Page 37 of Marvelous

“Well, someone needs to liven him back up. I was on the roster to have my world rocked.” And another girl said.

“My world, too.” Barbie one said.

“Same,” Barbie two said.

“Sign me up for that.” Barbie three said.

I began peeling the label on my bottle of beer, picking at it, trying to figure out if my guy radar was totally off.

Or... if it was spot on.

I was betting on the latter.

To that, I sighed.

That was just my luck.

Let one guy do something nice for me, and here I am having all kinds of hearts and flowers circling my head when I think about him.

Cassie Rae Skye, you’re a fool.

Just then, Birdie walked over.

She winked as she sat down my burger and fries, and no, I didn’t miss the nasty look she threw at the group of women who had been talking about Alec.

Nor did I miss when she said, “Sorry, ladies, y’all are going to have to move. The bar location is for people who don’t piss me off. And talking about Alec like that really pisses me off. So, move.”

They had the good sense to look chastised as they grabbed their glasses and moved to an empty table in the corner, only for them to move to another one when she said, “Yeah, no. Y’all can’t sit there either. Anyone who talks badly about a Griggs doesn’t get that table.”

And I swear, freaking swear, you could have heard a drop of alcohol hit the wooden floor with how quiet the bar got.

The women glanced at the patrons who were all giving them looks of pissed off, upset, and mad.

They chose to walk to the bar, set their glasses, some of which were almost full, on the bar top, and leave.

I lifted a brow at her, “That normal?”

She smirked, “Oh yeah. Nothing like small-town living. And they aren’t from here. They’re from over in Clover Valley.”

I nodded.

I had seen Clover Valley on the map, but I didn’t know much about it.

Once I finished my meal, the door opened.

Birdie just happened to be standing there when she said, “Well, speak of the devil.”

I twisted to look over my shoulder and saw a group of people walking in, and when I saw Harlee, I smiled.

No, we hadn’t met in person yet, but we had done plenty of video calls.

She scanned the bar, and when her eyes landed on me, she waved, then leaned up, pressed a kiss on a man’s cheek. I knew that had to be Carter, her husband.

And then she made a motion with her fingers to the other women who were with her.

I also smiled at Everly. Another woman I had seen via video calls.

She was the only other woman that I knew.