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“It’s not so bad. I would never want to be a nurse in the inner city, but in our small town of Willow River, I can deal. Sure, there are times when it’s tough, but there are just as many that aren’t.”
“What about you?” I ask Declan.
“Shop’s staying busy, and Blakely keeps me on my toes.” He smiles wistfully as he thinks about his daughter.
“How old is she now?”
“She’ll be three soon.”
“Going on thirteen,” Orrin adds.
“She has us all wrapped around her little finger,” Brooks tells me.
“I can only imagine. My sisters are both adults, and they still have me wrapped around their little fingers.”
“Thank fuck we have all brothers,” Declan says.
“Agreed, but we have Ramsey now,” Brooks reminds him.
“Speaking of Ramsey, it’s time for a refill. Anyone want one?” Orrin asks.
We all say yes, and he heads off to the bar to buy another round. I almost told him that I would go with him, but I don’t really want him to be there when I see her again. I don’t know how awkward it’s going to be. Hell, with as much as she’s been on my mind, it’s hard to tell what will come out of my mouth.
“Any exciting cases?” Declan asks.
“This is Willow River. Nothing exciting ever happens. Besides, even if there were, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. There is a thing called client confidentiality.”
“Come on, nothing?” he asks.
“Not unless real estate and wills tickle your fancy.”
“Your job’s boring.” He laughs.
“I could say the same to you. No way could I tear an engine apart and put it back together again.”
“Touché.”
“Here you go. I told Rams to stop by on her break and check-in,” Orrin says, passing us each a fresh bottle of beer.
I pretend that my body doesn’t hum at the sound of her name. I block out this overwhelming need to rush to the bar to see her and force myself to remain seated. Today has been weird as fuck, and I don’t need to add to that. I manage to push thoughts of Ramsey to the side and halfway focus on the conversation of my friends around me.
five
Ramsey
“Hey, Rams, I need two drafts,” Hannah, one of the servers, calls out her order as she reaches over the bar and grabs a handful of peanuts. “I’m starving. I thought I’d have time to grab something, but it’s packed tonight.”
“It’s a little crazier than normal. Is there something going on in town that I missed?” I ask as I pour her two drafts.
“Not that I’m aware of.” She shrugs as I place the two drinks onto her tray. “Thank you,” she calls over her shoulder as she bustles her way through the crowd.
“You ready for your break?” Hank, the owner, asks, stepping up next to me where I’m standing behind the bar. Hank is tall with dark salt-and-pepper hair and two full sleeves of tattoos. He’s got muscles for days, and the ladies flock to the bar when he’s here. He’s in his late thirties and still living the single life.
“I can work through. It’s busy.”
“You know better than that. Didn’t I see Orrin and a few of the guys walk in earlier? Go sit, grab something to eat.”
“Let Hannah go first. She’s starving.”
“I’m sending you both at the same time. Chance and I will man the bar until you’re back. They can walk their drunk asses up here to order drinks for thirty minutes.”
“What about serving food?”
“Tabitha just got here. It will be fine. We can handle it. If I have to call out the order, have them come to the bar instead of us taking it to them, I will. That’s why we give them an order number. Now, go.”
“Fine, but if you need me…” My voice trails off because he’s already shaking his head no.
“You work too hard, kid. Go grab some food and visit with your family. I don’t want you back on the clock until your full thirty minutes are up.”
I stick my tongue out at him, and he laughs. “Thanks, Hank.” With a nod, he jumps right into filling drink orders.
Making my way to the back, I think about what I want to eat. We have your typical bar food like nachos and cheese, soft pretzels, potato skins, fried pickles, cheese sticks, wings, easy to order and prepare items. I settle for an order of mozzarella sticks with barbeque sauce to dip them in instead of pizza sauce. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
Walking back out to the bar, I pour myself a Dr Pepper before making my way through the crowd to the back of the bar where Orrin, my cousin, told me he and his brothers were sitting.
“There she is.” Orrin smiles as he pulls the empty chair that’s next to him out so that I can sit. “I was beginning to wonder if Hank was going to give you a break.” He smirks, because we both know that’s not Hank.
