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“What’s this?”
She tried to tug it free, but Joe didn’t release her. His eyes traced the scar that crisscrossed the lower half of her arm and down into her palm. It was raw, jagged, and looked painful. His guess was it hadn’t happened that long ago.
“What happened?” His words sounded gruff, because the thought of her in pain bothered him.
“An accident. Now let go so I can play, Joe. Your customers are waiting.”
He did, and she turned away from him. When was this accident? Frustrated, Joe walked back to the bar with more questions in his head than when he’d approached her.
“She gonna stay?” Em intercepted him.
“For a couple more sets, and come back a couple of times a week while she’s in Ryker.”
“She’s really good, Joe, and let’s face it, we should know, as we’ve had some bad ones. Plus, there’s you.”
“I’m good!” Joe thumped his chest, pretending to be outraged.
“You’re average. She’s a million leagues better.”
“There you go flattering me again. But like I told you, she’s a pro, Em.”
“It shows,” she said, and then headed off to clear some glasses. Joe served, and watched Bailey, and wondered again what had brought her back to Ryker, and why he was so pleased she had returned when there was so much they didn’t know about each other any longer, or the roads they’d taken.
To even contemplate her coming back because of him years after she’d left, he knew was a stretch, but still he wondered. And then he shut that thought away because he didn’t deserve that from Bailey. Not when he’d never returned a single one of the letters she’d written him. Not when her last words to him had been, “always remember I believe in you, Joe. Be the best person you can be.”
Weeks after she’d said that, and left his life, he’d failed her.
Chapter 7
Bailey woke slowly after sleeping deep, like she always did. Years of hotels had taught her to sleep anywhere. Pushing the curtains back, she saw the day promised to be a good one.
Maggs would be sleeping, as this was her day off, and she’d told Bailey she’d evict her if she made a noise and woke her.
Pulling on her robe, she tiptoed to the kitchen and made instant coffee, as she had no idea how Maggs’s coffee machine worked. She took it to the conservatory.
Mist still clung to the mountains, and she took a few minutes to just stand there and look, knowing no one and nothing had a claim on her time today. Bailey had experienced some awesome views in her lifetime, travelling the world, but she thought this may turn out to be her favorite.
She loved Maggs’s home, and the feeling of peace and solitude. She’d also enjoyed playing the piano last night, even if it was in Joe’s bar. But they could be acquaintances, she reminded herself. She just had to ignore the fact that when he was near her heart thumped harder in her chest. Their history was just that, history now. She could be friendly, and the more exposure she had to him, the calmer she would feel in his presence.
He’d called his bar Apple Sours.Bailey remembered the conversation they’d once had, where she’d said it would be a good name for a restaurant or bar.
“Let it lie, Bailey,” she told herself.There’s nothing between you now.
Deciding to walk into town to have her breakfast, and leave Maggs to sleep, she showered and dressed. Exercise had been something Bailey rarely had time for... actually, that was a lie, she’d never wanted to. Now she did.
Placing the strap of her small bag over her shoulder, she quietly opened and closed the front door.
The morning held a promise of good weather, and the air fresh as Bailey made for town. Passing the road that led to the house she’d grown up in, she walked the fifteen minutes it took to reach Ryker Falls township. It was still early, the hour just ticking over 8:00 a.m. Inhaling, she was happy the air was not filled with exhaust fumes or big city scents.
“Morning.”
Bailey smiled at the elderly man who was jogging past. If only she had that much enthusiasm for exercise. She had two passions remaining in her life, horses and music; the first she seldom had time for, the second kept her sane.
“Morning.”
“Phil’s Place has great donuts and coffee. Cinnamon and hazelnut’s my favorite. The tea rooms won’t open for another hour, so that’s your best bet if you’re heading into town for breakfast.”
The jogger was running at her side as she walked now.
