Page 250 of Mountain Daddy
Joe shoves Doug off him. “Jessie, put my beer on his tab.”
“Tell me what you’re all hugging each other for, and I’ll pick up the whole tab,” Doug offers, and I swear, old men are the biggest group of gossips ever.
Kendra straightens, taking her weight off me.
I hate it. But it’s just in time because Joe turns and holds his arm out toward his daughter. “Just celebrating that everyone is in good health.”
Doug looks to Jessie, like she’s the only one of us who wouldn’t lie. “That true?”
She nods. “It’s true.”
Doug sighs. “Fine, I’ll pay. But I’m sitting at the bar with you guys.”
As Joe agrees, I place a hand against Kendra’s back and guide her to the seat at the end of the bar. Then I take the stool next to hers as my own.
Joe takes the spot next to me, like I expected, and Doug sits next to him.
Jessie will eat with us, but she’ll stay on the other side of the bar. And with this setup, Kendra’s only option will be to talk to me.
And I know Doug—he talks just as much as Joe does. So they’ll distract each other until the end of time.
Kendra looks up at me with a smirk. “Shall I assume you’re a regular here?”
I swallow as I dip my chin. “And are you new to the area or passing through?”
“The plan was to pass through.” Her eyes light with something. Something good. “But I think I might stay.”
Chapter 150
Kendra
Luther is standingbehind the bar, shaking his head.
Dad points at him. “You did too.”
“I’ve never eaten a live minnow in my life.” Luther holds up his hands. “Your mind is slipping, old man. Time for some fucking supplements.”
Dad scrunches up his face. “Huh. Maybe that was someone else.”
Luther looks at me. “How do you put up with him?”
I snort. “Noise-canceling headphones.”
“Hey!” Dad spins his seat toward me. “You said music helps you concentrate.”
I nod seriously. “It does.”
Dad narrows his eyes on me as Doug cackles from his other side.
Luther’s phone rings, and he steps away from our noisy group to answer.
Resting my elbows on the bar, I smile as I listen to Dad and Doug bicker.
When Dad suggested going out for lunch, I suggested coming to the Inn.
I debated telling Luther we were coming, but I knew from his text this morning that he’d be here, and I wanted to surprise him. And I’m so glad we came.
Aside from the group hug, this was exactly the levity I needed.
