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“I missed you, Bays.”
Maggs’s words gave her a sharp stab of pain. Bailey had missed her friend too, but after a while she’d learned how to shut those feelings away.
“Missed you too, and you look amazing by the way.” She looked Maggs over.
Dressed in a pair of tight jeans, pink top, and another pair of sky-high heels, her friend exuded confidence and style, unlike Bailey, whose clothes hung on her because she hadn’t been able to put on the weight she’d lost after the accident.
“A.S. has great food and entertainment.”
“Hey there, Maggie, how you doing?” one of the staff greeted them.
“Good, thanks, Em. This is Bailey, and we’re going to find a seat near the piano and order some snacks.”
“Sure, no worries, I’ll bring you some menus.”
Joe had put a great deal of thought into making the people who walked in here feel comfortable, Bailey thought. The lighting was soft, the colors neutral until you reached the one wall that was a vivid jade. Black-and-white prints of actors hung in different sizes and shapes on it.
“Is the boss in, Em?”
“Sure, he’s in his office,” the woman said, handing them menus.
Relieved that she didn’t have to see Joe right off, Bailey relaxed enough to look at the bar menu. The hum of voices told her people were enjoying a drink and conversation. Through a set of doors, she saw more seats.
“That’s a restaurant, if you want to have a quiet meal,” Maggie said.
They found a high table with several stools. Once they’d ordered, Bailey let her eyes settle on the pianist. He was good, a natural, Bailey thought. There were two types of pianists to her mind. Those who didn’t have the raw talent, but practiced hard to become competent, and those who were born with the need to play. She was one of the latter.
“So, Bailey, I see you haven’t lost your bad food addiction.”
“Loaded fries and a glass of red wine are not bad, Maggie. If I ordered a sundae after, now that would be bad.”
“But of course we’re having a sundae.” Maggie looked shocked Bailey would think otherwise.
With her fries and red wine, and excellent music in the background, Bailey felt comfortable, and was suddenly glad she’d come with Maggie. Her reaction to Joe didn’t mean he felt the same way. Sure they’d had an awkward moment today, but it didn’t have to happen again.
“Mary Howard is still a bitch, Maggs.”
“She is, and not sure why you said that now, but let me tell you, the woman’s one to stay clear of.”
“I overheard her speaking to someone today. It was ugly.”
“Woman’s a born bitch, nothing else to say on that matter.”
They chatted, but didn’t touch on anything personal, and for that Bailey was relieved. Plenty of people stopped to say hi and were introduced to Bailey.
“Hey, Buzz.”
Bailey looked down at the large dog that appeared at their table.
“He’s kind of like the town’s unofficial mascot. Joe’s convinced if there was a vote between him and Buzz, Buzz would win any popularity contest,” Maggie said. He’s usually in Joe’s office sleeping, but someone has obviously coaxed him downstairs.
“He’s a sweetie,” Bailey said, getting off the stool to crouch down and give him a pat. She hadn’t had much exposure to dogs, but she liked them, and this one was a big, gentle giant, everyone had told her so.
The pianist stopped playing suddenly, and then ran from the room.
“What the hell’s that about?” Maggie frowned.
The woman who had served them moved to the microphone.
