by Devney Perry
Jackson laughed too, forking another bite. “Nah. Betty loves me no matter what.”
He wasn’t wrong. Mom was overjoyed that he and I were dating. Dad was too. They were both trying to let us have our space, but I’d definitely noticed a change in their routine.
Our weekly dinners, the ones that had always been on Saturday nights, were now more fluid. If Jackson was working on Saturday, they rescheduled to a night when he was free, even when I’d offer to just come over alone. And those two had eaten more meals at the bar over the last month than they had in the past year combined. One or both had a constant “hankering” for pizza these days.
I actually thought it was kind of endearing how much they loved spending time with Jackson. I loved spending all my time with him too.
“After I get done at the camp, I’m going to do some cleaning and laundry. But then I’ll come down and keep you company for dinner.”
“Sounds good,” he said. “I’ll be there whenever you come down.”
Thea was scheduled to work all morning and afternoon, but Jackson had been spending extra time at the bar this month, even if she was on shift. Logan had been spending a lot of his time there too. After what had happened last month, neither of them wanted to leave her alone for long stretches of time.
The night Thea had been attacked had left its mark.
Jackson and I learned all about what had happened the night we’d frantically walked to the cottage in search of Thea. The next day, he and I had gone down to Hazel’s cottage and gotten the scoop.
Thea had been receiving harassing emails from Ronny, one of the bar’s regulars. Things had escalated and he’d come after her that night. Luckily, nothing bad happened because Logan got to her in time, and the man who’d been harassing her was now facing time in prison for criminal stalking.
The threat was gone, but Thea was under a near-constant watch. I think Jackson and Logan had worked out some kind of secret system where one, if not both, was at the bar with her. Which meant even if it was Jackson’s night off, he was more often than not still at the bar, taking on more and more.
Now that the camp was closed, it didn’t bother me. I spent my nights there with him, eating dinner, visiting and helping him shut down before we came back here to bed. But I was worried that he was getting burned out.
He needed some time for himself too.
“Will you take me fishing?”
“Fishing?” He swallowed the last bite of his breakfast. “You want to go fishing?”
“Yeah. I want to see your boat. And pretty soon the lake will freeze. What if we went next week?”
He looked down at me with an odd expression in his eyes. I’d seen it many times over the last month, usually when I said something he wasn’t expecting, and it always tied my stomach in a knot.
His gaze held a strange mix of wonder and pain. It had taken me a while to read the look, but I’d finally put my finger on it.
He stared at me like he was trying to memorize my face. Like he was already preparing for me to walk away.
I gave him a soft smile, trying to ease some of his fears. In time, he’d see I wasn’t going anywhere. We just needed more breakfasts together and more nights spent in each other’s arms. We needed more mornings where he’d wake me up with a kiss before sliding inside me.
Maybe we needed five or fifty fishing trips, just the two of us, but eventually he’d see.
I wasn’t letting him go.
“So? What do you think?”
He blinked out of his stare, then ran his hand down my back. “Yeah. I’d love to take you fishing.”
“Goodie.” I smiled, then stood to clear our plates. “Do you want me to go over to your place and get your laundry? I’d be happy to toss it in with mine.”
“You don’t have to do that.” He followed me into the kitchen with the syrup and butter.
Jackson hadn’t let me into his place much. He had a nice house, though it was a little outdated. It was definitely a bachelor pad without much for decoration.
I’d actually only been there twice, both times in and out quickly, stopping only so he could change clothes. Every time I’d asked him if he wanted to stay the night there or hang out and watch a movie on his much bigger TV, he’d find a reason to keep me away.
I was trying not to make a big deal out of it since we’d only been together a short time. But the whole situation was bothering me.
I’d let him into my home completely, even giving him his own key. All I’d seen of his home was the entryway, living room and kitchen. I wasn’t sure if he was ashamed of his house. Or maybe it was a mess and he didn’t want me to see—though I doubted it because he kept the truck immaculate.
Whatever the reason, I was determined to break through.
“I don’t mind,” I told him. “Once I’m done at the camp, I have nothing else to do all day. I can certainly tackle my boyfriend’s laundry.”
“Don’t worry about it, Willa. I’ll do some this weekend.”
I sighed. “Okay.”
He didn’t trust me to wash his jeans yet, but he would.
Things would get easier.
We needed more time, just the two of us.
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 breathle
ss. “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!”
How many years was it going to take to erase this woman’s face from my memory? Even after decades, I still recognized her.
My mother didn’t look much different now than she had the day she’d left me standing in the middle of my aunt’s living room. Her hair was a lighter blond and shorter now. I didn’t remember her being so thin. But her voice was the same. It sounded exactly like it had the day she’d left me with my aunt, telling me I’d be happy there.
Lying bitch.
Why the fuck was she here? After all these years, why had she come now? She must have had some kind of sixth sense to know I was actually happy, so she’d come to ruin it.
But I wasn’t going to let her. I wasn’t a kid anymore and she didn’t have any power over me or my life.
“I’m not going to say it again,” I barked. “Get the fuck out.”
She didn’t move. “You look good, Son. Grew up to look a lot like your granddaddy. But you got my eyes.”
The room, which was already silent, went wired as Willa and Thea realized this woman was my mother.
“I spent a lot of time tracking you down.” She smiled. “How are you?”
Did she expect me to be grateful? She sounded like she was doing me the favor here. I crossed my arms over my chest. “You wasted your time coming here. Get out.”
“I need to talk to you about somethin’.”
“No,” I snapped. The hold I had on my temper was about to break. “I’ve got nothing to say to you.”
Her sugar-sweet smile fell away. “Jackson—”
“You heard him.” Thea cut her off with an angry snarl. She looked like she was seconds from leaping across the bar to throat punch my mom. “Get out.”
Thea knew all about my mother, and so did Hazel. It was a good thing she wasn’t here today because she would have already kicked Mom’s ass through the door.
“Leave.” Thea rounded the bar. “Now.”
Mom glared at Thea but didn’t move.
Willa slid out of her seat, standing with her arms crossed over her chest. Her shoulders were stiff. I was betting the look on her face held anything but her normal cheery smile.
Mom turned away from Thea and scowled at Willa, then looked her up and down. She was about four inches taller than Willa and trying to intimidate her. But Willa just stood straighter, not backing off an inch.
My shy Willa, ready to throw down against my shitty mother. If I hadn’t started falling for her already, that would have tipped me over.
Mom puffed her chest out, inching closer to Willa. The movement unfroze my feet. I d
id not want Mom infecting Willa’s space.
“Fine. You don’t want to leave? I’ll toss your ass out myself.” With long, angry strides, I walked out from behind the bar and went right up to Mom, gripping one of her arms and hauling her toward the door.
“Let me go,” she spat, trying to shake her arm loose.
“Out.” I opened the door with my free hand and shoved her through it. Then I pulled it closed, fighting the hydraulic, and gripped the knob tight.
“Jackson!” she shrieked from the other side of the steel. “I need to talk to you!”
She pounded her fists against it a couple of times, trying to open the door again, but I kept a firm hold on the knob. It didn’t take long for Mom to get the hint and stop her banging and shouting.
Thea crossed the room to stand by one of the windows in the front. I didn’t move as she watched the parking lot, waiting.
“There,” Thea said a few moments later, leaving the window. “She’s gone.”
She grumbled something else and pulled her phone from her pocket. With it pressed to her ear, she marched through the bar toward the back, probably to call Logan or Hazel. Or both.
I closed my eyes and took a breath, sagging into the door. My heart was racing and I felt like someone had just punched me in the gut.
Why was Mom here? Why now? What could she possibly want? Maybe I should have talked to her.
As my head spun, a pair of delicate arms wrapped around my waist from behind.
Willa’s cheek pressed against my back. “Want to talk about it? Or pretend it never happened?”
“Pretend it never happened.”
“Okay.”
Okay. That was it. She wouldn’t push. She’d just ride shotgun and let me navigate this.
I just wish I had a fucking clue which direction to go.
“Hazel is coming down here,” Thea announced as she returned, pissed off and snarling. “If that bitch comes back, I swear to god I’m going to beat her ass.”
“I’ll help,” Willa told her.
I chuckled. Only she could make me smile after having just thrown my mother out of my bar.
I loosened her hands from my stomach and turned, bending to give her a soft kiss. “I’m going to get back to work. Shake this off. Are you going to hang with me tonight?”