Page 16 of Sweet Whiskey
KINSEY
“She said the ranch is only a few miles out of town. It shouldn’t be hard to spot,” I say, changing into jeans and a sweatshirt. I wasn’t going to potentially meet my father while looking like I just rolled out of bed.
Brielle nods, then grimaces. “But don’t you think it’s a little dangerous to just show up unannounced on a ranch? A ranch that I can say with certainty is full of alphas, or at least betas.”
I swallow down the nerves, squashing my feet into my mom’s worn boots. “That may be true, but it’s a pretty safe bet that they’re not just feral. ”
“I bet it also wouldn’t be hard to find a phone number and give them a ring first.”
Something in my gut tells me to just go and find out for myself.
Brielle watches me carefully where she’s lounging on the bed.
If we are going to stay in town, we need to find a place fast. I have a sneaky suspicion that the inn owner is charging us way below a reasonable rate for unknown reasons other than they must have an inkling of how poor we are.
A few more weeks at the bar, and together we will have enough to rent a place.
My best friend sighs, rolling off the mattress to stand. “Well, if we’re going in guns blazing, let me get my boots on.”
I snort. “There will be no guns.”
When we climb into my car, I groan when the gas indicator blinks on. “I forgot we were running low when we got into town.”
Brielle snorts. “At least it’s not far. You know the only gas station in town.”
Spearing her with an amused look, I drive to that one gas station, pulling up to one of the two pumps available. I frown, seeing the long line of trucks and trailers parked along the road.
“That must be the parade Susanne was talking about. Wait, look at the name, Kinsey.” She points to the truck parked on the pump across from us. Two men linger near the back of it, talking to each other and waiting for the gas.
Asha Haven is printed on the side of the truck, a silhouette of mountains and a horse underneath. I suck in a breath and walk toward them before Brielle can even protest.
“Excuse me. Do you work at the ranch?” I ask, pointing at the logo.
His brown eyes sparkle with mischief as he looks at me, then they slide over my shoulder. He stands straighter, a more focused enticement clearing up his gaze. Brielle steps up to my side, sizing him up before narrowing her gaze.
He clears his throat, holding out his hand for me first. “Sure do, sweetheart. Name’s Cooper and this is Duke.” He points with his thumb to a man walking back from the corner store .
His face turns to us with a flirty smile, and my eyebrows knit in confusion while I pull my hand back, a little uncomfortable now.
I had been attracted to Dallas, but I wasn’t feeling it this morning.
Did he lie about his name? Is that how he picks up women at the bar? “He told me his name was Dallas.”
Cooper laughs, exchanging a look with Duke/Dallas. “Uhh. Yeah, I’m sure he did.”
“We’re identical twins,” Duke says.
Brielle snorts, and then bites her lip before shaking her head. “Ignore me. That was an inside thought.”
Duke smirks. “Thinking of taking a trip to Paris?”
My stomach curls. Not at the thought of Brielle with Duke, but Dallas. Which is strange because they look exactly the same.
Cooper punches him on the shoulder. “Dallas told you to stop saying that. You know he doesn’t do that.”
Relief surges through me, and I can breathe a little easier. Brielle sighs, twisting a lock of her hair. “Do you two?”
Both of the men stare at her with wide eyes, a blush working over their faces.
My best guess is that they’re not the type of men who are used to women who flirt back, and they’re left stunned by my forward best friend.
Brielle has never shied away from sex, even during her heats.
She made it a point to find different partners.
I cycled through the same ones because I trusted them and they knew what I liked.
The servicing clinics are supposed to eliminate the awkwardness of trying to find a pack, and they did, mostly.
Nothing could get rid of the embarrassment of stripping in front of a stranger for the first time.
“I think you broke them,” I whisper loudly; no point in trying to be subtle.
Brielle grins. “What a shame. At least I found out they were all talk before taking them for a ride.”
Cooper blinks and then scowls. “We’re not blushing virgins. It was just your beauty?—”
“Save it, cowboy. You wasted your first impression,” Brielle says, waving her hand.
I grab her arm and look at them with a tight plea. “Asha Haven? You work there?”
Duke crosses his arms. “Why?”
My heart plummets in my chest, and my shoulders slump. I’m so sick of explaining this story.
“We’re looking for someone, and we were told we could find him at the ranch,” Brielle explains for me. My fingers dig gently into her flesh in thanks, and I let her go.
Cooper groans. “Fuck. Are you knocked up? Mav won’t be happy if it’s one of the newer ranch hands.”
“Especially since Colt told Wyatt last time to pack it up after the whole scene with Cindy,” Duke says with a grimace.
“Wait, Colt? Like dark eyes, gloomy with a beard and a cowboy hat, Colt?”
They both look at me more critically. “Yeah. He’s the ranch’s manager.”
Brielle inhales sharply, and something inside me breaks a bit. I’d shown Colt the photo, and he acted like he didn’t know him. It’s possible that Levi isn’t there, but it’s more likely that Colt lied.
“I met him at the bar,” I say in a weak explanation.
Duke snaps his fingers. “The new omegas at Sweet Whiskey. You girls are infamous on the ranch.”
I scrunch my nose. “Great.”
Not great, because what is being said? What if my dad is listening to gossip, and he thinks I’m some kind of buckle bunny? That’s a lovely term I’ve picked up at work.
“So can you guide us in the right direction?” Brielle says with a tone dripping in honey. “And maybe you can leave a better second impression.”
Cooper drags his tongue along his bottom lip, staring at my best friend in a way that has me wanting to give them privacy.
“I’m heading on the road for a few weeks. You still gonna be here when I get back?”
Her eyebrows raise. “Why? Plan to make some big promises? ”
Duke throws his arm over Cooper’s shoulders. “We both can.”
Brielle crinkles her nose. “I can still smell the woman from last night on you. At least have the decency to wash it off before trying to pick up someone else.”
Duke blanches, his arm dropping to hang limply before he turns away with us and walks back to the truck without another word.
“Thanks for that. Now he’s gonna pout the entire ride,” Cooper says with a sigh.
Brielle rolls her eyes before stepping closer to him. “The ranch?”
His finger curls in her waistband, and he yanks her to him fast enough for Brielle to gasp. “How about a kiss first?”
“Okay, I’ll be back,” I squeak out and hurry away from whatever is about to happen.
Duke looks up as I pass, and I stop short, giving him an appraising glance. Something pulls at me to help him, an almost kinship. Maybe it’s because he looks exactly like his brother, who I want to know more. “She likes sunflowers.”
His eyebrows raise, his attention flickering behind me and then back. “Yeah? Anything else?”
I shrug. “She has a big heart, no matter how she acts. So don’t break it.”
Duke swallows, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I’ll try, but I seem to break everything I touch.” His face twists as if he didn’t mean to admit that.
“What about Dallas? Do you think he’d break my heart?”
Duke’s head snaps up to study me, a different perspective filtering in his gaze. “No, I think he’ll treat you like the princess you probably are.”
I smile. “Far from a princess.”
He hums. “Something tells me that’s not true.” The crunch of dirt has us turning to watch Brielle and Cooper walk toward us. Duke’s eyes drop back to the floor as my best friend struts up to me, her attention falling to him more than once.
“Cooper gave me directions. Ready to go? ”
I nod, facing the man who hasn’t looked away from her. “Thank you. It means a lot.”
Cooper shrugs. “You would have found it eventually. This town ain’t big enough to get lost in.”
She ignores Duke completely. “Got it. Let’s roll.”
I laugh, shaking my head once. “You know you didn’t have to kiss him.”
She grins. “Oh, but I wanted to.”
A stomp of boots and huff of breath comes from my right, but Brielle continues to stare right at me. “Ready to go?”
I nod and she turns, keeping her back to Duke and heading for the car. I glance at him, catching his eyes on her before he looks at me, and I shrug. “Good luck.”