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The Watering Hole sat on the edge of town, but it was only a short drive, so a few minutes later, we pulled into an almost empty parking lot. “Looks like you were right; they aren’t very busy at all.”
There were only a few people in the bar, so we had our choice of tables.
“Hey, guys,” Will called from behind the bar. “Y’all eating or just here to have a drink?”
“We’re eating. Spencer was just telling me how much he likes your wings.”
“They’re big sellers, that’s for sure. You guys just have a seat wherever you want. I’m the only one working the front tonight until Carrie Anne gets here, but I’ll be over to get your orders in a couple minutes.”
“When you come to get our order, why don’t you bring us a couple of beers?”
“Sure thing.”
We made our way over to a table that had a view of both the pool table and the television where a baseball game was playing. I pulled out a chair for him, and he smiled at me as I slipped into the seat next to him.
“Do you know what you want, or do you need to wait for a menu?” I asked.
“Oh, I know what I want. I want the garlic parm wings and an order of fries.”
“That sounds good to me.”
It didn’t take long for Will to come over with our beers and take our order. I thought about seeing if Spence wanted to play a game of pool while we waited, but since they weren’t busy at all, I didn’t think it would take long for them to get our food ready.
“So, how’s your week going?”
“Not bad. Mostly just normal stuff. Thankfully, the worst of that virus seems to have run its course. How about you?”
“Not too bad. I’m a little disappointed things aren’t moving faster with the situation out at my old ranch.” I’d told him all about that after Lance called me on Sunday, and he’d been just as appalled that there were horses still being mistreated there as I was. “I understand why they have to go through the steps they do, but I don’t like it.”
He reached over and took my hand. “I know you don’t, but I also know you won’t give up until they are all safe.”
“Stupid bullies. They should pick on someone their own size, not helpless animals.”
“Or kids,” he said, a heaviness in his expression I rarely saw in my normally sunshiny boy.
“Or kids,” I agreed.
“Speaking of kids, we had one come in the clinic this week that I can’t stop thinking about.”
“Is he in trouble?” I knew because of Spencer’s past that was something he was especially attuned to.
“No, but he got hurt sneaking into an empty building. Apparently, there isn’t a good place for kids in the area to hang out, so they make a place, and they don’t always choose wisely.”
“Ah yeah, Eli said something about that. I guess they get a lot of calls about kids in places they shouldn’t be.”
He shook his head and sighed. “What I don’t understand is why the town hasn’t done something about it.”
“I don’t know, cutie.”
“I get that things were different for me growing up in Austin, but the youth center literally saved my life.”
I brought his hand up to my lips and kissed his fingers. There was nothing I could say about the things he’d been through. All I could do was make sure he knew he was safe and valued here and now.
“Here you go, guys.” Carrie Anne sat down a double order of wings and a large basket of fries for us to share. “Can I get you anything else?”
“Nothing for me. How about you, cutie?”
“Nothing I can think of, thanks.”
