“This isn’t our first time here, Mathews,” Josh spit out.
With a roll of my eyes, I added, “Take some Advil now, y’all; I have a feeling it’s going to be a long, hard weekend.”
We stepped into the bar and glanced around. The dance floor was packed, and the smell of the sawdust floor made me smile. There was something about a small-town country bar that I just loved.
“Hell, yes, this is what I’m talking about,” Jeff said with a slap on my back. “Country girls in short shorts and half T-shirts. I’m in fucking heaven.”
I smiled and made my way through the crowd of people. It didn’t take long before we made it to the bar, and I ordered three Buds.
“See an empty table or somewhere to go besides the bar?” I called out.
Josh pointed to a table that was empty but covered in beer bottles.
“Grab it really quick,” Jeff shouted as he gave Josh a push toward the table.
The waitress was over at the table by the time Jeff and I got there. She quickly cleaned it off.
“You gentlemen from around here?” she asked in a thick Texas accent.
“No, ma’am, here for the weekend helping out our friend’s grandparents,” Jeff stated with a huge smile.
The waitress looked at me and then tilted her head. “Gunner? Gunner Mathews?”
I nodded and asked, “Do we know each other?”
She shook her head. “My brother is Rich Hopkins; he helps out on your grandaddy’s ranch every summer. When you’d come into town, we’d all swim in the river at the end of the summer.”
My eyes roamed across the waitress. Holy shit. This was Lacey, Rich’s little sister.
Standing, I gave her a quick hug. “Christ almighty, girl, you grew up.”
She laughed. “Yes, I did. How long y’all in town for?”
I could feel Jeff’s and Josh’s eyes on Lacey, and I was pretty sure I already knew what was going through Josh’s mind.
“We leave Sunday afternoon. Have to be back for classes on Monday.”
Lacey nodded, never once taking her eyes off me. “I can’t believe it, Gunner Mathews. Damn, I used to have the biggest crush on you.”
The corners of my mouth lifted. “Is that right?” I asked with a wink.
Her cheeks turned red, and she chewed on her lower lip for a few seconds.
“I better get back to work. If y’all need anything, wave me down.”
With a nod, I replied, “Will do.”
Lacey turned on the heels of her boots and walked toward the bar. I couldn’t help but watch her walk away. Damn . . . she certainly grew up into a beautiful young woman. Her dark hair swung as she walked away, and I thought about my dreams and the mysterious girl who was haunting them.
Was it a sign of some sort? Lacey was hot as hell, but I didn’t feel a single thing as she stood here and talked to me. She wasn’t the girl in my dreams.
When I sat down, I glanced over to Jeff and Josh. Both of them had goofy ass smiles on their faces.
“Don’t even say it; I’m not interested in her.”
“Jesus Christ, dude, why not? Did you not see how hot she was? She told you she had a thing for you,” Josh stated.
“Yeah, when we were ten. Besides, I’m not interested in a hookup, and I certainly don’t want to start something up with a girl who lives a few hours from me.”