“I’m sorry. I’m a mess.”
“Gary told me what happened. I understand why you’ve pretty much given them the finger all night,” Claire said.
“I’ve been an idiot. Michael is an amazing man and a brilliant sheriff. I don’t know what to do. He’s been wonderful to me, but seeing Gary and the others with you hurts.”
If someone had said she would be standing in the girls’ bathroom with a redhead called Cassidy Jocks talking about a bunch of guys, Claire would have laughed.
Grabbing some tissue, she offered it to the other woman.
“If it’s any consolation, Gary feels bad about it. Talking down to you. Maybe you should stop worrying about the men and think about what you want. I don’t think the brothers are going anywhere. Be certain before you make any rash decisions,” Claire advised. She went to the sinks and finished powdering her nose.
“Are you dating Liam and Shane?”
Closing her eyes, she gathered her thoughts. “I don’t know. We’ve been best friends forever. I don’t know where that’s going to develop.”
“I know, I remember. We used to be in the same year. You and the guys never paid any attention to the rest of us.”
Claire frowned, feeling awful. She couldn’t even think of the classes she’d had with the other woman.
“I’m sorry about that.”
Not liking the direction of the conversation, she walked out of the girls’ room and straight into the confrontation between Shane and the sheriff.
Both men were arguing.
“Claire?” Shane said.
“What’s going on?” she asked quickly, glancing behind her to see if Cassidy had followed her.
“Michael here wanted to invade the ladies’ bathroom to see if his date was there.” Shane held her in his arms. The instant comfort she got from the experience pleased her.
The comfort soon left as she saw the four brothers walking over with Liam as well. Her gut was telling her real bad shit was about to go down. If they started on Michael, they’d be attacking a sheriff.
“Are you hassling her again?” Gary yelled to be heard over the noise.
Claire saw Michael tense. Cassidy had really stirred the fire within these men. She gripped Shane for more comfort. Never had she liked displays of violence. They always unnerved her.
“Me, hassling Cassidy. You’re having a laugh, Walker. Everyone knows you want her as part of your slut parade,” Michael said.
Cassidy walked out of the bathroom. Her face was puffy and red from the tears. “What’s going on?” she croaked.
“You bastard. You made her fucking cry.” Gary grabbed the sheriff’s shirt. His presence was threatening in tone and manner. “No one makes her cry.”
Shane moved out of Claire’s hold and went to the men. “I think this should be taken outside. Causing a scene isn’t ideal.”
Seconds later, Cassidy and Claire were being escorted outside. “This is going to end badly,” Cassidy said, her hands shaking.
“Are you afraid of the brothers?” Claire was concerned.
“No. But if they start something, the sheriff and the whole department will need to lock them up. They’d been warned about starting fights. This will be their fourth bar fight this month. Don’t worry. They’d never hurt me.”
Not liking where it was going, Claire walked into the center where a lot of the shouting could be heard.
“Get out of here, Claire,” Shane said.
She shot a glare to him, refusing to back down. “Are you really going to have a prick-fighting contest, to see who’s got the biggest dick?” she shouted.
“We don’t need a contest. We’ve always known Michael’s a spineless bastard,” Gary snarled.
“Stop it,” Cassidy yelled, coming into the circle.
Claire couldn’t do anything but scream for Liam and Shane to stop. She didn’t know who threw the first punch or what happened for it to escalate to a punching ground. The people from the bar spilled out and were shouting words of encouragement and in no time at all, more men were
“Gary told me what happened. I understand why you’ve pretty much given them the finger all night,” Claire said.
“I’ve been an idiot. Michael is an amazing man and a brilliant sheriff. I don’t know what to do. He’s been wonderful to me, but seeing Gary and the others with you hurts.”
If someone had said she would be standing in the girls’ bathroom with a redhead called Cassidy Jocks talking about a bunch of guys, Claire would have laughed.
Grabbing some tissue, she offered it to the other woman.
“If it’s any consolation, Gary feels bad about it. Talking down to you. Maybe you should stop worrying about the men and think about what you want. I don’t think the brothers are going anywhere. Be certain before you make any rash decisions,” Claire advised. She went to the sinks and finished powdering her nose.
“Are you dating Liam and Shane?”
Closing her eyes, she gathered her thoughts. “I don’t know. We’ve been best friends forever. I don’t know where that’s going to develop.”
“I know, I remember. We used to be in the same year. You and the guys never paid any attention to the rest of us.”
Claire frowned, feeling awful. She couldn’t even think of the classes she’d had with the other woman.
“I’m sorry about that.”
Not liking the direction of the conversation, she walked out of the girls’ room and straight into the confrontation between Shane and the sheriff.
Both men were arguing.
“Claire?” Shane said.
“What’s going on?” she asked quickly, glancing behind her to see if Cassidy had followed her.
“Michael here wanted to invade the ladies’ bathroom to see if his date was there.” Shane held her in his arms. The instant comfort she got from the experience pleased her.
The comfort soon left as she saw the four brothers walking over with Liam as well. Her gut was telling her real bad shit was about to go down. If they started on Michael, they’d be attacking a sheriff.
“Are you hassling her again?” Gary yelled to be heard over the noise.
Claire saw Michael tense. Cassidy had really stirred the fire within these men. She gripped Shane for more comfort. Never had she liked displays of violence. They always unnerved her.
“Me, hassling Cassidy. You’re having a laugh, Walker. Everyone knows you want her as part of your slut parade,” Michael said.
Cassidy walked out of the bathroom. Her face was puffy and red from the tears. “What’s going on?” she croaked.
“You bastard. You made her fucking cry.” Gary grabbed the sheriff’s shirt. His presence was threatening in tone and manner. “No one makes her cry.”
Shane moved out of Claire’s hold and went to the men. “I think this should be taken outside. Causing a scene isn’t ideal.”
Seconds later, Cassidy and Claire were being escorted outside. “This is going to end badly,” Cassidy said, her hands shaking.
“Are you afraid of the brothers?” Claire was concerned.
“No. But if they start something, the sheriff and the whole department will need to lock them up. They’d been warned about starting fights. This will be their fourth bar fight this month. Don’t worry. They’d never hurt me.”
Not liking where it was going, Claire walked into the center where a lot of the shouting could be heard.
“Get out of here, Claire,” Shane said.
She shot a glare to him, refusing to back down. “Are you really going to have a prick-fighting contest, to see who’s got the biggest dick?” she shouted.
“We don’t need a contest. We’ve always known Michael’s a spineless bastard,” Gary snarled.
“Stop it,” Cassidy yelled, coming into the circle.
Claire couldn’t do anything but scream for Liam and Shane to stop. She didn’t know who threw the first punch or what happened for it to escalate to a punching ground. The people from the bar spilled out and were shouting words of encouragement and in no time at all, more men were
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