"You'd have to ask them that," Whitney said. She gave both women a warning look. This time they pressed their lips together. Whatever was going on, they'd closed ranks against me.
"It's a free country, Ferguson." Dash shouldered past Connor and strode toward the bar.
"Not here it's not," Connor said. "You're not welcome. You forgot after last time?" His hands were curled into fists.
"Maybe he needs a reminder," Riley said.
"I'm just here for a beer." Dash leaned against the bar like he had all day.
"Get it somewhere else," Connor snarled. "Get out before we throw you out on your ass."
Dash turned slowly to face him, his lip curled. He had at least ten years and a couple of inches on Connor, and Connor was angry. Angry men tended to make mistakes.
To me, it looked like Dash was giving him and Riley enough rope to hang themselves.
"Why shouldn't he drink here?" I found myself on my feet, speaking loud enough to be heard through the whole room. Too late, I realised all eyes were on me.
Shit.
"He can pay, can't he?" I asked. If he couldn't, then he might as well leave, but I didn't think this had anything to do with him skipping out. No, whatever was going on between these three, it went deep.
"Mind your business," Connor snapped to me.
I stepped out from behind the chair and closer to him. "Is his money not good enough for you?"
"Not nearly fucking good enough," Connor agreed. "He could put a million dollars over the bar and I'd set it on fire."
I rolled my eyes at him. "That would be sensible," I said sarcastically. "And I don't believe it."
"Believe it," Riley said. "His money isn't worth shit here. And neither is he."
"He's right," Dash said. "I'm not worth getting your pretty little pussy in a twist over."
I squinted at him. I didn't know why I defended him in the first place. Clearly he neither needed nor wanted any help from me. It was possible whatever bad blood there was between them was justified. Who was I to get in the middle of that?
I just… I really hated when people ganged up against other people. Especially when it might come to blows, which it looked as though it was. I didn't want to help pick up teeth or clean up blood off the floor.
I raised my hands to either side. "No twisting here. I just figured if these guys were going to be dickheads…" I shrugged.
"They're always dickheads, sweet cheeks, but you know what?" He leaned toward me. "So am I. Ask anyone here." He jerked his head toward the rest of the room. "It's been…entertaining." He gave me a sarcastic, loud air kiss before stepping around me and back out into the night.
"And stay the fuck out," Connor shouted after him. He drew in a furious breath and loudly let it out. "That fucker seriously needs to stay out of town."
Was Dash the one they were talking about in the café the other morning? They'd walked in the door raging about someone. Connor said similar words then about him staying out of Aurora Hollow. Was it strangers in general he didn't like, or just me and Dash in particular? Presumably the latter, since his livelihood depended on strangers coming to town.
Although, he could be a good actor around them, pretending they were welcome until they were parted from their money.
"Does every man in town have a goddamn chip on their shoulder?" I slid back into my seat. It certainly seemed like it. They got bigger with each one I met.
"Just those three," Fiona said. "They might get over it someday."
Whitney laughed. "Connor and Riley hold grudges like their lives depend on them. They're gonna keep hating him until he's dead, or they are."
"It must have been bad," I said. "Whatever caused this. Was it over a woman?" They wouldn't be the first guys to lose their shit over someone. They wouldn't be the last.
Yet, this seemed to be about something else. What could be so important it would cause so much anger and animosity between them? Dash was too much older than Connor and Riley to have gone to school with them. What else might it be then?
Honestly, I could guess until the flying pigs landed and still not be right. I might be better off not knowing if it was that bad. Staying away from all of them would be a better option. For me and them.
