Bucking the Rules(10)

“Same,” Trace said, and waited until she sauntered off. Because it would have been unnatural not to, he took a second glance at her butt. Not bad. Cute, good butt, nice smile. And yet, his self-imposed celibacy continued.

“If it’s about Peyton shoving me out of the house for the night—”

“Peyton? She said you were dying to get out of the house.”

Red smiled. “Uh-huh. Of course, she did.”

Trace had the distinct feeling of being on the losing end of a fight he didn’t even know he was in. “So, you didn’t tell her you wanted to go get drinks.”

“Nope.” He smiled again as the redhead delivered the drinks, and took a sip. “Not that I don’t appreciate a good beer and some time out watching poker. Maybe shoot a little pool in a bit.”

“But it wasn’t your idea.”

Red shrugged. “I’d be just as happy at home with your sister. Happier, probably. No offense meant,” he added easily.

“Playing Scrabble,” Trace muttered. Red shot him a confused look, but he shook his head. “Never mind.”

“Fact is, variety is the spice of life. Not variety in women,” he added, as if he realized Trace wasn’t entirely following. “But variety in experiences. I got so used to following my dad around the country, from one barn to the next, that I just fell into doing the same thing myself as an adult. One ranch after another, whichever one wanted to hire me next, there I went. But now that I’m static, and happy to be so, I can always use something new to do with my days to throw off the normal a little. No harm.”

“Yeah.” Trace sipped his own beer, wondering why it always seemed to taste a little better when it came from a bar rather than the fridge at home. “I got it. So overall, this whole plot was to get me out of the house.”

Red lifted a brow. “Mind me asking why you think that?”

“Peyton’s been up my ass about getting a social life for months. I’m happy at home. Is that a crime?”

“Not at all. But there’s also nothing wrong with taking some time to get out. Nobody back home minds watching Seth. Except maybe Bea … It’s not a big deal. It’s not,” he added when Trace started to protest. “I know you want to do it all, and you hate imposing. You’re just like Peyton that way. You feel it’s bad enough Emma takes him on during the day. But she got a raise out of it, didn’t she? And did Peyton look like she was suffering, keeping him for the night?”

“No.”

“Exactly. We all love that little guy. And we mostly tolerate your ass, too. So in the end, it all works out. Now, enjoy your beer and shake off your mad, because if you ruin my own night out, I’ll kick your ass when we get home.”

Trace grinned, despite himself, and saluted Red with his bottle. “Yes, sir.”





Chapter Three


“Now there’s a real man.”

Amanda nudged Jo and nodded toward a back table.

Jo looked up from the pint she was pouring and tried to focus. “The entire back of the bar is full of guys.”

“Guys, sure. But a real man? Come on, Jo. Don’t tell me you can’t see him.” Amanda took the glass from Jo’s hand and switched places. “See him now? Red shirt, brown hair, sitting in the back with Red Callahan? That’s Trace Muldoon.”

Jo struggled to remember who Red Callahan was. The name was familiar, but no mental picture was springing up. Despite her years and years as a bartender, server, manager, and sometimes bouncer, she’d never quite picked up the habit of being great with names and faces. “Still batting zero, here.”

“Oh, my God. You are hopeless.” Amanda slid the beer three seats down into waiting hands. She finally squared Jo’s shoulders and pointed straight ahead. “See?”

Jo squinted, and finally saw what Amanda wanted her to. A good-looking man. Two of them, in fact. Though Jo struggled to remember which one was the guy she supposedly knew. “And Callahan would be … ?”

“The other one. The unavailable one. He’s with Peyton Muldoon now.”

“Oh, Peyton. Right.” Peyton, Jo knew. She always appreciated another female making it in a man’s world, doing the unexpected. Though they were opposites in many ways, Jo enjoyed Peyton’s company on the infrequent times she stopped in. “Muldoon. So is he Peyton’s brother? Cousin? Other random relation?”

“Brother.” Amanda snorted. “Seriously, how do you live in this town and not know everything? This place runs on red meat and gossip. It’s been a year. Get with the program.”

“I live where I work, and I hate listening to gossip.” Jo hauled a bus tub full of empties and kicked the kitchen door open. “Full tub!”