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“Oh! I saw that on my way to the grocery store the other day.”
“Yup! That’s the one. A lot of us locals go there. I usually go get a couple of drinks to unwind after days like today. Wanna come?” Gwen asked her once more.
Harlow paused for a moment thinking about how Gwen mentioned a lot of locals would be there. She was nervous to be exposed to even more situations like she experienced at Allen’s, but she also knew she needed to do this if she was going to acclimate herself to Forest Crest.
“Sure.” She nodded. “Let’s do it.”
“Okay, you can follow me there,” Gwen instructed.
When they arrived, the sun had set and the lights around the awning and in the window shone brightly. Gwen got to the door first, opening it, and Harlow realized that she was right. The place was quite busy.
Part of Harlow wanted to turn around and run back to the inn, but she knew that wouldn’t resolve anything. She had to make this work if she had any chance of staying. Gwen propped the door open and turned, encouraging Harlow to follow with a smile.
The little place was just as Harlow would have expected when she drove through town the first time. It was rustic and quaint with big sturdy wooden countertops and tables. Low overhead lights shone in various directions along with another fixture of stained glass over the lone pool table in the far corner.
She noticed an odd smell when she entered, which struck her at first. It was a mixture of soap and leather with a hint of mint. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of it or the impression it left on her wolf senses.
She figured it was the years of history this place had endured. As she looked around at all the different men and women scattered around, she appreciated their eclectic vibe. Surely that was the source of the aroma.
Gwen led Harlow to two empty bar stools at the counter. There were only about ten and at least seven were occupied. It was almost as if all the business from the vet’s had landed right there at the bar.
A good number of eyes landed on Harlow as she grabbed her seat and connected with the bartender first. She was a short woman who didn’t look too much older than Harlow with long jet-black hair and eyes to match.
The woman’s smile was warm and jovial as she greeted the two of them. Harlow tried not to notice her beauty, but it was on full display in a black spaghetti strap tank top and short blue jean shorts.
“Well, hey there, Gwen. Who have we got here?” Harlow knew immediately the bartender was referring to her.
It was pretty obvious at this point that Harlow was going to be the talk of the town everywhere she went, even though that was the last thing she craved.
“I’m Harlow,” Harlow spoke up, offering her hand to shake before Gwen could take the lead.
The woman extended her hand, shaking Harlow’s firmly. “I’m Emily, but people around here call me Honey Bee.” Her hands were soft in comparison to her firm grip.
At first glance, Emily appeared too young and cheerfully innocent to be bartending what Harlow assumed would become a rowdy environment most nights. Even though she was young and beautiful, her toughness became quickly apparent.
“Honey Bee? How does that relate to Emily?” Harlow asked, confused, and Gwen let out a soft chuckle, patiently awaiting Emily’s response.
Emily grabbed the next glass and began shining it just as she had the one before. “Oh, honey, it doesn’t. But my family and I have a bee farm outside of my life here. So that’s where the Honey comes from.” She glanced over quickly, grinning. “And I may be small, but if you mess with me, I sting like a bee.”
It all came together, and all three of the women joined in laughter. Harlow quickly realized how much she liked this girl and that they might even become friends if she stayed in Forest Crest.
“Well now that we’ve got all that out of the way. What can I get for you two?”
Gwen wasted no time. “I’ll take a beer. What about you Harlow?”
“Um, I think I’ll just have a Coke.”
“A Coke?” Gwen and Honey Bee seemed to answer in unison.
“Girl, you’re gonna need more than a Coke to put up with the crowd here,” a husky voice rolled in from the other side of Harlow.
When she peered over, she saw a middle-aged man with olive skin that was mostly smooth except for the few wrinkles around his eyes and forehead and loose black hair to his shoulders. Harlow was struck by his handsome features at first and wondered if he might be hitting on her.
He wasn’t, though. His smile was warm, and it quickly became apparent he was just looking for more friendly conversation. “Occasionally we get some passersby but mostly it’s just the town folk gathering for their daily beers and gossip.”
Gwen laughed, picking up the glass bottle Honey Bee had just slid her way and sent a cheers in the air toward the man.
“I’m Jacob. I run the tax service across the street.” He held his hand out and Harlow returned the welcome. She peered through the windows on the other side of Jacob and saw the letters spelling out Tax Service on the door. “Yup, that’s me.”
