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Carolina wasn’t sure if she should answer. “Looks like it’s good for business.”
Abby’s gaze took in the restaurant and the people. “Make sure the people standing at the bar know they can get tables.”
“Will do.” Always make a buck, Abby.
“How’s your mother doing?” Abby asked.
Carolina checked the order to figure out who got what plate. “She’s…okay.”
“Is she still on Tybee?”
“Yes.” Carolina took the food to the customers, made sure they had silverware and condiments. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Abby was still at the server station. “Listen, if you have to evacuate, bring your mother here. To the carriage house.”
Carolina blinked, not sure she’d really heard what Abby said. “Are you kidding?”
“Where else would you go?” Abby asked.
“I… I was going to wait to see what shelters they opened.”
Abby stepped closer. “You’d rather stay in a shelter than with family?”
Family? Carolina’s hand started to shake. “No.”
“Here’s your key.” Abby pushed it into her hand. “Just in case.”
“Thank you.” The words came out as a whisper. Abby probably hadn’t even heard them.
After Abby walked away, Carolina turned her back on the customers and took deep breaths. When that wasn’t enough, she bent over and tucked her head between her knees.
“Are you okay?”
She whipped her head up. “Sage?”
“Are you all right?” he asked again.
“I… What are you doing here?”
He took a seat at the bar. His seat.
Sage leaned toward her, like he was going to give her a kiss. Then blinked, his green eyes concealed for a moment before his gaze locked on hers. Old habit. Had to be. He’d broken up with her.
“Why are you here?” Her voice cracked.
“I heard the hurricane path changed and I was worried about you and your mother.”
Instead of tears, her throat clogged. She’d made up her mind that she and her mother were alone, that she would handle whatever life threw at her. Now, here was Abby calling her family and Sage checking up on her.
“Thank you,” she choked out.
He stared. “You’re upset. What’s wrong?”
Some of her customers pushed away their empty drinks. “I have to work.” Really, she had to get away from Sage.
“Can I get you anything else?” she asked the women.
“Just our checks. And make them separate? Split the wings and the fried green tomatoes three ways.”
“Sure.” Creating their bill felt like higher math, but she finally got it right.
Why was Sage here? Why was Abby calling her family?
“Here you go.” She handed out the bills and waited for their credit cards.
“Thanks.” One of the women said, “Shoot. I don’t think we timed this right. The rain is starting.”
Carolina glanced out the patio windows. Long raindrops slid down the glass. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.
After processing the credit cards, she handed them back to the customers. “Stay dry.”
They laughed, adding their tips and gathering their purses.
She was going to need all the tips she could get if the hurricane swept up here and she wouldn’t be able to sing or tend bar.
The back of her neck tingled. Sage was staring.
Below the counter, she clenched and relaxed her fists. He’d made it clear they were through, why was he tormenting her? She headed to him. “What can I get you?”
“Pick something.” He waved his hand. “I want to know why you’re upset. Is it your mother?”
She couldn’t pour out her worries to Sage. Not anymore. “It’s not something you need to worry about.”
Before he could interrogate her, she hustled back to the taps, grabbed a cold mug and picked the latest beer added to the menu.
Tucking a napkin on the bar, she set down the mug. “Do you want anything to eat?”
“Abby’s Comfort Burger, I guess.” As she turned to place the order, he caught her hand. “What’s going on?”
The guy next to Sage stared at the way he clutched her hand and mouthed, Do you need help?
She shook her head and tugged her hand out of Sage’s grasp. “There’s a lot of people here. I need to work.”
Sage nodded. “When it gets quieter, I’d like to talk.”
So he could remind her how she disgusted him? Not happening. “You’ve made it clear, we’re through.”
His body jerked like she’d hit him. “Just to talk.”
She didn’t commit. She entered his order and worked the bar.
