Page 18 of Mountain Pine
The whisky makes my movements sloppy, but I clock him in the jaw, regardless. “She wasn’t enough for you so you up and cheat on her?”
I hit him again.
“You ungrateful piece of shit!”
I hit him again.
“You cheating, no good, lousy motherfucker!”
Someone grips my fist, mid-swing—Nick. Someone else picks me up and hauls me away—Dean.
“What the hell is the matter with you?” Nick roars.
“He’s cheating on her!” I kick at Austin who is glowering at me.
“I’m not cheating,” I think I hear him say. I don’t know. My blood is rushing and the whisky’s made my hearing warble.
“Liar.”
“We’re over,” he grumbles, spitting blood on the floor. “You happy now?”
Not hardly. “Since when?”
“Since last night!” Austin yells at me, rising to his feet. The woman he was sucking face with dashes out of the way and grabs her coat and leaves.
But I’m stuck on what Austin just said. “Last night, my ass.”
“More like yesterday afternoon.” He wipes hischin and steps closer to me.
“Bro, back up,” Nick warns. “You guys do not want to do this here.”
“Maybe we should,” Austin smirks.
Dean growls in my ear, “Assaulting law enforcement ain’t the way, Con.”
“He’s a game warden, not a cop.” But Dean’s right. I need to back off.
Except all I keep thinking about is that Austin’s full of shit and I try to take a swing at him again. And miss because the whisky’s taken over my speed and judgement.
“You won!” he yells at me, tossing his hands in the air. “You fucking won, Conner.”
My body stills, even though Dean’s grip is still firm on me. “What are you talking about?”
“No one can compete with you.” Austin jabs his finger in my chest. “Congratulations.”
Okay, this whisky is really messing with me.
“She dumped me yesterday over dumbass dandelions and moon pickles.”
Someone next to me, I think it’s Nick, laughs. “Sounds like our girl.”
“Why?” I ask, getting madder. “Did you make her feel like shit for having them?”
There’s a moment. A flutter. A blink of a second when I see Austin’s shameful expression.
He did.
He made her feel bad for wanting and enjoying things he doesn’t understand. And that’s why he’s a big saggy nut sack, because who cares if he doesn’t understand those things? He doesn’t have to in order to love her. He doesn’t need to get it to treat her like she deserves.
