Page 25 of Coming Home Country
Casually strolling to the end of the bar, I ducked under the hinged endcap that the waitstaff used to move back and forth, whichusuallydeterred customers from entering the restricted space.
Popping up on the other side, I grabbed a clean glass and pulled the tap, letting golden liquid pour inside until foam slid from the top.
Flashing a charming smile, I placed it before Mickey Easton, removing his empty beer. I was lucky I knew his drink of choice so that when he took a sip without glancing up, he was none the wiser that he’d been served by his physician rather than Jesse, who was tending bar today with her back thankfully turned.
Every minute I lasted back here had the points mounting. I peeked at Bex across the room, her eyes glued to her phone screen, but her fingers ticking up marked the passage of time. I was up to two minutes already.
The bar wasn’t busy, so when Jesse flipped up the bar top on the opposite end, likely headed for the storage room, I did a mental fist pump.
Bex’s gaze lifted, eyes wide in disbelief that I was going to get tons of extra time added to our total. Then a smile lit up her beautiful face, and I could have sworn I stopped breathing. I hadn’t seen her smile once since her return, and it was just as stunning as I remembered. Pictures didn’t do it justice.
Her appearance was noticeably different today—hair pulled atop her head in a messy bun and her face free of makeup. She looked a hell of a lot more likemyBex than the polished version of the same woman who had arrived from the city a few days ago.
She’d never looked more beautiful.
“Hey! What are you doing back here, Doc?” In an instant, the trance was broken. Time was up.
I placed a palm to my chest and played innocent. “I’m sorry, Jesse. Am I not allowed to hang out on this side of the bar?”
Anchoring both hands on her hips, she cocked her head. “You know darn well this side’s off limits to customers.”
My lungs burned with the effort to keep from laughing. Nodding, I mumbled, “Sorry,” and bolted.
Bex was hot on my heels as I pushed through the front door, doubling over as booming laughter burst past my lips. The sweet giggles that sounded by my side were music to my ears. Never thought I’d get a chance to hear them again.
When I managed to straighten, I leaned against the brick exterior, taking deep breaths to calm myself. “How long?”
Checking the time on the video, Bex declared, “Six minutes. No one is gonna beat that.”
“Good call on doing this one first. Jesse’s gonna be spittin’ mad by the end of the day.” I ran a mental inventory of the rest of the list. A smile stretched across my face. “Hungry, Bex?”
She caught my drift right away. “I could eat. Sure hope the menu hasn’t changed at the Range. It would besucha shame if I came all this way and couldn’t get my favorite dish.”
I fell into step beside her as she began moving toward the restaurant. “Lay the sugar on extra thick for Naomi, and I’m sure she’ll give you whatever your little heart desires.”
“You know, I was thinking the same thing.”
We reached the Range, and I held the door open for her. “After you.”
A tiny smirk curved on her lips. “I’ve got this.”
Of that, I had no doubt.
Naomi Saddler owned and operated the Main Street restaurant known for its barbequed meats and country comfort food. She was here, day in and day out, the same as most small business owners in town, and as luck would have it, she was manning the hostess stand when we walked in.
She practically lit up from head to toe when she noticed the woman by my side, exclaiming, “Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” Naomi pulledBex into a hug, murmuring into her hair, “It’s good to have you home. Right where you belong.”
Bex’s arms tightened around the woman, who was friends with our mothers, and a sniffle sounded.
When they broke apart, both women dabbed at the corners of their eyes.
Naomi cleared her throat. “Let’s get you something to eat that’ll stick to your ribs.” She held Bex at arm’s length. “You’re too skinny these days.”
That got a watery laugh from Bex. “Can you blame me? Nothing they make up north can compare to good old-fashioned country cooking.”
She hit the target like an expert marksman, and Naomi puffed up with pride. “You’ve got that right, girl. Let’s get you two seated.”
We were led to a booth and handed menus. Bex scanned the menu, lips pulling down before the lower one pushed out in a pout.
