Cook County: Lucky in Love by Crystal-Rain Love Page B

who’ll at least try, instead of tucking his tail between his legs like a whipped mutt when things get tough.”
    Lucky watched as his brother walked away, crossing the yard to greet his new wife with a long kiss. “Good for you, bro,” he murmured as he banked down the brief flare of anger his brother’s words had evoked. The man was only telling the truth. He’d spent a long time in his trailer thinking about the incident with Cammie May. In no way was he good for her.
    He went back into the tent, glad to see Stacy was no longer there, and grabbed two bottles out of one of the coolers. He’d done his job. He’d arrived on time and walked the maid of honor down the aisle where he’d stood in front of eighty or so people, all of them judging him. He’d even worn a freaking suit. Duty performed, he was free to go home and be alone with just his thoughts to torment him and the alcohol to serve as a band-aid.
    He avoided eye contact as he made his way through the throng of wedding guests, knowing the judgmental looks cast at him would make him angry, and an angry Lucky was not a good party guest. He’d held it together during the ceremony, he was not about to ruin his brother’s day now. He definitely wouldn’t do that to Kenzie. He’d reached his quota on hurting sweet women for the month already when he’d taken Cammie to his bed and gave her the worst first time ever.
    Delia Mayberry approached him as he cleared the last of the people between him and where he’d parked his truck. A low growl issued at her sent the woman shrinking back. He tugged at his collar as he passed vehicles parked along the gravel road leading to the ranch, cursing women for forcing men to dress up for weddings.
    He heard raised voices as he neared his truck and groaned. The voices were female. To his knowledge, there had yet to be a wedding in Cook County that didn’t result in a catfight between two or more of the guests. Usually the throwing of the bouquet started it, which was why Kenzie had decided she was forgoing that tradition. Apparently, she needn’t have bothered to skip it.
    Lucky rounded an SUV and came to an abrupt stop as he took in the scene before him. Hurling insults, Cammie and Stacy were in each other’s faces next to his truck.
    “Call me a slut if it makes you feel better, but at least I knew how to please your man,” Stacy snapped vehemently. “Can you still smell me on your sheets?”
    A hardness Lucky had never seen in Cammie settled in her eyes before she unleashed a powerful growl and shoved Stacy to the ground. Within a second, she was straddling the blonde, one fist drawn back, prepared to strike.
    “Whoa!” Lucky dropped the bottles as he rushed forward and grabbed Cammie around the waist, hoisting her off the other woman. “What the hell is going on between you two?”
    “I’m teaching this skank a lesson!” Cammie hollered as she swung her fists like a windmill, so caught up in the act of swinging that she didn’t seem to pay any notice to the fact she was hitting nothing but air.
    “Too bad nobody taught you any lessons in bed,” Stacy retorted as she struggled to her feet and adjusted her dress. “Maybe you could have kept Jim, and you wouldn’t be out here fighting over someone who’ll never want you.”
    The feisty blonde lunged forward to attack Cammie, who was still in Lucky’s arms, helpless to defend herself. Lucky swung her to the side with one arm and used his other hand to hold Stacy back by her forehead, a maneuver Chance had done to him several times during their youth. The woman couldn’t gain any ground that way, but it didn’t stop her from swinging in the same manner as Cammie.
    “What in tarnation?”
    Lucky looked up to see Sheriff Mayberry stepping out from between two cars, his deputy, Kyle Lincoln, close behind.
    “Hey, Roger,” he greeted the heavyset man. “Think you could give me a hand here?”
    “I don’t know.” Roger folded his arms and took in the