“Come on, Rams,” Rushton encourages her. “The guy is practically begging for your time. Put him out of his misery,” he says, smacking a hand down on my shoulder.
“I’m clearly outnumbered.” She shakes her head, a smile playing on her lips.
“Why are you all hounding my best friend?” a voice that I know belongs to my baby sister asks.
“Palmer, help me out here.” Ramsey waves her hands at our group. “Tell them it’s fine for me to want to spend Friday night at home.”
“You work on Friday nights,” Palmer answers.
“Not tomorrow. I’m off.”
“Then hell yes, we’re going out. What are we doing, boys?” she asks, placing her arm around Archer’s shoulders. They graduated together and have always been close.
“Fine.” Ramsey holds her hands up in the air. “Tell me where to be and when,” she says, moving down the bar to serve someone who just walked in.
“Seriously, what are you all doing here? Is this some kind of Kincaid family reunion?” Palmer teases.
“These jokers follow me around like lost puppies.” Orrin points at his brothers.
“We’re all bachelors, and we’re starving,” Archer counters.
“Fair enough. Let’s grab a table. You coming, Deacon?” Palmer asks.
“I’m good here.”
“Come on.” Palmer grabs my hand and pulls me from my stool. “We need to make plans for tomorrow night. You can go sit with your girl after.”
“I’ll be there in a minute,” I tell her, waving her off. She smiles and shakes her head. I know she loves that Ramsey and I are together. I have a feeling she’s never going to let me live it down that she introduced us.
“You’re not going to contribute to the planning?” Ramsey asks after serving her customer.
“If you really want to stay home, we can. I just thought you deserve a night out of fun.”
“It’s fine. I don’t mind going out. I just hate that you always insist that you pay. You don’t have to spend your money on me to make me want to be with you.”
“That’s not what I’m doing. Not at all. I’m paying because I want to take care of you, and before you say you don’t need me to take care of you, I know that too. It’s not because you need me to do it. It’s because I want to do it. I like doing nice things for you.”
“You’re a good man, Deacon Setty.”
“I’m your man,” I say, leaning over the bar to press my lips to hers.
“All right, you crazy kids, break it up,” Tabitha jokes.
I settle back on my stool. “I got you something last night.”
“You did?”
I nod. Reaching into my pocket, I grab the item and slide it across the bar to her. “This is yours.”
“A key?” She takes it in her hand and tilts her head to the side.
“To my place. If there are any nights you get off work and you want to come home to me instead of home alone, use that.”
“Giving me a key to your place is a big deal.”
Leaning over the bar once again, I kiss her. I can’t seem to help myself. Thankfully, there are only a couple of small groups, minus the Kincaids and my sister. I hope they’re not paying us a bit of attention. I don’t want to get her into trouble, but I can’t not kiss her either. “Don’t you know we’re a big deal, you and me?” I wink and stand from my stool. “I’m going to go see what they’re planning for tomorrow night. Is there anything you absolutely don’t want to do?”
“I just want to be with you. I don’t care about the rest.”
My chest does that tightening thing that happens when she’s around, and it’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her that I love her. In fact, I have to bite down on my cheek to keep the words from spilling out of my mouth. This isn’t the place or time to confess something like that. I need to be where I can take her in my arms and hold her, make love to her when that happens. “Done.” One more kiss and I turn to join her cousins and my sister at their rowdy table.
“There he is,” Brooks calls out. “Did she finally let you off of your leash?” he teases.
“Unfortunately.” I laugh. I can take their ribbing all day long. I’m very aware that I’m gone over this woman, and I have zero fucks to give about it. I’d rather be sitting on that stool close to her than here at this table with them.
“Stop.” Palmer pushes on Brooks’s arm, and he laughs but doesn’t say anything else.
“So, what’s the plan?”
“We’re thinking of driving to Harris and doing some ax throwing at the new indoor go-kart place, Karting Express. They have the karts, ax throwing, a bar, and an arcade.”
“Sounds good.”
“Don’t you need to ask your girl?” Orrin teases.
“He doesn’t,” Ramsey says from beside me. She places her hand on my shoulder. “I already told him if he was in, so was I.”
I turn to look at her. “Are you taking your break?”
“Yeah. I ordered us food. I can change it if you want, but I just got you a burger and fries.”
“That’s fine, babe. Thank you.” I scoot back and tap my thigh. “Sit.” She does as I ask, and I wrap my arms around her. Damn, this turned out better than us getting a table together to eat during her breaks.
“This looks like it’s going well,” Orrin says, nodding in our direction.
“It is,” Ramsey answers. She turns to look at me over her shoulder, and I place a kiss on the corner of her mouth. “What are we doing tomorrow?” she asks me.
“Oh, we’re going to Karting Express,” Palmer answers for me. “They have ax throwing, and I’ve been dying to try it.”
“Sounds fun.”
“Who’s riding with who?” Palmer asks.
“We’re going on our own,” I speak up.
“You can ride with us,” Archer tells her.
“Don’t think you boys can let me tag along so I’ll be your designated driver,” Palmer says.
“It’s my turn.” Rushton raises his hand.
“You really take turns?” Palmer asks.
“Yep. That’s the best way to ensure we’re all home safe.”
“What happens when you all go?”
“Well, the twins are still too young, so there’s never more than seven of us.”
“And all seven of you pile in your pickups?” she asks.
“Nah, if all of us go, we take two, and there are two DDs.”
“Well, fine, if you need me to do it, I will.”
“You give in to them too easily,” Ramsey tells her.
“I’d rather volunteer to do it than have to depend on these goons to get me home safely.”
“Hello? Older brother here.” I point to my chest. “I’m not drinking since I’m driving.”
“Then you should just let me ride with you.”
“Can’t. Date-night rules,” I tell her. I expect ribbing for the comment, but surprisingly the guys all remain quiet.
“Since your date night is with my bestie, I’ll let that slide.” Palmer winks at Ramsey, who I’m sure is smiling at my sister’s antics.