The Last One(43)

“Sure.” I turned to go, and my blond rescuer stayed next to me as I walked away from their table.

“Sorry about Trent. He’s harmless, but he can be persistent, particularly after he’s had a few.”

We reached the bar, and I caught the bartender’s eye and ordered a beer and a soda. Trent’s friend reached for his wallet. “Make that two beers and a soda, please. My treat, to make up for Trent.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I protested.

“My pleasure.” He handed a twenty across the bar and then turned back to me. “I’m Alex, by the way.”

I offered my hand. “Meghan. Thanks again.” I looked over my shoulder. “I really am here with my friend Ali, but you’re welcome to join us.”

Alex followed my gesture and smiled. “Hey, I know her! She’s my next-door neighbor. And a good friend. I was planning to get over to see her this weekend.”

“Then you have to come over and say hello.” I led the way, and Ali’s eyes brightened when she saw us.

“Alex! When did you get back into town?” She jumped up to give him a hug and take her beer from me.

“Just last night. I figured to come by the stand tomorrow to say hey. How’s everything with you? Sam doing okay? And the baby?” We all sat down, Alex angling the chair to stretch out his long legs.

Ali laughed. “Same old here. Doing the mommy thing, working the farm, running the stand. Sam’s still driving me crazy and working too hard. And Bridget’s seven now—no more baby.”

“Geez, that’s crazy.” He grinned and shook his head. “And what about your love life? Any bouncing going on in that lonely bed?”

My eyebrows rose in shock, but Ali only giggling. “Nah. Would you believe this is the first time I’ve been out just for fun since before Craig? I’m nearly a lost cause.” She took a swig of beer and then lifted it toward me. “I’m sorry, Alex, have you met Meghan? She’s living with us for the summer.”

Alex turned his bright blue eyes my way. “Yeah, I had the pleasure of helping her escape the clutches of Trent Wagner.” He looked me up and down, but it didn’t make me uncomfortable. I got the feeling he was only curious, not creepy. “So what brings you to the metropolis of Burton, Georgia this summer?”

“I’m teaching art at the school, just for a few months.” I glanced between the two of them. “I take it you’ve been out of town for a while?”

“Alex lives in Atlanta.” Ali reached across to squeeze his arm. “He left for college and never came home. Well, for good, I mean. He comes back every summer since Fred and Missy won’t go visit him in the big city.”

“Ohhh.” I nodded. “You’re Mr. Fred’s son. Mr. Fred who owns the card-playing horses.” I’d heard Bridget rhapsodize over the horses next door since I’d been here.

Alex laughed. “Well, they’re not card-playing, that I know of. But yeah, Dad named them after card games. It was a joke, because his mother was raised Methodist, and they weren’t allowed to play cards. He did it to get her dander up, he says.”

“Bridget totally covets them all. The running argument in our house is between Sam and her, about how we really can’t have a farm without horses.” Ali finished her beer and stood up. “I need another drink.”

“Want me to go?” I watched to see if she was swaying, but she seemed steady.

“Nah, I’m good. Plus I’d have to send Alex to protect you from grabby cowboys. Maybe I want to see if one of them wants to get grabby with me.” She winked and slipped past me.

“Good to see her having fun.” Alex sipped his beer. “She and Sam had a rough time there for a while.”

“They’re great people. I’m glad I’m staying with them.”

He nodded. “So what’s up with old Sam these days? Anyone bouncing on his bed?”

I almost choked on my soda. “Um, not to my knowledge, no.” I felt the red creep onto my cheeks and hoped Alex wouldn’t notice it.

“Hmmm.” He narrowed his eyes. “Got your eye on that, do you?”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Was I that transparent? “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Aw, honey, I recognized the look. C’mon, you’re living in that house ... I take you’re unattached yourself. Have you seen him with his shirt off?”

I thought of Sam walking in wet before dinner, and I might have hummed a little. Alex chuckled.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Ah, that boy. I had a crush on him from the time I was thirteen. Never looked my way, of course. He’s a hundred percent hetero.”