Page 16 of Jolene's Justice

They moved to an empty spot at the bar. Dante had retreated to his position behind it before the argument had even reached its peak. Jolene grabbed two menus and handed one to Finch. She didn’t know why she’d grabbed one for herself since she could recite it by heart. The menu had remained unchanged for as long as she could remember. Her father had never altered it. Predictable as always. That was Gorden Pritchett.

After placing their order, they chatted with Dante some more. The conversation eventually circled back to her father, and a familiar knot of fear formed in her gut. The doctor told her he would be fine, and logically, she understood that. But the mere thought of losing another parent brought a bit of panic. Her mom’s death had been devastating. The thought of losing her dad too had become a constant source of worry for her. If he was gone, who would she share recipes with? What would happen to the pub? The house? It was hard enough knowing her mom wouldn’t see her get married or have babies. It would be unbearable if her dad missed those milestones as well.

A young waitress setting their meals down in front of them distracted her from her spiraling thoughts.

Jolene’s stomach growled in anticipation of her favorite toasted cheese sandwich. The cheddar that her father had shipped in from Scotland was gooey and oozing out of the sandwich, just the way she liked it. With the first bite, she was transported back to her childhood. The salty cured ham and sharp cheddar combination was just as she remembered.

A moan from Finch caught her attention, and she turned to see him happily devouring his Scotch egg. The hard-boiled egg surrounded by spicy sausage meat, then deep fried was a staple at the Dafty Neighbor. She wondered if she should think about adding it to her own menu. Maybe as an appetizer.

“You like it?” she asked.

He wiped his mouth with a napkin before answering. “It’s good. But your bar will always be my favorite place.”

A warm feeling spread through her body, causing her cheeks to flush as she smiled. It was a sweet thing for him to say. Despite receiving acclaim from various area publications and blogs as one of the best restaurants in Southwest Michigan, it was still validating to hear her friends say the same thing about her bar.

Her father’s recipes were missed more than she had realized. Perhaps she should add a bit of her heritage to her own restaurant. She hadn’t wanted to go there after the disaster that was Noitiña. That dream was crushed by Harrison, just like her trust in him. Maybe it was time to rekindle that dream and make it a reality.

She’d retained ownership of Noitiña’s recipes. They were hers, after all. Her creations. It had been a smart move on her part to add that caveat into her contract with Harrison when opening Noitiña. When she’d left, she’d taken all the recipes that had made the restaurant so popular with her. She was indebted to her dad for that wise business advice.

“You been to the house yet?” Dante asked.

For a moment, she wondered why he was asking. Then she remembered what condition the house had been in the last time she’d been home. The old place had been in dire need of repair when she last saw it, and she shuddered to think of its current state. Caring for the house had been more her mother’s purview. Her dad had focused on the pub and was a mess when it came to home maintenance.

“Not yet. We wanted to grab a bite before heading over there. It’s gotten worse, hasn’t it.” It was more a statement than a question. She knew what her dad was like. She’d pushed him to hire someone to make the repairs, but like she’d said, he was a stubborn ass. Insisting he could do it himself. Only, he never made the time for it.

“He was working on the porch when the heart attack happened.”

He used two fingers on each hand to indicate quotes when he said “working on.”

“The railing gave way when he collapsed against it. That’s how he got the broken leg.”

Jolene’s heart twisted at the thought of her father being hurt in such a manner. “I’ll see what I can do while I’m here.”

“That’s not your responsibility.”

“I know. But I’ve got some time. I can handle a few of the projects.”

Dante let out a deep sigh and shook his head. “Just as stubborn as your old man.”

As she ate a salty french fry, Jolene’s grin took on a mischievous quality. “You know it.”

“Fine. But if you need help, let me know.”

Jolene was shaking her head even before he’d finished speaking. “I need you here. You know you’re the only one dad trusts with the pub.”

“I know, but—”

“I’ll help her with the repairs,” Finch interjected. Jolene shot him a look of surprise.

“But shouldn’t you be getting back to Lake Haven? What about the Nighthawks?”

His gentle smile did not have the intended calming effect on her. Prolonged exposure to Finch was dangerous to her heart. She needed him to go home as soon as possible.

“I told you I wasn’t going to leave you alone with this.”

“I know. But what about work?”

“Graham understands. And they’re covered. Now that Hollynn learned to fly the helicopter, she’ll help out if needed. Besides, Natalie would kill him if he called me away from you. She didn’t want you to be alone.”

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