“Where’re y’all stayin tonight?” Travis inquired, shaking his head but grinning like a fool.
“Don’t know yet. All the hotels in the area are booked,” Ryan said before thinking his answer through. When Travis’s dark eyebrows shot up, he knew instantly that he should’ve kept his mouth shut.
“We’ve got a few rooms available at the resort still. You and Z have a standing invitation, any time you want,” Travis said.
Ryan was trying to come up with a response to that, but the thought of staying in a hotel with Z not only tied his tongue but it sent a surge of heat surging through him. So rather than reply, he settled for taking a drink.
“Well, that settles it then,” Travis said with a grin. “I’ll make a call. Y’all want one room or two?”
Ryan felt his face flame, but he managed to say, “Two. Definitely two.”
“Right.” Travis offered a knowing wink, then grabbed his cell phone.
Shit.
“WHAT’RE YOU DOIN’ OVER THERE? Contemplatin’ the meanin’ of the universe?”
Pulled from his thoughts, Z plastered a smile on his face as he looked up to see Ethan Walker and Ethan’s husband, Beau, standing directly in front of him.
“Actually, I was tryin’ to figure out how this place was still standin’ after all this time,” he offered with a smile. Truth was, he was thinking about RT and the fact that they hadn’t yet found a place to stay for the night. He was wondering whether or not he’d get lucky and there would only be one hotel room in the entire county and he’d get a chance to spend the night with RT.
Not that he was going to tell Ethan that.
“Mind if we sit?” Beau asked, nodding toward the two empty chairs at the table.
“Not at all.” Z welcomed the company. And the distraction. He wanted to avoid spending the evening lost in his own thoughts when he had the opportunity to spend it with friends.
Now, sitting at a tall table at the back of Moonshiners—the small bar hadn’t changed at all in the years he’d been gone—Z was ready for the activities to commence. He’d called up Brendon when they’d crossed the county line a few hours ago, and his childhood friend had mentioned they’d be heading down to the bar to celebrate before the big day tomorrow.
They hadn’t been lying, either. This was a party if Z’d ever seen one. And true to form, the Walker family knew how to celebrate, bringing people in from all over, cramming them all into the one-room bar.
The place was packed from wall to wall with people, most of whom Z recognized but hadn’t had any contact with in at least ten years. Didn’t look like tonight was going to be one to catch up and reminisce, either, but he was okay with that. Z figured that had a lot to do with some of the familiar faces who had arrived a few minutes ago. Not only was Cheyenne Montgomery—the West Texas Princess who was up for a CMA this year—there with Brendon, but Cooper Krenshaw and Dalton Calhoun, two other country music sensations, had also graced the small town with their presence, and everyone seemed to be captivated by their celebrity guests.
The beer was flowing almost as smoothly as the conversation.
Tilting his beer to his lips, Z scanned the room, looking past the people he’d grown up with until his gaze centered on one man in particular.
Ryan Trexler.
Watching as RT sat at a table with Travis and Travis’s wife, Kylie, and their husband, Gage, he couldn’t take his eyes off the man. For the first time in what seemed to be ages, RT was smiling, laughing even. But without a doubt, RT was avoiding Z at all costs.
The only thing that could’ve possibly made the night better would’ve been if RT hadn’t been doing his best to avoid him. Dinner had gone well, but they’d had Reese there to entertain them with his war stories, as he referred to them.
It wasn’t until Beau clapped him on the back that Z realized he’d once again retreated into his own head and Ethan had since abandoned them.
“What’s up, man?” Beau asked, his words slurring slightly. “It’s good to see you.”
“Not much. You?” Z studied Beau briefly. Being that he was so big, Z was used to being the biggest guy in the room (unless his brother or father was there), but next to Beau Bennett, he didn’t feel like a complete abomination. With maybe an inch on the guy, Z was inclined to believe Beau might’ve had a few more pounds of muscle on him than Z did. But not much.
Still, it was interesting to see people look their way, some doing a double take.
Beau’s head turned toward the other side of the bar. Z followed his line of sight, his gaze coming to rest on RT once again.
“Did you hear?” Beau’s eyes lit up. “Ethan and I got married.”
Z’s eyebrows darted down. “A while back, I heard.”
“No. Recently.” Beau’s grin widened. “Well, back then, too, but…” Beau peered around, seemingly looking to see if anyone was paying attention. “Shh, you can’t tell anyone.”
“Tell them what?” Z couldn’t hide his confusion.
“We went to the justice of the peace and got married. The real deal.”
It finally dawned on Z what Beau was talking about. Though the couple had had a traditional ceremony, their marriage hadn’t been legal in the state of Texas, but now that same-sex marriage was legal in all states, they must’ve taken the plunge.
“Congrats, man,” Z offered.
“Thanks.” Beau beamed with pride. “I’m a lucky guy. So what’s up with your man?”
Z choked out a laugh, the quick subject change surprising him. “Don’t let him hear you say that.”
“Why not?” Beau’s eyebrows darted down in confusion.
“Because he’s my boss, not my man.”
“Really?” Beau looked across the bar. “Someone might wanna tell him to stop ogling his employees then.”
“He’s oglin’ me?” Z’s eyes were locked on RT now, wanting desperately to see what Beau was seeing.
When Z turned back to look at Beau, the guy’s grin was wicked, which meant he knew exactly what he was doing.
“Man, you’re easy.”
“Thanks.”
“More beers,” Ethan announced when he arrived back at the table, his timing impeccable. “What’re you up to?” he asked Beau suspiciously.
“Nothin’,” Beau answered innocently.
Ethan smirked at Z. “He’s tryin’ to play matchmaker, ain’t he?”
Z didn’t respond, simply tilted his beer to his lips and chugged half the bottle.
“Better be careful,” Beau said in a mock whisper. “You get drunk and your boss might take advantage of you.”
If only he were that lucky.
“Quit,” Ethan commanded with a smile. “Speaking of bein’ careful…how many have you had?”
“Not nearly enough,” Beau joked. “But don’t worry, I’ll let you take advantage of me no matter how much I drink.”
Ethan’s smile slipped slightly, his eyes scanning those around them. Z knew that Ethan wasn’t as open as Beau, but from what he’d heard from Ethan’s brothers, he was coming around. If Z had to guess, that was likely all thanks to Beau.
But it was interesting to see Beau so tipsy. He was a big guy, so a few beers shouldn’t have gotten him quite so inebriated so quickly.
“How many shots did you have with Cheyenne?” Ethan asked, still studying Beau.
“A few.”
Ethan glanced over to Z. “Chey seems to think she can outdrink him despite the fact he’s got a foot and a half and probably a hundred fifty pounds on her.”
“You should try pickin’ on someone your own size,” Z joked.
Beau’s eyes narrowed, his smile widening. “Good call.” Lifting his head high to see over the others, Beau shouted, “We need some shots over here!”
“No, we don’t,” Ethan said quickly, laughing. “I swear I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”
Z downed the rest of his beer and noticed that people were beginning to circle their table.
“Oh, hell yeah!” Zane Walker hollered. “Z’s gonna try to outdrink Beau, y’all!”
Actually, that hadn’t been Z’s plan at all, but as his gaze met RT’s across the room, the other man quickly looking away as though he’d been caught committing a crime, Z figured what the hell.
He didn’t have anything better to do.
FIVE