over to where he’s sitting and pull out a stool. “I think that’s the best advice someone has given me today.”
We sit in silence for a few minutes, drinking our beers, watching the guys play pool. Cole is in over his head. Grady breaks the silence, addressing the elephant in the…bar.
“I saw the Scoop.”
“Shit.” I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “I can’t believe the people around here care about shit like that.”
Who in the hell am I kidding? To the residents of Mason Creek that was some juicy, hiding-in-the-bushes paparazzi shit. The only problem: it was my girl they were spying on while airing her dirty laundry.
I know there has to be more to the story. Beth would have never gone on a date with me if she were married.
You blackmailed her.