Page 5 of A Lonely Road (Spruce Hill #2)

Chapter Four

Jake

O ver the next few days, Nora seemed determined to learn the rhythms not only of the town, if my sister’s ridiculously well-connected gossip mill was any indication, but also of The Mermaid in particular.

She showed up at different times of day, and she never took me up on my offer of a free table—she always ordered something, whether it was a meal, an appetizer, or just dessert.

I made a mental note that the strawberry shortcake was her favorite.

Though our prices were reasonable, I quietly instructed the staff to give her the employee discount.

For all I knew, she could be an heiress, but I had no clue how much a translator made for their work.

Even if she was independently wealthy, that didn’t mean I couldn’t be a good neighbor and give her another reason to keep coming back.

One night, when I was tending the bar until closing time, I noticed her narrowing her eyes at the bill. When she glanced up, I gave a benign, friendly smile. If she wasn’t willing to ask about it—and I was pretty confident she wouldn’t—then I sure as hell wasn’t going to bring it up.

Much to my disappointment, Nora didn’t show up to the restaurant the following evening or the next.

While I consoled myself with the image of her tucked safely in a corner booth, dark hair cascading over her shoulders and veiling her face as she worked, a familiar voice called my name and I shook myself from my daydreaming to greet my best friend.

“Casey, hey. I thought you guys were camping until Wednesday,” I replied as she slid onto a stool at the end of the bar.

“Came back early. Tommy and Angelica’s baby has an ear infection. The poor kid couldn’t stop crying, so we decided to call it quits and head home. Such is life now that we’re old enough for shit like marriage and families, huh?”

Casey McDonald was as close to me as my own sister, a near constant in my life since we first moved to Spruce Hill.

If Sam was a tornado, Casey was the calm, deep water of Lake Ontario.

She'd been in love with Sam for as long as I could remember, but somehow the two of them never quite managed to get past the fear of ruining their friendship in order to take the plunge .

At sixteen, I’d been pretty happy to learn Casey was only interested in women—she was stunning and teenage me might very well have ruined my own friendship with her in the way my sister had managed to avoid for so many years.

Now? I’d give my left arm to lock the two of them in a room together and not let anyone out until they finally confessed their love for one another.

I laughed as I handed Casey a cold beer. “Next thing you know, we’ll be sitting in rockers on a porch together, talking about the olden days. I’m sorry I missed camping, though. When’s the next trip? Maybe I can manage a few days away to join you.”

Casey took a long pull on her beer and raised a brow. Her startling, fire engine red hair was combed back like James Dean and there was a teasing light in her eyes—tiger eyes, Sam always called them, a fierce hazel that missed nothing.

“Sure you won’t be too busy with a certain newcomer in town?”

Groaning, I said, “You were out in the boonies and the news still managed to travel that fast?”

“C’mon, man, you’ve lived in Spruce Hill long enough to know how that stuff gets around. Especially with Sam involved. She’s been texting me for days. So, spill. You two hook up yet?”

I shot her a warning glance. “No. She’s barely been here a week.”

“Sure you’re not losing your touch? ”

Silently cursing my sister, I served another patron and waited until the older man walked away before saying in a low voice, “I’m not losing anything. Nora is . . . cautious. Skittish, maybe. A little jumpy. She reminds me a bit of Angelica back in college.”

One of our closest friends had been assaulted walking back to the dorms during sophomore year. We’d all closed ranks in the aftermath, committed to keeping every member of our little crew safe.

Casey blew out a breath, her expression growing somber. “You think she’s been hurt?”

I thought about it for a long moment, then ran a hand through my hair. “I don’t know. Maybe not like that. Could have been a bad relationship, a bad family situation? She doesn’t talk about the past much and I don’t think she’s ready for anyone to pry.”

“Duly noted. Well, I look forward to meeting her.” When my eyes narrowed slightly, Casey grinned. “Easy, cowboy. I won’t encroach on your territory, don’t worry.”

“She’d probably kick all our asses if she heard herself referred to as ‘territory,’ so watch your mouth around her,” I warned.

I glanced toward Nora’s usual booth for probably the hundredth time in two days and felt my spirits fall a little at seeing it still empty.

“She comes in most evenings to work, but it’s been a couple days. ”

“Let me guess, you’re afraid you scared her away,” Casey ventured .

Before I could reply, my gaze caught on the figure slipping through the front door and my heart inflated like a balloon. I felt Casey’s focus sharpening on my expression—there was no doubt she saw it written on my face, all the signs that my interest in Nora wasn’t strictly neighborly.

When I glanced back at Casey, she smirked. “Oh, hell, Lincoln. You’re into her.”

Casually, she turned to look at the woman who’d just entered the restaurant.

At first glance, Nora was certainly pretty, but it wasn’t until those deep brown eyes locked on mine and a small smile curved her lips upward that I suspected Casey might understand.

That smile, the little hint of mystery, was so startling in its beauty that even Casey did a double take.

“Can you behave like a respectable adult for a minute while I say hello?” I asked, barely looking back toward Casey.

“You know I’d never cockblock a friend,” Casey teased under her breath. At that, I shot her a brief glare, but she only grinned in response. “Go on. I do expect an introduction eventually, but heaven forbid I interrupt a reunion of lovers.”

I barely heard her as I filled a glass with root beer and brought it over to Nora’s table. “Hey, stranger,” I said lightly. “I was afraid you’d found someplace else to work.”

“No, I’ve just been . . . ah, busy.” Though she looked calm and composed, a faint blush highlighted her cheekbones. I cocked a brow at the weak excuse and she wrinkled her nose at me without elaborating.

“Right, of course. In any case, I’m glad you’re back,” I said smoothly. I waited until her eyes lifted to meet mine and then had to fight down the urge to touch her. “There’s a bachelor party coming in tonight, just so you know.”

She closed her laptop. “I’m sorry, I can go if you need the space.”

“No, no, not at all. Stay. Please stay. I just wanted you to be prepared. It’ll probably be louder than usual tonight.”

I couldn’t help myself—I laid my hand over hers on top of the computer.

The warmth of her skin seeped through my palm.

Just as soft as she looks, I thought, and my heart thudded when she didn’t pull away from me.

Still, I was afraid to test my luck, so I reluctantly drew back my hand and smiled at her.

“Bea’s got a new dessert special tonight, you should try it so you can give me an honest review. Let me know when you’re ready for a refill.”

Nora didn’t respond, but I felt her eyes on me as I strode back to the bar, like she was as surprised as I was that the physical contact hadn’t caused her to jerk away. It wasn’t until I flashed her a warm smile from behind the bar that she opened the laptop again and turned her focus to her work.

At the other end of the bar, Casey raised her brows comically high. “I haven’t seen that kind of sexual tension since—well, ever. Shit, man. She might actually be into you, too. I really expected some kind of unrequited love here, based on your puppy dog eyes when I came in. ”

I gave a short laugh, but my eyes strayed back to Nora every time I had a free second throughout the evening. Something about her presence calmed me, like I could finally relax.

The bachelor party showed up just after the dinner rush ended, a group of six guys from Oakville, the next town over.

It became clear pretty quickly that they’d already consumed a fair amount of alcohol, but not so much that anyone needed to be cut off yet.

The group would require watching, though.

I had no problem kicking out a bunch of rowdy drunks, even if Sam and I had been making an effort to bring in events like this.

When Casey eyed the group and offered to stay to help me keep a handle on things, I was aware enough of my own distraction to gratefully accept.

We’d worked as bartenders together at The Mermaid after college, a perfect weekend gig for two recent graduates.

My father had been happy to have the help and even happier to keep a close eye on us.

Casey washed up and joined me behind the bar. “Just like old times, huh?”

For the first hour, we were much busier than usual, even with Casey’s help.

The two of us, with the ease of long practice, moved seamlessly around one another as we mixed drinks, opened beer bottles, and poured wine.

In addition to the bachelor party seated at the bar, familiar patrons flowed in and out with a regularity that I usually appreciated.

The rush gradually slowed, leaving only the bachelor party and a few regulars at the bar.

I was already extremely grateful for Casey’s help, but even more so when I noticed one of the groomsmen eyeing Nora toward the end of the night.

The man was seated at the far end of the bar, pretending to pay attention to his raucous friends as his gaze slithered over Nora in a way that made my skin crawl.

“What’s up?” Casey asked quietly. She’d known me long enough to detect even the most subtle change of mood, and it must have been clear that I was suddenly on edge.

“I don’t like the way he’s looking at her,” I replied, my voice low.

Casey surveyed the scene and set a hand on my arm.

My tension was a palpable thing, my eyes focused on the man watching Nora as I bit back the urge to growl.

While I had no right to place any claim on her, I damn well wasn’t going to let her be subjected to the kind of leer that had taken up residence on this sleazeball’s face.

“Given what I’ve heard about our new resident, I’m not sure she would appreciate your interference, Lincoln. Stepping in might do more harm than anything, if you want to stay in her good graces. I’d hate to see you throw it all away over some macho misunderstanding.”

I gave a reluctant nod before turning to serve a customer who’d squeezed in beside the groom.

Casey shifted toward that end of the bar, trying to engage the bachelor party attendees in conversation.

I was torn—I didn’t want that kind of attention directed at Casey, either, but I knew she was well trained in handling drunks.

Hell, we’d trained together in that field.

She was more than capable of dealing with them .

When I glanced over again, I caught sight of the man at the end of the bar sliding off his stool and walking unsteadily toward Nora.

“Shit,” I muttered, tossing the towel in my hand to Casey.

We’d find out soon enough if my interference would piss Nora off. I couldn’t sit back and do nothing.