Page 11 of Big Bad Wolf

It was already late by the time Tom and friends let him go.

They’d insisted on buying a few more rounds, and their questions about his history were getting harder and harder to dodge. But he finally managed to extract himself, telling them he really needed to talk to Macy.

He made his way to the bar, mostly ignoring the looks he was getting from the other patrons, although most of them seemed to have softened after his talk with Tom, like he’d passed some kind of test. He was hoping to get one more word in with Ruby before finding the back office, but she was busy serving.

“Do you know where I can find Macy’s office?” he asked the gray-haired man sitting at the bar, but before he could answer someone else’s fingers were wrapping around his bicep. He prickled at the touch.

“Did you need help with something?” the woman asked when he turned around. She batted her eyelashes at him.

“Just looking for Macy.” He gently tugged his arm from her grip.

She smiled at him, undeterred. “You’re new around here.”

“I am.”

She stuck out her hand. “Well, I’m Sierra. You can consider me the welcoming committee.”

The man behind him laughed. “Oh, she’s welcoming, alright.”

“Shut up, Sal,” Sierra snapped and then turned her smile back to Rafe. “Ignore him.”

“I planned to.”

He could hear Sal’s chuckle behind him. “Smart kid.”

“Anyway,” Sierra went on, “I overheard you talking to Tom. Did you say you’re a woodworker?”

“I am, I just really need to⁠—”

“Because I was thinking I might need some work done on my back deck…”

“That’s not really the type of work I do. Now if you’ll excuse me⁠—”

“What type of work do you do? Rafe, was it?”

Sierra, the welcoming committee, apparently had an amazing sense of hearing. She was also looking at him like she wanted him for her next meal.

She was maybe in her late fifties with big blonde hair and a tight top that looked out of place in this dingy old bar. She looked out of place here, like she never imagined she’d be here, like she’d imagined her life going differently.

Rafe knew the feeling.

But he also knew he wouldn’t be doing any work for Sierra.

“I mostly build furniture.”

“You do! That’s incredible. I love a man who’s good with his hands.”

Another rough laugh from Sal, and Sierra shot him a look around Rafe’s shoulder.

“Leave the man alone, would you?” Sal said. “He’s new to town and he doesn’t need you drooling all over him.”

Sierra gasped. “I was not drooling, you old coot.”

“Not much older than you, darlin’.”

Oh, that made her really mad. Red blotches appeared on her cheeks and her hands fisted at her sides.

Rafe was wishing he was anywhere else besides stuck in the middle, when Ruby appeared.