30 - Slim's

Brett ate alone, Maisey was having a rare moment when her bedroom door was closed. He'd asked her through the door if she wanted anything to eat but she said she'd already eaten and would be out soon. He'd showered and put on fresh jeans and a western shirt, he just needed socks and his boots. Tony had said he'd drive himself into Slim's and would see them there, he'd left about 20 minutes earlier. It was almost seven.

The bedroom door popped open and Brett dropped his fork, "Holy mother, have mercy." Except for the night at the hotel he'd never seen Maisey in a dress, now she was in a different one than he'd seen, this one was softer with varying shades of pink and a denim jacket over her shoulders. She'd styled her hair into a low ponytail and curled it so it flowed over her left shoulder, her cowboy boots finished the look. She flushed at his reaction, "You look amazing," Brett recovered and shoveled his last bite of steak into his mouth.

"Is it too fancy for going to Slim's?" She asked fretting.

"Not at all," Brett told her swallowing some milk to wash down his dinner, "You will have lots of admirers." His eyes swept over her appreciatively.

"Then you'd better do something to discourage them," she said, "And when you go dance, you'd better make sure I'm with someone we trust."

"I'll be next to you all night," he promised, "There's nobody I trust with you looking that good." He had a hard time taking his eyes off her, and reconciling the scarred and scared woman he'd come to know with the confident and bold woman in front of him.

Maisey smiled and told him to finish getting ready. She let him drive and by the time they pulled into Slim's the parking lot was full. She hesitated when she was waiting for Brett to open her door, but didn't let him see the hesitation. He held a hand out to help her down and she refused to let it go. He looked over and smiled at her, "Nervous?" He asked, "I don't remember you nervous the last time you were here."

"I was here to make sure you didn't do anything silly," she told him, I was putting on a brave front in order to make sure that you were safe. I don't have that kind of buffer this time. This time it's all about having fun."

"Then lean on me and trust that I have your back." Brett leaned and kissed her forehead, "They already all think we're together anyway," he whispered, "Remember that first day at the grocery store."

Maisey laughed and relaxed but didn't let go of Brett's hand.

Tony was bent over a pool table while Nate and Addie played at the table next to them with Anna and Lucas. As Maisey and Brett came into view Tony stood straight, scratching his shot, "Holy mother, have mercy!"

Maisey laughed, "You boys are definitely related," she commented, "Tony if you scratch a shot just because of a pair of legs I really worry what will happen to you at the rodeo." Their friends laughed.

A stranger came around Tony, "If Tony had not scratched zat shot I would be wonderig vut was wrong wiv him, cherie," his accent was French, "for beauty like yours iz a rare zing." He took her hand and pressed a kiss to it, "Jacques Torres," he tipped his cowboy hat, "at your service."

Maisey felt Brett tense and wrapped the hand she still held around her, "While it's nice to meet you Jacques, I already have a cowboy at my service, it wouldn't be fair to all the other beautiful ladies if I had more than my share." She pulled her hand free, "If you know Tony, does that mean you know Brett as well?" She leaned back into him as her cowboy reached a hand out to shake the Frenchman's hand, kissing Brett's cheek when it came near enough.

"Ahh, Brett, yes, I remember ze couzin of my friend Tony," he shook Brett's hand, "How fortunate zat he recognizez ze beauty he has in hiz arms."

"Jacques," Brett greeted, "Are you riding this year?"

"Ah yes," Jacques nodded, "Iz a joy my arm iz healed enough. I hope for a top placement again zis year."

Maisey plucked Jacques' cue out of his hand as discussions moved on to the rodeo and Brett let her go. Tony indicated that she should go ahead and take a shot. Nate grinned at her and Addie waved as she perused the table. "Was Jacques stripes or solids?" She asked Brett's cousin.

"Solid," Tony grinned, "He doesn't know what to do with so many balls."

"I'm not sure you do either," Maisey told him, "Let me show you how it's done." Brett and Jacques watched from the sidelines while Maisey called and sank every solid ball on the table. The eight ball was all that remained.

"A pity you'll never make that shot," Tony grinned. A few of their friends were watching.

"Are you willing to put money on that cousin?" Brett asked with a lopsided grin.

"Have you ever seen her make a shot like that?" Tony asked. Brett shook his head, and Tony walked around all the angles of the table. "The cue can't touch anything else before it touches the 8 ball," he said to Maisey. Maisey shrugged and glared at Brett. "Alright, twenty bucks." Tony said. "Twenty bucks says she can't make that shot."

Maisey glared at Brett again and circled the table, stopping to check an angle then moving again, finally she called her shot, "Eight ball top corner, off the near bank and down the rail."

"Impossible," Tony said, "But it's Brett's $20."

With a final glare at Brett she chalked her cue and set herself up for the shot. Just before Tony said anything she bounced the tip of the stick down on the left side of the top of the cue ball sending it spinning into the nearest bank and down the rail into the top corner. Tony's jaw dropped as her friends cheered.

"Don't worry old man," Nate said, "You'll only lose money betting against her once, never again."

"You fleeced me," Tony accused with a laugh.

"No," Maisey told him, "I actually wasn't sure if I could pull it off or not, I was praying it didn't clip that 4 or spin too hard." She racked the balls for another game, "I promise I won't hurt your pride this time, I'll give you a fighting chance."

Tony raised his hands in defeat, "Oh no, I know when I'm out classed, I'm going to go dance with the normal people." He bowed and backed away, and ribbed his cousin, "You watch her," he said turning, "Every man in this place that doesn't know you will be trying their hand at her tonight." Brett shook his hand and accepted the $20.

Maisey played up their status, coming to stand on her tip toes to kiss Brett's cheek and snatched the $20 from him, "I think I earned that," she told him with a grin. He entwined his fingers in hers and kissed her on the mouth while he had an excuse to. "Alright, who's up next, Brett will partner me if you want to play doubles or I can manage a few games of singles."

The third game was against Nate, so Brett offered to go get her a fresh glass of water. He was in conversation with Tony when his cousin told him to turn around. Two cowboys he didn't know had Maisey caught between them and the wall, Nate was no where in sight. He tried to get through the crowd but there was a lot of people between them. Brett watched as Maisey calmly chalked her cue and looked for someone she knew nearby.

"You're between me and my shot," she told the cowboys calmly, she could feel Brett's eyes on her and knew he would come as soon as he could--she didn't feel threatened yet.

"I have no intention of moving," the cowboy told her, "unless you agree to having a drink with me and my friend."

"I could agree to a lot of things," Maisey told them, "but I have no intention of going anywhere with you, so I suggest you move before I move you." The nearest of the cowboys grinned, his eyes daring her to try. She stepped nearer to him and dropped her tone, "I'll give you to the count of three." She leveled a look at him that Brett had never seen before, it reminded him of the look a bull got just before it charged, "I'm not interested in you or your friend or having a drink with you. One..."

"Oh come on sweetheart," the cowboy met her eyes, "I can give you a ride like you've never had before."

"Two." Her tone was calm but inside she was anything but, trying to buy herself some time to figure out how to follow through with her threat, she wondered if she'd get thrown out for following through with her threat, but she couldn't worry about it.

"You're not going to do anything," the cowboy grinned, his friend was grinning beside him.

"Three." She slammed her knee into his groin at the same time she danced to the side knowing he would drop to his knees. Even Brett groaned knowing the pain he was feeling. Tony laughed beside his cousin. "Never come between me and my pool game," she told the cowboy on the ground, "And never try to force my hand." Brett had almost reached her, "Learn some manners, cowboy." The downed cowboy was being pulled up by his friend who was apologizing.

"Where the heck did that come from?" Brett was astounded.

"After the first time Luke broke the restraining order I learned how to defend myself." She was shaking, "I don't like it, but I can do it if I need to."

"I wish I'd have had money on that!" Tony punched his cousin's shoulder, "Honey that was perfectly timed, and while I do not wish that kind of pain on any man, remind me to stay further away from you in the future."

Maisey curtsied and let Brett hug her more for himself than for her. "I didn't know you had it in you," he told her, "I have been hovering nearby so that you didn't have to deal with asshats like those two and all the while you didn't need me to."

Maisey leaned back, "I don't like it," she repeated, "I prefer when you're a deterrent. This kind of crap sets off all the alarms in my brain and puts me into panic mode."

"Do you want to go?" she shook her head, "Are you sure?"

"I want to finish my game with Nate and then Anna and Addie wanted to play a couple rounds of nine ball."

Brett nodded and took up a position nearby and tried to relax. Tony joined him. "Alright, let's find a dog." He told his cousin. "I still don't like not talking to her first, but I think you're right, she needs more protection than I can give her."

"Already got it covered," Tony told him with a grin. Brett narrowed his eyes, "A buddy of mine is a breeder, the dog will be a German Shepard, red healer mix, he's bringing the pups in the morning so we can choose one."

"Choose one what?" Anna intruded.

"A working dog for the ranch," Tony told her without it sounding like a lie, "I am gifting Brett with a working dog to help with security around the barns with all the new people that will be coming an going."

"You mean you're getting Maisey a guard dog under the guise of getting a working dog." Anna said astutely. "It's a good idea and she won't hear about it from me." She grinned at Brett, "She's been getting the allergy shot every month, so that should help." She moved away, "Good to see you Tony!"

Andy checked on Maisey after the incident with the cowboys and recommended she not do that again tonight if she wanted to maintain her healing. She chuckled and went back to playing 9-ball with Anna and Addie.

"On her good days she's pretty spectacular," Andy told Brett, "here's hoping there are no more bad days."

Brett couldn't agree more.