Can't Resist a Cowboy by Elizabeth Otto

toothpick from his mouth and cracked open the whiskey. “We have too much work and not enough of us, so we’re drinking for it. Loser gets to handle the charity in California that wants to put a therapeutic riding center here.”
    Levi scoffed. “Look, I’ve been meaning to tell you guys but we didn’t have the time to sit down like this. I bought in on Agate Falls.” Silence fell. He looked to each man and spread his hands wide. “I’ve got my hands full, but—”
    “You’re shittin’ me.” Cole sat forward in his chair. “When did this happen?”
    “Three weeks or so.”
    Cole tapped his empty shot glass on the table, and Tucker filled it up, made his way around until everyone’s glass was full. “Cheers, Levi.”
    Levi lifted his glass high as they did the same and then tossed back the liquor. The whiskey streaked fire down his throat. He stifled a cough. It was only the beginning and he was already regretting it. He swallowed hard.
    “I’m still here for you guys.” He’d put this conversation off partly because he’d been afraid his brothers would be resentful of the lack of time he’d now have for Paint River things. Instead, they looked slightly impressed, and way more interested in refilling their shot glasses than continuing this conversation.
    “Good, then you get the therapy center project.” Tucker leaned across the table and refilled Levi’s glass.
    “Hell no. You said we’re drinking for it, so we’re drinking for it.”
    Tucker scooted his chair slightly sideways and rested an arm on the table. “Quarter.”
    Levi leaned forward. “I hate to break it to you assholes, but you’ll be the only ones eating those peppers if we play straight quarters. There wasn’t much else to do to pass the nights in Afghanistan. I’ve got this in the bag.” Levi picked up the coin and bounced it off the table and straight into the shot glass. It swirled twice before clunking to the bottom. Tucker shot to his feet with challenge on his face.
    “Oh yeah, show-off?” He disappeared into the kitchen, came back with an armful of glasses. He set a tall glass in the middle and arranged five smaller glasses around it. When he was done, each cup contained a shot of whiskey, and either a garlic clove or a slice of pepper. The middle had a double shot and a fat jalapeño slice. Levi laughed and shook his head as Tucker slid him the quarter.
    “Doesn’t matter how many times you score, you’re still drinking or eating something. Oh, and if you miss, you take a bite of the Mother.” Tucker stabbed a fork into the middle of the jar, withdrawing the meanest-looking habanero Levi had ever seen.
    “Speaking of mother,” Cole said before he drained his glass. “She asked that you personally take on the project. So just do it.”
    Levi folded his hands over his stomach. “Nice try.”
    Cole set his glass down with flair, indicating that Jaxon should fill it up. “You’re not going to let her down, are you?”
    Levi sucked in a breath through his nose and smirked at Cole. If his ma had wanted him to take on the project, she’d have come right out and asked. He sensed a deeper reason for this impromptu let’s-get-sloshed party, like maybe the fact that the four of them had spent little time together that didn’t involve work. Cole had a new baby coming. Tucker had a new wife and Jaxon worked sunup to sundown, barely showing the whites of his eyes until well after dark.
    So fine, he’d sit here and drink with them, and humor them in the process. Raising his glass, he gave a nod. “Here’s to not letting Ma down.”
    The better part of three hours passed and Levi couldn’t figure out what the hell happened to his chair. The damn thing wouldn’t stop swaying.
    “Goddammit.” Levi’s lips and tongue were puffy as if they’d been inflated and smashed onto his face. He put his fingers there, surprised they didn’t feel bigger when he touched them. The Mother sat next to the empty whiskey bottle,