“You are scowling, Beckett Montgomery. Why are you scowling while you’re holding me? I mean, you’ve got the moves, but they seem to be rote for you if you can focus on anything else but me while moving your feet around as we are.”
I quickly pushed thoughts of my father and work and anything else out of my mind, squeezed Sally’s hip, and then twirled her. She let out a giggle, and one of the guys whistled next to us. I moved a little quicker, Sally in my arms.
I will have a good time tonight, I reminded myself. I might as well try. Maybe I’d even get laid.
Hell, was this what my life had become? I was nearly thirty now, and it felt like this was all I did: worked, came to Riggs’, had family dinners. That was it. I had friends, good ones, but they did the same things as I did. I felt like we were all in a funk, or maybe that’s just what I saw because I barely slept and felt like I was missing something.
Or maybe someone.
The song ended, and I leaned down and kissed Sally on the cheek. “Have fun?”
“You sure got moves, Beckett.” She tapped my cheek. “However, I am going home alone tonight if that’s okay with you. I’ve had a long day. And it seems you’ve had a longer one. Smile more, Beckett. Or at least find reasons to. You’re a good man. I’ve missed those smiles.”
She rose on tiptoe, kissed me softly, and then walked off to her group of friends. They all eyed me—not unkindly, just curiously. I smiled, although I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. If Sally had noticed, others would, too. My family was far too perceptive for their own good.
Sally waved as she headed out of a bar with her friends in tow. I sighed and made my way to the bar. Riggs was there, his hair pulled back, a smug grin on his face. “Well, want to tell me your troubles?” he asked, flipping a towel over his shoulder.
I barked out a laugh. “No, I don’t want to.” And I wouldn’t. Not that I needed to tell anyone what went through my mind these days.
“Well, what can I get you?” he asked.
I shook my head. “You’re playing up the old-timey bartender role, aren’t you?”
Riggs shrugged. “I’m working on it. It’s not that busy tonight. It is a weeknight, after all.”
“Hey, you have the Montgomerys here. That’s got to help your bottom line, at least somehow.”
“If you’d brought your cousins, I’d have to shut the whole place down because I’d likely max out capacity for the fire inspector.”
“Ha, ha,” I said and ordered a beer.
“You’ve got it. And this one’s on the house, as long as you tell me how your new hire’s doing.”
I rolled my eyes. “He’s been my new hire for over a year now. And if you want to ask about Clay, you should talk to him yourself when he comes next time.”
Riggs’ eyes clouded. “Not sure he wants to speak to me. And, frankly, he’s busy these days, isn’t he?”
I nodded, curious. “He’s busier than I am. He’s busier than all of us.”
“Except for maybe your sister,” he said and then handed me the beer as he looked over my shoulder.
I turned to see Annabelle walking towards me, her hand on her stomach. Although her bump wasn’t too big yet, she still had one. I couldn’t help but grin at the thought of what was to come. My little sister was pregnant. And I wasn’t too much of an asshole to be growly that her husband had knocked her up, but I still got a little growly just for him. She was married, pregnant, and happy. Her husband was right behind her, Jacob’s brows rising as I realized that I must be glaring, my smile now gone.
I schooled my expression and tilted my glass towards them in greeting. “Look at you at a bar. I thought pregnant ladies weren’t supposed to drink.”
“I’m having a Shirley Temple,” Annabelle said.
“I can do that for you,” Riggs said. “Plus, I bet I can make a few virgin drinks for you.” He smirked. “Though I guess virgin might be out the window.”
“Watch how you talk to my wife, Riggs,” Jacob said, though we were all teasing. The amount of virgin and sex jokes we all made on a daily basis was borderline ridiculous. We were a little crass and spent way too much time together. That’s how we liked it.
“I know you have a bunch of nonalcoholic drinks on your bar menu for people who don’t want to drink but still want to socialize, and I appreciate it,” Annabelle said. “However, I’m just craving all that grenadine.”
“I’ve got you,” Riggs said.
“Now sit down,” I said and then moved out of the way so Annabelle could have my seat. The place wasn’t busy, but my stool was easier to get into because of the angle.
She rolled her eyes as she looked at all of us. “You guys are ridiculous. I’m not even hugely pregnant yet. What are you going to do when I hit my third trimester?”
“You’ll be in your house with your feet up, of course. And, yes, at that point, we’ll probably be a little overprotective,” I said and looked at my brother-in-law.
Jacob shrugged. “Probably a lot overprotective. It’s what we do.”
She rolled her eyes before she let Jacob help her onto the stool. Not that she needed the help, but my sister was good to her husband and meeting his growly needs. “Fine. Whatever. And thank you, Riggs.”
“You’re welcome. And that’s on the house.”
I looked at Jacob as he narrowed his eyes at the other man. “Stop hitting on my wife.”
“What? It’s just for old times’ sake. It’s practice. You know, for when Clay shows up again.”
This time, Jacob was the one who rolled his eyes. I snorted. “You are ridiculous, you know that?”
Riggs shrugged. “Maybe. And I see the other taken Montgomery woman is on her way here. What’s with you guys? All of the Montgomerys seem to be taken except for the B-twins and y’all won’t give me the time of day.” He winked as he said it, referencing Benjamin and me, but I just shook my head.
I looked over as Paige and her boyfriend Colton made their way over. They had been together longer than Annabelle and Jacob had, but Colton hadn’t popped the question yet. I hoped it would happen sooner or later, though, because I knew my little sister was antsy for marriage. Or at least a commitment. She was ready. While she may be the youngest out of all of us, I felt as if she were ready for that next step. I sure as hell wasn’t. And my twin, Benjamin, wasn’t either.
Benjamin was over playing pool with a few of our friends, Lee being one of them. Lee was another who sure as hell wasn’t ready to get married anytime soon. I wasn’t even sure he was dating anyone. He was like me and tended to flit around, but not much else. Lee worked long hours and rarely had time for nights like this. When he did, he hung out with us and our other close friend, Brenna.
I had no idea what Benjamin did when it came to his relationships. He might be my twin, but we couldn’t read each other’s thoughts. If anything, it seemed as if his thoughts were as shrouded as mine. As if he knew I was thinking about him, he looked up and quirked a brow. I shrugged and then looked over at Paige and Colton as they reached us.
“I saw you dancing with Sally,” Paige said in lieu of a greeting, and I sighed. Colton just shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. I liked the guy. He was uncomplicated, a little goofy, and loved my sister. If he ever hurt her, he knew I’d rend him limb from limb.