“This has to be said,” she returned, lifting her chin even though a hint of uncertainty hit her expression.

Tanner shook his head. “You’re intent to make your statement clear after five years of fuckin’ around and doin’ not one thing to get back your man. Advice? Wake up. You dicked around too long. It’s done. You lost him. And just a heads up on that, Mia, this town is talkin’. And while your women might be fillin’ your head with shit to keep you on a path that is no longer righteous, the rest of the ’burg is glad Garrett finally found a woman who’s got it in her to stick.”

Okay, right.

That was a ringing endorsement and definitely Tanner throwing down for me.

Suddenly, I wasn’t angry.

Suddenly, I grinned.

“He’s mine,” Mia told Tanner, her voice weakening but only in the face of his words. It did not reflect her resolve. I had a vagina. I saw the look on her face. I knew that as fact.

Shit.

I quit grinning.

“Heard about it. Reckon I don’t know shit about it,” Devin stated, also now there, leaning in to the bar over an empty stool, looking at Mia. “But what I heard, seems to me he’s never been yours.”

“I don’t even know you,” Mia said to Devin.

“Well, little miss, I know about you,” Devin replied. “And since you seem to be puttin’ a lotta stock into what everyone thinks, thought I’d share straight from the mouth of a member of the peanut gallery.” After Devin delivered that, he looked to me. “Now, I am here to drink, so I’d be obliged if you’d get me a fresh one. I’m half parched, waitin’ on this ridiculous drama to play out.”

It had lasted less than five minutes.

Then again, Dev could put away some booze.

“I’ll get on that, Dev,” I muttered.

Before I could, more muttering happened and this came from Tony Mancetti, who was sitting on the closest barstool to our drama.

“Need a fresh one too, Cher. And, just addin’ from my seat in the peanut gallery, I’d put money down on you.”

Oh fuck.

More warm and squishy.

I couldn’t help but smile at him. “Well, look at you, Tony. Who knew you could be sweet?”

“Figure you could, seein’ as I tip twenty percent.”

“Oh, right. In case I haven’t shared the gratitude for that, brah, you got it now.”

“I’d be grateful to get another drink,” Tony said.

“I’m first,” Devin declared.

“On it, Dev,” I said.

And I decided to get on it.

But first…

It was a faulty play that didn’t go well for her, but that wasn’t my problem.

She brought it, and since she was there, I had one thing to say.

I looked to Mia to see she was preparing to slink out.

“One thing, Mia,” I called, and she looked to me. “You throw a hissy fit again, go to Merry’s pissed you’re not gettin’ what you want and you shove him, repeatedly, he’s not gonna do dick to you because he’s not that guy.”