The crowd erupts in discussion. Since there’s only two guys here, high school teachers, it’s mostly the women enthusiastically discussing chocolate and what kind they like best.
“Write it down, everyone!” I yell above the chatter. “It’s still anyone’s game!”
They quiet down, and I press a sound effect on my phone for a playful countdown.
Jenna gestures me closer across the bar.
I lean in.
Her green eyes twinkle as she whispers, “I spot Satan with an angel.”
I keep my eyes on her, resisting the impulse to look again. “Oh, yeah? I hadn’t noticed.”
She rolls her eyes. “Right.” She leans in. “So now that you don’t have to worry he’ll get the wrong idea, maybe you could make nice with him.”
“I was never concerned about that.” The attraction has been humiliatingly one-sided and completely involuntary. I smile serenely, doing my best impression of a saint. “Besides, I’m nice to everyone. I’m Miss Hospitality.”
She cocks her head. “Then go over there and say hello with your big bright smile of welcome. It’s a new year, good for a fresh start. A much-needed one.”
I narrow my eyes. I’m not hitting him up for money in front of his date. Besides, I did some research on him today, and I have serious concerns about the way he operates. He invests and turns around failing businesses, yes, but he also keeps control as a partner. I can’t give up a piece of my restaurant. This place has been fully owned by a Robinson for generations. No outsiders.
“I’m hosting, Jenna. Get back to game play, please.”
She turns and waves at him. “Hi, Wyatt!”
My cheeks flush. I have no idea why. It’s not like he’s watching me. He’s with someone. I busy myself tucking glasses away under the bar.
“Hey,” he calls over. I’m not sure he knows her name. He certainly can’t remember mine, always calling me Cindy. Irritating man.
“That wasn’t so hard,” Jenna says to me smugly.
Audrey waves at him too.
I steadfastly avoid looking for a good ten seconds. Finally, I risk a glance over. He’s deep in conversation with his mystery woman. She’s not local. Is she visiting from the city? Not that I need to know. Just idle curiosity.
By the time the trivia game wraps up—the elementary school teacher team is enthusiastically snapping photos with their gold medal—I decide a friendly hello to the patrons in the back room is in order. There’s a family there now, along with Wyatt and his girlfriend. This is what good restaurant owners do.
I stop at the family’s table first. I haven’t seen them here before. “Hi, I’m Sydney, the manager, how’s everything going tonight?”
The mom smiles. “Good, thanks. We just moved to town. First time trying it.”
The dad nods as he chews, and their three kids are too busy eating their burgers to look up.
I smile. “Well, welcome to Summerdale. I hope to see you back.”
I turn toward Wyatt’s table just as he’s standing, his brow furrowed with concern as he puts his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders and guides her out. She’s crying.
“Excuse us,” he says as he passes me. “I left enough to cover the bill.”
I follow a few steps behind, watching them go. I don’t think they had a fight or broke up because she wouldn’t want him touching her. He guides her through the front dining room, opens the door for her, and then they’re gone.
I’m not going to spy on them. Not my business.
I make my way to the front dining room, just doing my job, checking if everyone’s happy with their meal. There’s two tables with couples deep in conversation. Probably date night out for the parents. I glance toward the parking lot, but it’s too dark to see.
He seemed kind of concerned and caring. The complete opposite of the way he is with me. I exhale sharply and push him to the back of my mind.
Where he lingers for the rest of the night. Dammit.
A week later, Harper’s back in town. To see her two weeks in a row is a surprise, but I’m happy. She and Garrett just showed up at The Horseman Inn for lunch.
I meet them in the front dining room, where they’ve been seated. Harper stands to hug me. “Are you trying to singlehandedly keep this place in business?” I whisper jokingly.
She smiles and pulls back, holding my arms. “The food’s so good I told Garrett we had to drive out here for lunch.” She says it extra loud for the benefit of our Saturday lunch crowd. All three tables full.
Truth is, most of our profit is in the bar, but I want to keep this a family place too. It’s important for the whole community to feel welcome here.
Garrett stands to greet me, and I give him a hug too. He’s like a big muscled teddy bear despite his tough-looking exterior. His dark brown hair is clipped short, emphasizing the sharp angles of his cheekbones and square jaw.
“Taking good care of our girl?” I ask, socking him on the shoulder.
“Sure am, and vice versa.”
They take their seats again.
“Sit with us for a few minutes,” Harper urges.
I take the chair next to her. “No guard today?” Usually Harper’s bodyguard sticks close.
“I don’t worry so much about security here, but he is with us,” she says. “We left him at my grandmother’s house. They’re watching an old cowboy movie.”
“Really?” My mind conjures her cantankerous eighty-seven-year-old grandmother sitting in her old high-back chair, while across from her, big muscled Joe with his neck tattoo sits on her plastic slip-covered floral sofa. An unusual pairing.
“Yeah,” Harper says. “Once Garrett told her Joe was cool, she gave him a chance. Garrett can do no wrong in her eyes.”
“Aren’t you special?” I ask him.
He lifts a massive shoulder. “What can I say? Chicks dig me.”
I laugh. “So will you guys be around a while? I could check if Jenna and Audrey can meet up with us.”
“Sure, that’d be great,” Harper says. “After lunch, we’re heading over to Wyatt’s place to check out the renovation. You want to come along?”
“He invited you over?” I blurt. Stupid question. Of course he invited them. They wouldn’t just show up, driving all the way out here from the city.
Harper’s brows lift. “Yeah, he wants Garrett to check on the progress and give his opinion on stuff. He’s like an expert on every aspect of construction.” She smiles at him, hearts in her eyes, and he brushes a kiss over her knuckles. Her lips part, and it looks like a kiss is about to happen.
I turn away, feeling like I’m intruding on a personal moment. “So, I should—”
“I just can’t wait to see the inside of the place,” Harper says. “Aren’t you dying of curiosity? Remember how scared we were of that old house growing up? No one ever went trick-or-treating there.” She turns to Garrett. “We thought it was haunted.”
“Naturally,” he says. “Big empty house on top of the hill with a lighthouse on dry land. What else could it be?”
Harper nods once and continues. “People said that the old man who used to live there was nuts, building that lighthouse. You’ve got to come with us, Syd. We’ll finally see what all the fuss was about.”