We opened about forty-five minutes ago, and already, every table, booth, and seat at the bar was filled. People who were waiting for a table grabbed a drink and were hanging out by the fire pits, although that space was quickly filling up, too.
It wasn’t unusual for Lake Ridge to be this busy in the evenings when people were in the mood for drinks and dancing, but this was all for dinner.
As I moved behind the bar checking in with people, I heard rumblings about how they were excited to try the food or how they found this place because of the food. Leo had only been in town for a month and a half, and he was already creating a reputation for himself and what Lake Ridge had to offer. That was damn impressive.
I couldn’t help but think about what Leo could create if he stayed here longer. Of course, that wasn’t going to happen, and itshouldn’thappen. Whatever he was meant to accomplish, he’d do at his next job.
And it wasn’t just Lake Ridge that was busy tonight. When I peeked my head out earlier, there were people everywhere on Main Street, so the other restaurants and shops were benefiting from the tourist rush, too.
There was something special happening at Lake Ridge, and I knew I wasn’t the only one who thought that. Earlier, Wes was standing in the corner with a smile on his face as he took in the busy hustle, happy patrons, and his thriving business.
Then I playfully yelled at him to get back to work, and he didn’t argue with me there.
It was all hands on deck tonight. Even Jules, Laura, and Mark were here to help in case we needed extra people to bus tables, run food, or help the host stand.
That was one of things I loved most about Golden Falls. When someone needed help, you didn’t have to look very far for someone willing to jump in.
“Behind!” Louise called out as she brought in another tub of clean glasses after bringing the dirty ones back.
With how many shifts we’d worked together, we had our routine down. Typically, she took the right side of the bar, and I took the left. We both kept an eye on garnishes and glasses and let the other know if we needed help to run back and grab anything.
I returned back to a group of five who appeared to be around my age. I went to the two women first. “How are the margaritas? Were you thinking you’d want another?”
One of the ladies set her empty glass down and nodded eagerly. “Sogood! The jalapeño was exactly what I’d been looking for. We’ll both do another.”
“You got it.” The two of them had been wanting a marg—my kind of girls—but they wanted a twist on it. When I asked if they were okay with spice and the answer was yes, I knew I had to make them one of my favoritedrinks.
“What was that clothing store you’d told us about earlier?” the other girl asked.
“The Main Stitch,” I answered while grabbing the shaker and filling it with ice, tequila, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup. “It’s so cute. You have to check it out. And then there’s Golden Finds, which is our thrift store. Also amazing.”
The second girl nodded as she typed the names of the stores on her phone. “We’ll have to check them out tomorrow before we head out on the boat.”
“In town for the long weekend?” I asked, shaking the cocktail shaker.
They both nodded.
“Yes!” the first girl exclaimed. “We were looking for a cute spot for a summer couples trip and this is perfect. The drive was only, like, four hours. Everything’s been perfect except Cole’s girlfriend broke up with him last week.”
“Shit. That’s a bummer. Nice that you were all still able to get together. Hopefully being around friends makes it easier?” I set the cocktail shaker down on the bar, grabbing two glasses. Before filling them with ice, I ran the lime wedge along the rim and lined the rim with Tajín. Once the glasses were filled with ice and margaritas, I passed them to the two ladies, and they beamed.
“Thanks! We’ll close out after these whenever you have a chance to drop the check off. And”—she leaned in—“Cole hasn’t been able to stop staring at you.”
I let out a laugh, and while I appreciated her wing woman skills, I wasn’t interested.
I glanced over at the man she’d referred to, and he was good-looking. He had on a backward hat, his brown hair curling at the ends, paired with a simple tee and jeans. A tattoo of what looked like a scorpion peeked out from under his sleeve. He certainlylooked more my type than some of the recent guys, but there wasn’t anything there on my end. No intrigue. No thinkingwhat if.
Instead, my mind immediately went to Leo and how amazing our night on the roof had been. How eager I was to get him back in my bed. How my stomach swooped when I saw him.
Actually, since Leo and I started sleeping together, I hadn’t wanted to flirt or be with anyone else.
“Well, he should set his sights on someone else,” I told the girls. “I’m seeing someone.” They nodded understandingly, and I added, “I’ll see if they need a refill and then I’ll be over with your check.”
I grabbed the guys another round of beers, chatting with them and offering recommendations for what they were looking for. I dropped off the checks for both groups and scanned the bar. Everyone else looked good for now, except I’d noticed someone new sit at the bar. A woman who looked very familiar.
“Celine?” I asked.
She looked up, and her familiar blue eyes met mine. A warm smile graced her features immediately. “Eliza, it’s so wonderful to see you.” She stood from her stool, and I rounded the bar to give her a hug without a second thought.
