Page 23 of Rope Me In

Cricket’s plump lips, painted a bright red, stretch painfully into a tight smile. “Sorry. May I ask your name?” Her tone is saccharine and still not nice.

“Bartender,” I answer her. None of us wear name tags, but given the tone of her voice, I don’t think she deserves to know my name.

She flips some of her brown hair over her shoulder. She’s a beautiful, curvy woman, the kind of Jessica Rabbit curves I’dkill to have. But even before she spoke to me, the way she had her nose turned up and the gossip on her lips told me she thinks very highly of herself. And not in a good way.

“Your name is Bartender?” She giggles condescendingly.

I ignore her question. “What can I get you?”

A beat of awkward silence passes between us.

Her jaw ticks. She’s probably not used to people not answering her questions. “Do you live here,Bartender?”

“Nobody lives in the bar, Cricket. Except maybe Jake.”

The hair on the back of my neck rises as a now familiar warm baritone voice enters our little chat.

Cricket’s gaze flicks beside me, her smile becoming so sweet and flirty that it makes me want to puke. “Kade,” she coos, batting her eyelashes.

Oh god. I hope he hasn’t slept with this woman. I mean, he probably has, seeing as she’s gorgeous. But I’d definitely question his taste in women if that were true.

“Howdy, Cricket.”

She reaches her arm out and touches his forearm delicately. I’m unable to resist looking at his face out of the corner of my eye. He’s smirking as if he likes the flirtation, but I notice the way his molars are clenched and tiny lines have appeared in the corners of his eyes. Most people wouldn’t think anything of it, but I’ve spent a long time pretending to like the touch of someone when I really didn’t. And that’s not even mentioning the men I’ve met over the years in the industry who loved to touch me without asking. Harmless touching, mostly, but still touch that crossed personal boundaries.

“I haven’t seen you in months,” she purrs.

Kade pulls his arm out from under her and tips the brim of the buckskin cowboy hat he’s got on, the same one from yesterday. “Been tied up. Or I guess laid up.”

She giggles, but I don’t think Kade meant that as a joke. Or maybe he did. I don’t know him well enough to know.

“You ladies need a drink?” he asks.

Her friend goes to speak, but Cricket cuts her off. “Surprise us with something!”

Kade’s jaw ticks again. “I can have our new girl here make something for you. She’s really good with limes.”

I can’t help it; my cheeks stain pink. I’m never not going to think of Kade when I see a lime.

Cricket’s eyes narrow at me, but she keeps a smile on her face. “We want you to make it for us, Kade.”

“I’ve got to help the band.” He looks to the small stage where I see two men beginning to set up. One has a guitar case and another a fiddle. A tense breath blows quietly past my lips at finally putting to rest the unanswered question I had. Thankfully, I don’t recognize either of them.

“Are you sure, Kade? Just one little drink.” Cricket pouts.

I roll my shoulders back and turn my attention to this woman again. She reminds me a bit of Derek, someone who can’t take a hint.

“City Girl can handle it.” Kade smirks.

God, this man sure does love his nicknames. But in this case, I’ll allow it since I don’t want this woman to know my name. Though it’s not like I can hide it. I’m surprised she doesn’t already know from town gossip.

“City Girl?” Cricket chirps. “Explains the hair and tattoos.” She giggles.

“Hey, now, Cricket. Be nice,” Kade says.

She giggles again, the sound grating on me. Kade didn’t mean that to be funny, but again, this woman does not know signals.

“It’s fine,” I interject, not needing him to fight any battles for me. “I’ll go make a drink. Something extra sour?” I ask, knowing this girl probably likes her drinks with extra sugar.