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That familiar serious look came back. “I want to share everything with you.”

“I hope someday soon you will. Until then, I’ll take all these happy surprises we share, like you showing up tonight and me calling you M.”

“I like being yours. It’s been a long time since I felt like I belonged anywhere.”

“You know where to find me.”

“I will definitely be back for more of you.” He turned to go, then shifted back to face her again. “Thank you for dinner. I really enjoyed it. This has been one of the best nights I’ve had in years. And theothers that have come close were spent down in your bar watching you.”

Her heart melted, and her throat clogged. “I don’t know what to say to that, except that I loved our time together tonight, and I can’t wait to see you again.”

“This bad idea is probably the best one I’ve ever had. And maybe it’s selfish to be with you when my life isn’t really my own right now, but I can’t help myself. I want you in my life too damn much to wait any longer.”

She touched her hand to her heart.

“See you soon, Angel.” He left her standing there staring at the door wishing she’d called him back and asked him to stay the night. Because now that they’d taken this huge step forward, she didn’t want to spend a second without him.

The feeling was thrilling.

Angel?

She liked it.

She couldn’t wait to see him again.

She just hoped Rick didn’t spoil it next time.

Chapter Six

By eight o’clock the next morning, Lyric had three meat smokers going. She didn’t mind M’s late-night drop-in. She hoped for another tonight, though she knew that was a long shot, since he’d told her he had plans.

She checked the temps. Everything looked good. A couple more hours to go and she’d have the meat for their most popular item on the menu, pulled pork sliders. She still needed to do the tandoori chicken skewers, but those didn’t take very long, and she’d put them on the grill when they opened tonight.

The aroma on the back patio outside the bar’s kitchen was amazing. It was so cold, but she loved being outside. She sat with her guitar on one of the benches under an outdoor heater. There were several tables set up out here for family dining in the spring, summer, and fall because kids weren’t allowed inside the bar. In the winter, she and the staff hunkered down under the heaters for their breaks and a chance to get out of the loud space.

She loved music, but it could be a lot with the noise from the crowd, the thump of the music, and the clanking of glasses and dishes.

Sometimes, she just needed some peace and quiet.

Like today.

Her dad came out of the kitchen, grinning. “That chili you’ve got simmering in there smells delicious.” Her dad loved a good chili dog. So did many of their customers.

In the winter, she liked everyone to have something warm and hearty. “I’m thinking about making sloppy joe sliders tomorrow.” She had a set menu of items the bar offered regularly, but she liked to add a special or two each night to mix things up. The one thing everyone loved was the burger and fries for five bucks. It had been that price since her grandma owned the bar. They’d keep it that price forever. They made a hell of a lot of money on the booze to cover fluctuating costs on the food. They worked together on keeping to the budget. Aria ran the bar business and took care of the books; Melody and Jax ran the bartenders and waitresses; and Lyric ran her six-person kitchen crew.

“Do you have any catering going on this week?” Her dad sat next to her on the bench under the heat.

“No. It’s quiet.”

“What’s going on with Rick?”

“He was at the bar last night. Then he showed up at my door after midnight because of the song I posted.”

“What was the song?”

She didn’t really want to say. “‘Come Over’ by Kenny Chesney.”

Wade stared wide-eyed at her. “He presumed it was an invitation?”