learned, and made a mental note to make herself an appointment. Everyone was warm and friendly, making her like this town more and more.
In between interruptions and hellos, Kelly and Annie caught up.
“How’s your father?” Kelly asked Annie. “He only checked in with me once today.” And Richard was a hands-on boss.
Annie spread her hands wide. “I wish I knew. He says he’s fine, Mom says he’s having chest pains, but he claims it’s a pulled muscle. Yet—”
“He’s home from work,” Kelly finished for her.
“Exactly. He has an appointment with a cardiologist tomorrow, so hopefully we’ll know more then. I know he appreciates you keeping things running while he’s out.”
Annie’s voice was touched with concern, and though privately Kelly agreed with her worry, there was no reason to panic her further. “Everything’s fine at work. How are you feeling?” Kelly asked.
“I’m actually doing well, knock wood.” Annie tapped the top of her head with her knuckles and laughed. “You never know what will happen, but right now I’m feeling okay.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Some people left the bar in search of tables and Kelly wedged her way through the slimming crowd until she finally arrived at the counter.
There she found Joe wiping the area with a towel before glancing up. “Good evening, ladies,” he said in his smooth voice.
He cast an easy smile at Kelly. Then his gaze lit on Annie and he leaned across the bar. “How are you doing, beautiful?”
Annie blushed. “Pretty good. And you?”
“Everything’s perfect now that you’re here.”
Kelly raised her eyebrows. Joe had a way about him that made everyone comfortable. It was probably just one of the reasons his bar was such a success, that and the fact that his was the only game in town.
The day Kelly moved into her apartment, Joe had helped her, carrying boxes from her car. Since then, whenever she ran into him, he took the time to talk and get to know her better. She’d seen him smile at everyone, but he’d never had a gleam in his eye quite like now.
Hmm.
Kelly glanced between the two, Joe in his wrinkled T-shirt, faded jeans, and tousled light brown hair, and Annie with her petite body, perfect blond curls, and coordinated leggings and silky top. Outwardly they couldn’t be more different, but appearances had nothing to do with attraction and Kelly wondered what kind of man Annie went for, because Joe clearly had a thing for her.
“How about you?” Joe turned to Kelly. “How’s life treating you in that fancy house on the hill?”
“What could be bad?” she asked. “It’s been kind of nice getting a break from doing everything for myself. Rosalita is an angel.”
“Will you move back to your small apartment upstairs now that you’ve lived the good life?” Joe asked, teasing.
Kelly laughed. “Of course. All good things must come to an end.”
Annie chuckled. “Not all good things.”
“So, you’re an optimist?” Joe asked, his gaze steady, as if studying her for answers to more than just that one question.
Annie shrugged. “It’s not always easy keeping up the faith these days, but I do try.”
He eyed her warily, obviously concerned. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine .”
“Good. But if you ever need anything—”
“I won’t.”
“You never know.” He smiled, his dimples showing.
But Annie just shook her head and his shoulders slumped in defeat.
Kelly narrowed her gaze, surprised by Annie’s obvious rejection.
“What can I get you, then?” he asked, pointing to the fountain.
“Just the usual,” Annie said lightly. “You know me, big night out and I order a virgin.”
At the word coming from Annie’s mouth, Joe seemed to freeze for a minute before he took a tall glass from behind the counter and filled it. “Seltzer for you.” He placed the glass in front of Annie.
“What about you?” Joe asked Kelly.
“I’ll have the same thing.” She pointed to her
In between interruptions and hellos, Kelly and Annie caught up.
“How’s your father?” Kelly asked Annie. “He only checked in with me once today.” And Richard was a hands-on boss.
Annie spread her hands wide. “I wish I knew. He says he’s fine, Mom says he’s having chest pains, but he claims it’s a pulled muscle. Yet—”
“He’s home from work,” Kelly finished for her.
“Exactly. He has an appointment with a cardiologist tomorrow, so hopefully we’ll know more then. I know he appreciates you keeping things running while he’s out.”
Annie’s voice was touched with concern, and though privately Kelly agreed with her worry, there was no reason to panic her further. “Everything’s fine at work. How are you feeling?” Kelly asked.
“I’m actually doing well, knock wood.” Annie tapped the top of her head with her knuckles and laughed. “You never know what will happen, but right now I’m feeling okay.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Some people left the bar in search of tables and Kelly wedged her way through the slimming crowd until she finally arrived at the counter.
There she found Joe wiping the area with a towel before glancing up. “Good evening, ladies,” he said in his smooth voice.
He cast an easy smile at Kelly. Then his gaze lit on Annie and he leaned across the bar. “How are you doing, beautiful?”
Annie blushed. “Pretty good. And you?”
“Everything’s perfect now that you’re here.”
Kelly raised her eyebrows. Joe had a way about him that made everyone comfortable. It was probably just one of the reasons his bar was such a success, that and the fact that his was the only game in town.
The day Kelly moved into her apartment, Joe had helped her, carrying boxes from her car. Since then, whenever she ran into him, he took the time to talk and get to know her better. She’d seen him smile at everyone, but he’d never had a gleam in his eye quite like now.
Hmm.
Kelly glanced between the two, Joe in his wrinkled T-shirt, faded jeans, and tousled light brown hair, and Annie with her petite body, perfect blond curls, and coordinated leggings and silky top. Outwardly they couldn’t be more different, but appearances had nothing to do with attraction and Kelly wondered what kind of man Annie went for, because Joe clearly had a thing for her.
“How about you?” Joe turned to Kelly. “How’s life treating you in that fancy house on the hill?”
“What could be bad?” she asked. “It’s been kind of nice getting a break from doing everything for myself. Rosalita is an angel.”
“Will you move back to your small apartment upstairs now that you’ve lived the good life?” Joe asked, teasing.
Kelly laughed. “Of course. All good things must come to an end.”
Annie chuckled. “Not all good things.”
“So, you’re an optimist?” Joe asked, his gaze steady, as if studying her for answers to more than just that one question.
Annie shrugged. “It’s not always easy keeping up the faith these days, but I do try.”
He eyed her warily, obviously concerned. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine .”
“Good. But if you ever need anything—”
“I won’t.”
“You never know.” He smiled, his dimples showing.
But Annie just shook her head and his shoulders slumped in defeat.
Kelly narrowed her gaze, surprised by Annie’s obvious rejection.
“What can I get you, then?” he asked, pointing to the fountain.
“Just the usual,” Annie said lightly. “You know me, big night out and I order a virgin.”
At the word coming from Annie’s mouth, Joe seemed to freeze for a minute before he took a tall glass from behind the counter and filled it. “Seltzer for you.” He placed the glass in front of Annie.
“What about you?” Joe asked Kelly.
“I’ll have the same thing.” She pointed to her
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