Page 52 of The Cowboy Who Stayed

The bar gives us a decent round of applause that we barely register. That’s the opposite of the frenzy we’d whipped up for the first half of our performance.

Vivica hands her microphone back to the karaoke machine guy and heads straight for the table.

I’m right behind her.

Craig’s leaning back in the chair he’s claimed with legs spread wide and an antagonizing glint in his eyes.

Joaquin and Ricky are exchanging confused glances. Jeb’s girlfriend, Tessa, has gone quiet. Buck is regarding Craig as if he’s come across some wild animal yet to be tamed.

Vivica marches over to where her ex has taken a seat at the table.

“What are you doing here?”

“What does it look like?” Craig asks loudly. “Enjoying the karaoke. Same as everyone else.”

“I thought your conference wrapped up. You told me you’d be heading back.”

He gives a lazy shrug, his fingers drumming on the table. “Changed my mind. Decided to stick around a while. Ironhaven’s growing on me.”

“Since when?”

“Since right now.” His bleary-eyed gaze lifts to hers. “That was a cute performance you put on, Viv. Never thought you’d do karaoke.”

“It turns out you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”

“I know you plenty. This whole Ironhaven thing—this whole cowboy thing—it’s nothing but a charade. Just a phase of yours.”

“What are you talking about?” she snaps, folding her arms.

“I’m… I’m talking about… I miss my wife, Viv. That so hard for you to understand?”

Everybody at the table goes still.

Joaquin glances between Craig and Vivica and then over at me. Ricky’s stopped drinking mid-sip. Jeb puts his arm around Tessa as if they’re about to get up and go.

“I’m not your wife,” Vivica says plainly. “I haven’t been from the moment the divorce was finalized.”

“Maybe on paper,” Craig hiccups. “But eighteen years doesn’t disappear because a judge stamps a document.”

“It does when you’re the one who wanted the divorce in the first place, Craig.”

He waves her words away like smoke, nearly knocking over Ricky’s beer in the process. “I made a mistake. People make mistakes, Viv. You telling me you’ve never made one? What about him? Screwing the cowboy that’s half your age?”

My temper snaps free, and I stop holding myself back. I step forward and growl, “She’s not your damn wife anymore. Disrespect her again, and I’ll make you sorry you ever thought to.”

“This doesn’t concern you,” Craig replies. He peers at me, his face getting redder by the second. “Mind your business when I’m talking to my wife.”

Vivica sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. “Craig, you need to go⁠—”

“I’m not going anywhere without my wife.”

He rises from the chair and grabs at her arm to pull her along. Vivica reacts by tugging her arm back to escape his hold, but he’ll have none of it.

The drunk bastard grips her arm up tighter, giving it a harsh jerk forward that makes her stumble.

“C’mon, Viv. We’ll figure it out together.”

“Craig!”