Page 89 of Hero Mine

“Uh-huh.” Hudson shot him a knowing look as he stacked clean glasses. “You know, when you offered to pick up shifts here, I thought it was because you enjoyed tending bar.”

“It is.”

“Funny how those shifts always lined up with Joy’s schedule.”

Bear didn’t bother denying it. “You complaining about the extra help?”

“Hell no,” Hudson chuckled. “Just amused at your complete lack of subtlety.”

Bear shrugged, tossing the rag into the sink. These shifts had never really been about bartending. They’d been about staying close to Joy. Now that she was doing better, he found himself missing her presence more than he’d expected.

“That asshole hit my storage shed again,” Hudson said, his tone shifting to something more serious. “Second time this month.”

Bear’s head snapped up. “What’d they take?”

“Couple broken umbrellas from the patio. Some scrap metal piping I was saving to fix the awning.” Hudson shook his head. “Nothing worth stealing.”

“Same pattern,” Bear muttered. “Callum mentioned similar thefts around town. My garage got hit too—old tires, tools from the supply closet.”

“Yeah, I heard the general store lost some wooden crates, and Fancy Pants Bakery had a broken ladder disappear.” Hudson frowned. “Who the hell steals junk?”

“Someone with a specific need,” Bear replied, eyes narrowing. “Or someone who doesn’t want to be noticed.”

“Well, they’re doing a piss-poor job of it. Whole town’s talking.”

“Talking, sure. But is anyone worried? It’s just junk, right?” Bear’s jaw tightened. “Nobody’s looking too hard for junk thieves.”

He thought about Daniel again. He’d seen the man walking out of Fancy Pants yesterday.

“You think there’s something else going on?”

“Don’t know. Just doesn’t feel right.” Bear shrugged. “I’ll talk to Callum again.”

Hudson made the last-call announcement, and soon everyone was filing out. Bear and Hudson began the closing routine they’d perfected over the past months. Chairs up, floors swept, register counted.

Hudson entered numbers into the register. “Joy called yesterday. Wants to cut back her shifts here. Ready to give her truck her full effort. Between her cutting hours and Sloane on maternity leave soon, I’m going be short-staffed as hell.” Hudson didn’t sound particularly upset. “But I’m happy for them both. That truck’s all Joy has talked about for years.”

“Town’s definitely buzzing about it.”

Hudson laughed. “Joy’s plan is to start with weekend brunches, then add days as demand grows.”

Between Joy’s food truck preparations and Bear’s increased workload at the garage, they’d barely seen each other the past two days. They were going to have to figure out a way to balance everything. Two nights without her were two too many.

Twenty minutes later, they stepped out into the crisp November night. Hudson locked the door behind them.

“Don’t forget about poker night on Tuesday,” Hudson called as he headed toward his jeep.

Bear raised a hand in acknowledgment, then turned toward his own vehicle—and stopped short.

Joy was leaning against his truck, hands tucked into the pockets of her denim jacket, her hair loose around her shoulders. The sight of her hit him square in the chest.

“Figured I’d walk you home for once,” she said with a half smile. “Make sure you don’t get into any trouble.”

Bear crossed to her in three long strides. Even in the dim streetlight, he could see the shadows under her eyes, the slight tightness around her mouth.Shit.

“Are you okay?” he asked, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Fine. Just a couple long days.” She leaned into his touch. “I’ve missed you.”