Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Mel nods. “Yeah, he comes over for dinner every Tuesday and Thursday and we talk on the phone almost every day, but it’s not the same. I miss the Ben I used to know. The one who laughed at my dumb jokes and told me I was beautiful and liked to cuddle me on the couch before bed.” She sighs. “I don’t blame him for coming out. I know how stressful it was for him and that he’s trying so hard to make the transition as smooth as possible for Chase and me, I just…” She swallows before adding in tighter voice. “I wish it were still okay for me to be in love with him. But it’s not, so…”
My chest aching for her, I say, “I’m here for you, sis. Anytime. If you need to talk or just want to go for a ride and blow off some steam. My Harley collection is your Harley collection. I’ll even let you ride the Flathead if you want.”
“I don’t ride anymore,” Mel says. “It reminds me too much of the old Ben and the old me and how much fun we had before everything fell apart.”
“But you love to ride,” I say, hating that she’s lost so much in such a short amount of time.
“Yeah, well, now I love working on Chase’s clubhouse in the backyard. We’re having a great time with a much lower chance of a catastrophic collision.” Drawing her shoulders back with a sniff, she motions toward the lace-heavy shirt I’ve just pulled from the bin. “Yes, wear that one, the lacy shirt with the vest that looks like a red and gold carpet. Put those on and you’ll be good to go. As long as you don’t come out from behind the bar, no one will see your jeans.” Snapping her fingers, she heads for the grills set up outside the tent. “Oh, and check the glasses for lipstick marks before you pour. Our dishwasher hasn’t been getting them all off lately. Reach out to Margot if you get in the weeds. She might be able to spare a server in a pinch.”
“Will do,” I assure her, making a mental note to talk to Barrett about Mel when he gets back. He’s been seeing a therapist, and it seems to have done him good.
Maybe he can reach out to Mel about finding someone to help her deal with her divorce and all the rest of it. Mel has always been the goofy, practical joker of the family, the one with the loudest laugh and a knack for finding the fun in life. Seeing her so down just feels…wrong. I get that she has to work through her grief, but it might not hurt to have a professional helping the process along.
“Beer!” A man in a Ren Faire-friendly server’s uniform hurries over, sliding an empty tray on top of the bar. “Give me all the beer, as much as you can fit on there. The full calorie stuff. So far, no one’s going for the light draft.”
“Got it,” I say, grateful there are only two taps tonight—pale ale and light pale ale—and only a handful of wines to choose from. The simplicity of the drink menu should keep things moving smoothly.
The drink orders come fast and furious for the first twenty minutes, but things slow down considerably once the first course is served and stall completely during the dessert course. I have another flurry of activity when the band starts to play and the diners take to the dance floor, but I don’t have any trouble keeping up. I manage to pour drinks and scan the dancers for a sign of Starling without missing beat.
Starling seems to have left—along with Nora—but Theo is still here, a fact that gives me such great pleasure, I feel obliged to buy my cousin a drink.
“I don’t mind paying,” he says, accepting the beer I slide across the bar. “If you give free drinks to every McGuire in town, Mel will go broke in a week.”
“It’s on me,” I say. “My way of saying thanks for keeping me out of trouble when we were kids. And backing out of the Furry Friend’s gig when I decided to apply.”
His eyes narrow. “My pleasure. The real estate firm is a better fit for me anyway. You sobered up awfully quickly.”
I shrug. “What can I say? Bread and water. They work miracles.”
He grunts. “Guess so. Thanks for the beer.” With one last pointed look my way, he wanders back toward the stage.
He clearly suspects I was faking my intoxication but is too nice to say so, and I appreciate that. I don’t want to get in a fight with my cousin. I like Theo and I don’t have time to waste on family conflict tonight. By the time the band plays their final encore, I only have half an hour to get home, get Bella fed, and get to the bike shop to meet Starling.