“Oh, it’ll happen all right. You know how I know?” She glanced at her watch. “Because about six o’clock tonight, minute he gets home, I’ll have an attack of conscience and ‘fess right up. I’ll tell him how shocked and appalled I was when you forced your unwanted sexual attentions on me and how poor Mary Hairl has no idea you’re strutting around with a big old hard-on, rubbing up against every woman who walks by.”

“Oh, don’t do that.” His tone sounded plaintive, even to his own ears.

“Why not? I gotta protect myself.”

“He’s not going to believe you. Why would he take your word for anything? God only knows how many guys you’ve screwed-”

Violet picked up her wine and flung it in his face, then tossed the glass aside. It hit the floor, bounced once, and smashed. She took up her purse and walked out without looking back. Winston turned his head, watching her departure, and then his gaze traveled back to the bar, where Jake sat as though shot, his heart pounding at the shock. The jolt of lukewarm red wine had drenched his face and soaked into the front of his shirt. BW appeared from the back room. He took one look at Jake, reached for a towel, and passed it across the bar. Jake pressed the towel against his face, wishing he could disappear. Thank god only BW and Winston were there to bear witness.

Outside he could hear the engine turn over in Foley’s rattle-trap truck. Violet took off with a squeal, throwing up gravel against the underside with a rapid rata-tat-tat. He could feel the panic mount his frame. Surely she wouldn’t do anything so dangerous as to tell Foley about him. He knew she was furious, but she’d taken it the wrong way. He wasn’t rejecting her, he was setting her free.

He looked up as Tom Padgett appeared in the door. Tom was staring back over his shoulder, the light glinting off his glasses. He brought his gaze around to the scene in front of him: Jake’s shirt soaked, Winston drunk, BW behind the bar, looking rooted in place. “What the hell is going on?”