After breakfast, Jackson and I both left my apartment. I went to the camp while he went to the bar.
I finished my work in an hour, then returned home to do laundry and clean, which didn’t take me long. With Dad teaching, I stopped by my parents’ house in hopes that Mom would be up for an afternoon visit, but she was busy working on bookkeeping for Bob’s Diner. So I went down to the bar much earlier than I’d planned.
It was empty except for Thea standing behind the bar, dusting the shelves and bottles along the mirrored wall.
“Hey, Willa!” Thea smiled as the door closed behind me. She looked beautiful today, with her dark eyes and thick hair. She looked beautiful all the time, but lately, she’d had an extra sparkle in her eyes.
She and Logan had gotten married a couple of weeks ago in a small celebration in the backyard of their sprawling lake house, and she’d had that sparkle ever since.
“Hi! How’s it going?”
“Good. You?”
I slumped into a stool at the bar. “Good. But I’m going kind of stir-crazy. This time of year is always tough. I miss the camp and it takes me some time to adjust to the slower pace.”
“Yeah.” She set down her duster and came to stand across from me. “It’s hard when Charlie starts school. It’s so . . . quiet.”
I nodded. “Exactly.”
“Jackson said you were thinking about getting a part-time job this winter.”
“I was, but I haven’t found anything yet.”
“I think the gas station was looking for an evening clerk.”
“No.” Jackson’s voice came from the back hallway before he emerged. “She’s not working at the gas station.”
Thea rolled her eyes and spun around. “Why not? Wait. Let me guess.” She held up her hand before he could speak. “It’s not safe.”
Jackson grinned at the sarcasm in her tone, walking right past her. “You know? Willa never argues with me about stuff like this. She just knows I’m looking out for her. So why do you have to bust my balls every time I say something that’s just for your own good?”
Thea winked at me. “It’s fun. Busting your balls is one of my hobbies.”
I giggled as she and Jackson went into one of their stare-downs. Seeing them together reaffirmed what Thea had always told me: they were siblings of the heart.
All the moments when I’d been jealous of Thea had been silly. The way Jackson looked at her was nothing like the way he looked at me. There was no attraction between them, only affection.
It made me wish I had a brother or sister of my own.
Jackson broke the staring contest first, shaking his head as he came closer. He leaned across the bar to softly kiss my lips. “Hey, babe.”
“Hi,” I whispered. Just one little kiss and I was nearly breathless. “So did you guys have a good meeting today? I see she didn’t bore you to death with the accounting.”
Thea scoffed. “Is that what you told her? That my monthly update is boring? Rude. I spend a lot of time putting that together so you know what’s happening.”
“Traitor.” Jackson tried to hide a smile as he glared at me. “And yes, it was good. The best review of those damn spreadsheets I’ve ever had.”
“I’m taking them home to Logan,” Thea declared. “At least he’ll appreciate them.”
“I’m sure he will,” Jackson agreed, getting a glass out to fill it with Coke. He set it down right in front of me with a napkin.
“Thanks.” I loved that he didn’t ask me anymore what I wanted to drink. He knew I’d stick to Coke until dinner and then have a beer. Sometimes two. Then I’d switch to water until it was time to go home.
“We do have some news, though.” Jackson looked to Thea, getting a nod of approval to share. “Thea’s going to step back a bit. Not work as many nights. She’s cutting back on weekends too.”
My heart sank. This was exactly the opposite of what I’d hoped for today. Jackson needed some time for himself, not more long nights at the bar.
“So we’re going to hire another bartender.”
“What? Really?” I perked up. “That’s great!”
Thea smiled. “I think so too. It’s been a long time coming.” She turned to Jackson. “And we’ve earned a break.”
“Damn right.”
I wanted to ask if they could afford to take on a staff member, but I held my tongue. I trusted that Thea—and Jackson, for all his complaining—knew the business well enough to make the decision.
They wouldn’t do this if it would put their financial futures in jeopardy. Or Hazel’s. She was still technically the owner of the bar and they paid her a portion of the profits each month.
I guess none of that really mattered anymore. Logan would take care of Thea and Hazel no matter the financial situation at the bar. The man had more money than I’d ever see in my lifetime. Thea and Charlie, if they’d ever gone without before, would never be without again.
Logan Kendrick would make their dreams come true.
Even if that meant letting Thea work her dream job managing this bar and living a simple life here in Lark Cove.
Much like Jackson, Thea didn’t need or want fancy. She just needed her family, their love and a happy home.
Maybe if Jackson wasn’t here all the time, he’d get to settle into a home too.
“Any leads on an employee?” I asked.
“No, but we’re not in a hurry,” Thea said. “We’d rather keep things as they are and wait for the right person.”
“That’s smart. I’ll keep my ears open for anyone looking for a job.” Well, other than myself.
Thea smiled and changed topics. “You’re friends with Leighton, right?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “We’ve been best friends since we were kids. Why?”
“I ran into her at school yesterday when I was dropping off Charlie. She invited me to one of those kitchen party things she’s hosting next weekend. I’ve never been to one, but Logan thinks I need more ‘me time.’ I was thinking of going but was hoping you’d be there too.”
“Yes, I’ll be there and my mom will too. You should definitely come. There won’t be a lot of us, but it will be fun. I’m making my famous wheat chili.”
“That sounds delicious.” Thea leaned her elbows on the bar top. “I was thinking about expanding our bar menu this winter. Wheat chili could be a huge hit with the tourists. Is it hard?”
Before I could answer, Jackson cut in. “While you two swap recipes, I’m going to go change out the keg of Bud Light.”
He leaned over the bar again, giving me another kiss before disappearing into the back.
I got a healthy dose of his backside as he walked away. I’d long admired his behind, but now that I knew exactly what it felt like beneath my hands, how firm his ass was when he was on top of me, it made admiring it so much better.
Thea was grinning when I looked back to her. “You two are so cute.”
I smiled, blushing a little before launching into my recipe for the chili. I was just explaining how I prepped the wheat berries when the front door opened.
Thea looked over my shoulder with a smile to greet her customer. “Hi, there.”
I turned to see a woman walking across the room. She looked to be about as old as my mom, likely in her late fifties, judging by the fine lines on her face and the gray sprinkled through her dark blond hair.
She was wearing skintight jeans with black cowboy boots, the stitching on the toe a bright red. Her black leather jacket was covering an old Rolling Stones tee, one that looked as if she’d gotten it from an actual concert.
“What can I get you?” Thea asked as the woman came to stand at the bar.
“I’m actually lookin’ for someone. Heard he worked here.”
There was only one man who worked here. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as Thea’s face changed. Gone were her easy smile and sparkling eyes. A fierce, protective look settled in their place.
“And who’s that?” she asked.
The woman didn’t get a chance to answer as Jackson stepped out from the back. His entire body went rigid except for one arm that lifted and pointed right toward the door as he bellowed, “Get the fuck out of my bar!”