Page 18 of The Triple Threat
“You can’t hang with us all night,” Carter said as he threw me a glare. “So, unless you call Bronte to come join you, you’re gonna be lonely.”
“Why can’t I stay with you?” I snapped and poked his bicep. “You’re so damn mean.”
“I’m out with my buddy, I do not want you hanging around and ruining any chance I have of getting some action.”
“I didn’t realize it was like that with you and Hunter.” I grinned.
“Fuck off, you know what I mean.”
“Carter, it’s a Thursday night. Who the hell do you think is going to be in Stars & Stripes looking for action on Bingo night? Unless of course you have a liking for the Delaney twins.”
“You’re one sick bitch, Ellie, you know that?” He scowled and gripped the steering wheel tighter.
I laughed and flipped down the visor to take a quick look at my reflection. My hair was pulled into a messy bun and I was wearing hardly any makeup, but my brother hadn’t given me much time to get ready. It’d been leave when he said, or not go at all, and I’d needed to see Hunter.
I pinched my cheeks to try and bring a little color to them but sighed when they remained pale and uninteresting. I definitely needed to get out more and sleep a little less when I wasn’t working. The trouble was, Dayton Valley was farming and ranch country. There were damn cows everywhere, and I really hated cows. It was a pretty part of the world, all green and lush, but the damn bovines just spoiled it.
While I shuddered in my seat as I thought about the cows, Carter pulled into the parking lot of the Stars & Stripes. I was right about it being a bad night for him to get some action. There were at least five motorized scooters parked by the front doors, and the minivan from the Sunny Years Old People’s Center was taking up two other spaces. Thursday night was Bingo night and as its usual venue, the Goodwill Hall, was being refurbished, so Penny had told Mr. Parker that he could hold it in the Stars & Stripes until the hall was finished. I had my doubts the old folks would ever want to go back to the hall though; it had no bar and no Penny to serve them grilled cheese sandwiches at the end of the night.
“Shit,” Carter muttered. “Bingo night.”
“I did tell you.” I sighed haughtily. “And I reckon Hunter brought his aunts over, which is why he wanted to meet you here.”
“They damn well throw pens at you if you even breathe a tiny bit too loud, and God-for-fucking-bid you actually talk while Mr. Parker is shouting out the numbers.”
“We could go over to the café,” I offered and nodded across the road to the Café Au Lait.
Carter unbuckled his belt and turned in his seat to look at me. His brows furrowed so much that his eyes were like tiny slits. It was not a good look on him.
“I think I recall saying you couldn’t hang with us, so fill your boots, Ellie if you want to go over there. Me and Hunter will take our chances where the beer is sold.”
“Okay,” I replied and gave him the biggest smile I could muster. “I’m cool with that. It’ll be fun watching you both dodge pens thrown by a bunch of senior citizens.”
Carter sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Sometimes I really wish Dad had had a vasectomy after they had me. I love you because I have to, but you really piss me off just by being around.”
I laughed loudly and slapped Carter’s leg. I knew he loved me, and I knew I pissed him off, but it was all part of the fun of being his little sister. Aside from which, if push came to shove, he’d be there for me if I needed him.
“Okay,” I said with a huge grin. “Let’s go and grab us some beer.”
When we got inside the bar, Bingo was in full swing and apart from Mr. Parker calling something about two little ducks, you could have heard a pin drop.
“I’ll kill him,” Carter whispered into my ear as we moved to the bar.
“We can always go to the café like I said.” I gave him a look that clearly expressed the fact I thought he was stupid, but he chose to ignore me.
“I’m not buying you drinks all night, you know that, right?” Carter pulled his wallet from his back pocket and threw it down onto the bar.
“I don’t expect you to.” I shoved my card under his nose. “Now stop being a dick to me.”
Penny approached us and held up two fingers and pointed at the bottled beers evidently too scared to speak in her own bar. When she passed them over to us, I handed her my card and then poked my tongue out at my brother.
“Happy now,” I said offering him a tight smile.
Carter mumbled something and without waiting for me, picked up his wallet and turned to go and look for Hunter.
Penny returned with my card and when I reached for it, she took hold of my hand. “Thought you might want to know,” she said quietly, her eyes darting toward Mr. Parker. “Dominic is back in town.”
My stomach dropped and my hand fell to the bar. “You’re joking right?”