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“Do you work in th
e industry?”
It took Lily a moment to realize what she meant. “The whiskey industry? God, no.” She paused, choosing her next words carefully. “I don’t do anything nearly that cool. In fact, I’m not working at all at the moment.” The bartender set a fresh drink in front of her, and Lily swirled the whiskey gently up the sides of the glass to let it warm and open up. “What do you do?”
The woman smiled, lifting a subtle finger when the bartender looked her way. The sleeves of her black button-up shirt were rolled to the elbow, revealing tattoos on her lower arms, graceful patterns of shaded, swirling smoke and script in Spanish that was too small to read. Lily watched her muscles flex as she ran a hand through her hair, then reminded herself to get a grip.
“I teach.”
Lily snapped back to reality, confused. “What?”
The woman smiled, reaching for her drink as the bartender passed it in her direction. “You asked me what I do. I teach.”
“Oh God. I could never do that.”
For some reason, this seemed to amuse her. “And why is that?”
Lily ran her finger around the rim of the tumbler and tried to put the words together. “I don’t know. I guess people are too much for me sometimes.” She paused, an unfamiliar thought flashing across her mind. Maybe I should just say it out loud. I’ll never see her again. “It feels like everyone wants something from me, I guess. It’s…exhausting.” The whiskey burned like slow fire as Lily met her eyes. “That’s more than anyone gets out of me, and I don’t even know your name.”
“Alex.” She smiled and turned toward her on the stool. “And I tend to have that effect on women.”
“Noted.” Lily flashed her a smile and reminded herself to breathe. “Nice to meet you, Alex.”
“So, are you hungry?”
Lily shot her a look. “There’d better be food here. Otherwise, you’re just teasing me, and I will retaliate.”
Alex threw her head back and laughed. Everything about her was deep: her voice, her energy, her laugh, even the way she moved. She waved the bartender over and asked for something Lily didn’t recognize, but the truth was, she didn’t care. The place was starting to fill up for the evening, and a cluster of lit ivory candles appeared at each end of the bar. Sultry Creole Jazz clicked on in the background as Lily watched Alex joke with the bartender.
When was the last time I felt this relaxed?
The last time she remembered feeling that was here in McCall, listening to the rhythmic lap of the lake against the docks or the late-night crackle of the fireplace she used to have on the back porch of her home. Five years ago.
Alex turned back to her, eyes closed. “I love this music. I brought it in one day, and now they play it all the time, thank God. The stuff they used to play made me want to bring headphones.”
Lily sipped the last of her whiskey. “You love Creole Jazz? That’s random. I’m not sure I believe you.”
Alex winked in her direction and downed the last of hers. “And you know what that even is? I’m not sure I believe you, either.”
“Prove it.” Lily narrowed her eyes. “Who’s your favorite soloist?”
Alex laughed again; her eyes lit up like sudden stars in an inky night sky. “You first, Miss Creole Jazz.”
They looked at each other, and Lily had the sudden feeling of being one of two warriors in a swordfight, circling. “King Oliver,” they said in unison, and Alex brushed her knee lightly with warm fingertips as she laughed.
The bartender placed a cheeseboard, beautifully arranged atop a scarred oak plank, on the bar and asked if they were ready for more drinks.
Lily held up a hand. “I’d better not. I still have to drive at some point.”
“Same.” Alex nodded, plucking a grape off the silvery red bunch on the end of the board. “I’ll stick with water.” She folded a thin slice of pale cheese with a peppery edge onto a water cracker, topped it with tapenade, and handed it to Lily.
“What is this?”
“Just taste it. If you like it, I’ll tell you.”
Lily bit into the cracker and closed her eyes, savoring the nutty rush of flavor that seemed to melt instantly on her tongue. The mellow sweetness lasted only an instant, then disappeared under the briny bite of the olives. “God, I love it.” Lily opened her eyes and picked up the other half of the cracker. “What is that?”
“I lied. I’m not telling you.”
