Always A Cowboy. Linda Miller Lael

face.

      Thelma did have a sense of humor and it finally surfaced. “See that he gets no food or water.”

      “Yes, ma’am.”

      “Your food will be right up. I’ll bring another round when you start your game. But then I’m cutting you off. Y’all have to drive home.” She stalked back toward the kitchen.

      Spence said mildly, “I could point out that I walked from the station and Melody’s having dinner with Hadleigh and Bex, so she’s picking me up. But I think I’m just going to keep my mouth shut.”

      “Good idea.” Tripp nodded. Since Hadleigh was his wife and Bex was married to Tate, they were undoubtedly doing the same thing. Drake had planned on having only two beers, anyway, so the decree didn’t bother him at all.

      Their weekly poker game usually took a couple of hours. He’d be completely sober when he drove back to the ranch.

      The special ended up being chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes and garden-fresh green beans, which meant it was his lucky night. Until he saw who was walking through the front door...

      Ms. Lucinda Hale.

      Drake couldn’t believe it. She spotted him and waved. She looked different with all that long hair in loose curls and a denim skirt that reached only midthigh, with some sort of frothy pink top that left her slender arms bare. Didn’t matter how she looked, though. She was still his nemesis. Or, if that was too fancy, he could just call her a pain in the butt. Focus. Poker night.

      He waved back. What could he do but be polite? Tate narrowed his eyes. “That’s her? The graduate student? Pretty’s an understatement, I’d say.”

      “Whatever.” He finished his first beer in a gulp and grumbled, “What she’s doing here, I don’t have a clue.”

      “Maybe she heard that Billy serves the best burgers in town and decided to try one.” Tripp looked amused at Drake’s discomfort, especially when Luce started to walk toward them. “Here she comes. No offense, but I’ve never thought you were all that irresistible myself.”

      That was not worth responding to.

      They all stood when she walked in their direction.

      “Hello.” Luce smiled at them, leaving Drake no choice but to introduce everyone. Once that was done, she said, “Please sit down and eat. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Mace is parking the car. Nice to meet all of you.”

      About two seconds later, his brother strolled through the door, the slightest hint of a smirk on his face, as if he knew their arrival would annoy the hell out of him. Mace waved a casual hello and Luce went off to join him at a table in the corner, near the antique jukebox.

      As if they were on a date or something. It definitely got to him, which he’d have to think about later.

      “I guess you’re not the irresistible one, after all.” Tripp was joking, but his gaze was speculative. “You might want to adjust your expression, Carson, because Mace knows you even better than we do and he’ll be able to read it loud and clear.”

      “What expression?” He caught the hint of defensiveness in his voice. Damn.

      Spence said to Tate, “Two brothers after the same girl. Not a good scenario, is it?”

      Tate took a bite and chewed for a minute as though he was thinking it over. “Especially if they live in the same house. Nope, not good at all.”

      “I’m not ‘after’ her,” Drake snapped. He knew they were ribbing him, but he was afraid his current level of annoyance wasn’t solely because Mace had deliberately brought her to Billy’s to irritate him. They were best friends, yet they had fought like two male bighorn sheep their entire lives, arguing so much that even Slater had given up trying to tone them down. Unless it got physical, which it had once or twice when they were teens.