AllFreeNovel
Share Us
* * *
The lunch rush is a little busier than usual today. It’s Friday, and it’s also the start of the Fall Festival this weekend, which always draws tourists to town. We’re bound to be busy throughout the weekend, but as the boss, I take weekends off. I’m looking forward to taking Noah to the pumpkin patch tomorrow.
As I’m steadily serving beers and drinks behind the bar, I’m startled—and also pleased—when I suddenly see Nate sitting at the end of the bar. Rob isn’t with him this time, and he’s talking to Todd. The two of them actually look deep in conversation, although I’m not close enough to hear what they’re saying. I quickly finish serving the customers I’m currently helping so I can make my way to their end of the bar to say hi.
When I finally do, Nate looks up at me, and I’m greeted with the sexiest smile I’ve seen in a long time.
Damn. How does he get better looking every time I see him?
“Howdy,” I say to both him and Todd. “How are you two doing?”
“Good,” Nate replies.
“This guy was just telling me,” Todd says, pointing at Nate, “that he’s had a couple of paranormal encounters at The Pioneer.”
My eyebrows nearly hit my hairline. “Is that right? What else happened?”
Nate shakes his head and looks a bit embarrassed. “Well, I told you about the loud bang on the wall a couple of nights ago, right?”
I nod, anticipating what else happened to him.
“Well, it happened again last night. Only this time, after I woke up, I also heard something hit the floor in the bathroom.”
“No way,” I say. “What fell?”
“My razor. When I went in there to investigate, it was on the floor. I had left it on the little shelf above the sink, and I found it on the opposite side of the room.”
“Oh, my gosh! That’s crazy!”
“Tell me about it,” Nate says. “It really shook me up, and I had a hard time falling back to sleep. There’s no way my razor could’ve just fallen off the shelf and ended up as far away as it did.”
Todd speaks up again. “I told ya. This whole town is full of haunts!”
“Miss—” a customer calls to get my attention.
“I’ll be right with you,” I tell her, then look back at Nate and Todd. “Sorry. I’ll be right back.”
Only I end up getting busy again, and it takes quite a while for me to get back to them. Once I do, though, things have calmed down, and I’m able to chat with Nate and Todd, too.
“So, tell me about the Fall Festival going on. It must be pretty cool if it draws so many tourists.”
“Yeah, a lot is going on this weekend. Live music at various venues, a craft fair, wine tasting, beer tasting at the pumpkin patch, and other fun activities,” I tell him.
“Wow, that’s cool. Are you planning to attend any of it?” Nate asks.
“I’m taking my son to the pumpkin patch,” I say, and it occurs to me that I’ve never mentioned having a son before. I’m curious what his reaction will be to that bit of news.
“Oh, fun! How old is your son?”
“He just turned seven,” I reply, and I admit I’m both surprised and relieved that he didn’t appear shocked to hear I’m a mom.
“Is Noah already seven?” Todd asks. “It seems like he was just born!”
Smiling, I chuckle as I say, “Tell me about it. Time goes by too fast!”
“Before we know it, he’ll be tending bar here beside you,” Todd says with a wink.
“You’re probably right.” I hadn’t thought of that before, but he’s right. Noah could start working in the restaurant portion of The Cellar at age sixteen like I did, and that’s only nine years away. Considering how fast the past seven years have flown by, the time will come before I know it.
