Sheriff Daddy (Montana Daddies Book 10) by Laylah Roberts (good book club books txt) 📗

Shit! She was going down! How the heck was she going to explain to her mother that she’d injured herself while standing on a chair in a bar?

“Whoa there, sweetheart. Watch out.” A large arm wrapped around her middle and lifted her down off the stool, setting her on the floor.

She stiffened, waiting for him to press close to her, to try and make some move or grope her. But the owner of the arm respectfully stepped away.

“There you go.”

She turned to look at her rescuer and stared up into a pair of twinkling, hazel-colored eyes. The owner of those eyes was lean and tall with a weathered face and a short, well-kept beard. He wore a plaid shirt and jeans.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Although I would like to point out that I bought those chairs with the idea that people would sit in them not stand on them.”

She blushed at the gentle scolding. How mortifying to be told off like that? At thirty-four! What he must think of her.

Wait.

“Your chairs?”

“Yep. Noah O’Ryan.” He held out his hand and she shook it. He had a good grip, not too firm, not too limp. His hands were lightly calloused. “I own the Wishing Well.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to, uhh, if I did anything . . .” Shoot. Why couldn’t she get her words out? Why did she have to be so socially awkward?

“No harm, no foul. Just no more standing on chairs, okay? I don’t need anyone hurting themselves on my watch. That understood, Isa?” His face grew sterner as he looked over at the blonde woman, who stood behind Georgina.

“Hey, what makes you think I had anything to do with this?” Isa protested.

Noah just raised an eyebrow. She’d always been envious of people who could do that. Her brother, Gareth, could. He thought it made him sexier. He was her brother, so, you know, gross. But she couldn’t deny that Noah looked sexy.

“O’Ryan what are you doing here?”

She turned in surprise at Cleo’s caustic tone. Did she not like Noah?

Noah raised his second eyebrow. “This is my bar. I go where I like.”

Cleo snorted. Juliet half-hid behind her, peeking out at Noah nervously. “Maybe you could go somewhere else?” Cleo snapped.

Georgina gasped at her rudeness. But Noah simply moved closer to Cleo. Then he peered down at Juliet and his gaze softened. “Juliet, sweetie, why don’t you sit down and I’ll send Amy over with a drink for you.”

Juliet nodded and slid into a seat.

“As for you, missy,” he said to Cleo sternly. “We’ll talk later.”

Then he whacked her on the butt and left. Georgina’s mouth opened in shock.

“Don’t worry,” Isa told her, leaning in closer. “They’re always like that. Cleo gets extra mouthy when she wants a spanking, she says something rude to Noah and then he’ll put her over his knee and redden her butt and she’ll be sweet as pie after.”

“That is not what happens,” Cleo protested. “We do not do that.”

“Sure you do,” Kiesha replied. “But I don’t know why you just don’t ask him to spank you.”

“It’s complicated,” Cleo replied as Kiesha set down the drinks she’d been carrying on a serving tray.

Georgina sat back down and looked over at Juliet with a smile. “Hi, I’m Georgina.”

All of them froze. Now what?

“Juliet, this is my new bestie, Georgie,” Kiesha quickly said. “This is Juliet. She doesn’t talk.”

“Oh.” Then realizing she was being rude by acting so shocked, she smiled. “Do you use sign language?”

Juliet’s eyes widened.

“Okay, so she does talk,” Kiesha said. “She just doesn’t talk to strangers. She won’t be able to talk directly to you until she’s known you for, umm . . . about five years.”

Georgina blinked. All right.

“So, who’s ready for a drink? Georgina, I got you the special.” Kiesha plonked a huge glass in front of Georgina. It was pink. And on the top swam a paper flamingo. Okay, it was seriously cute.

Georgina loved it. “What is it?”

“It’s a pink flamingo. Try it, you’ll love it.”

She gave Kiesha a skeptical look. “I don’t ever drink.”

Kiesha waved a hand at her. “It’s got hardly any alcohol in it, you’ll be fine. Just one.”

“Just one.”

Famous last words.

4

“You guys are ah-ah-amazing. Wow, that was hard to get out.” Georgina looked at her drink suspiciously. “Are you sure there’s no alcohol in this?”

“Of course there’s alcohol in it, silly,” Kiesha cried, throwing her arms back in a cry. “It’s a pink flamingo.”

“Oh no! Juliet, is she telling the truth?” Georgina leaned over to the quiet woman who was busy filling out the current trivia question.

Juliet leaned over and whispered something to Cleo.

“Juliet says that it contains rum, lime juice, strawberries, and soda water,” Cleo repeated for her.

“Ooh, that sounds delicious. It is delicious.” She blinked to try and bring everything into focus. “I wish Noah would stop the bar from moving. It’s making me feel ill.”

Juliet leaned into Cleo again.

“Juliet says the bar isn’t moving. It’s you.”

“Juliet is a genius.” She stared at the pale, thin woman who just nodded.

“Yep, she sure is,” Isa said with a grin, downing another drink. “That’s why we always win the bar trivia each week.”

“But wait, why am I swaying?” she cried.

“Because you’re drunk. Like the rest of us,” Kiesha told her. “Isn’t it fun?”

“Speak for yourself,” Cleo gripped. “Juliet and I are sober.”

“You’re the sober driver,” Isa pointed out. “It’s your turn.”

“Yes, but it means I can’t have drunk sex. Drunk sex is the best. So is angry sex.”

“Ooh, drunk, angry sex,” Kiesha said. “I once had drunk, angry sex with the lead singer of the Volatiles.”

Georgina stared at her in amazement. “You did?”

She noticed Cleo shaking her head behind Kiesha’s back, but she was too drunk to work out what was going on.

“I sure did,” Kiesha replied. “Don’t you believe me?”

“Believe you about what? Hey, I can’t be drunk. A James doesn’t get drunk. I’m not allowed to get drunk.”

She was aware of everyone staring at her. Uh oh, had she said