my lucky stars for that small miracle.” Granny grabbed her heart as though she was about to faint, then added, “And buttering the judge’s muffin isn’t going to score you any points, either.”
“At least I still know how to butter a muffin,” Fiona shot back. “Why, I ought to—”
“I think I just saw one of your nanas walk by,” Sean said, pointing out the window. “She looked distressed. You might want to go see if anything’s wrong.”
“Oh, dear me. Duty calls,” Fiona said and dashed off out the door.
“Duty smuty.” Granny harrumphed and rubbed her eyes until one set of her eye lashes was dangling off the corner of her eye and bouncing off her cheek as she talked. “Fiona left because she knew she was losing the argument. Let’s go, Sunny. We’ve got our own duty calling our names. Besides, I could use my heating pad right about now. It’s painful to be beautiful.” Granny hobbled off to the locker room.
“Thanks, Sean.” I blew out a breath and smiled at him.
“Anytime, love. See you on Friday.”
If I made it until then, it would be a miracle.
* * *
Friday night I pushed open the heavy door to Smokey Jo’s tavern and headed into the bar. I slid on a stool, slipped my fringed knapsack over the back, and then folded my arms on top of the rich mahogany surface.
“You’re early. Bet I can guess what you want,” Jo saidfrom behind the bar, expertly sliding an ice-cold beer across the surface until it stopped directly before me.
“You read my mind.” I took a sip, glancing around at the amber lighting and listening to the soothing sounds of the seventies folk music as it oozed softly out of the speakers. “It’s been a heck of a week.”
“Careful, lass, it’s not over yet.” Sean gave my shoulders a squeeze and then slid onto the stool next to me. “A lot can still happen.”
I groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
“Don’t remind you of what?” Cole asked as he wandered out of the kitchen behind the bar and slipped his arms around Jo. He was a Sasquatch of a man, intimidating most with his deep voice, five-o’clock shadow, and chain-link tattoo around his neck. But he was so unbelievably gentle with her, I got teary-eyed watching them.
Jo leaned her head back against his chest and looked up at him with pure love shining in her smoky gray eyes. She was a voluptuous redhead, but he made her look like a Disney Princess. That was one of the things she loved about him. He made her feel petite, and beautiful, and loved.
“I haven’t congratulated you yet,” I amended, popping some bar nuts into my mouth. “I really am so happy for you both.”
He winked at me. “I heard your detective was back in town. Haven’t seen him around much.”
“He’s not my anything, yet. Turns out we have something in common, Cole, because I haven’t seen him around, either.”
“Like I said, when are you going to dump him and take me up on that offer of romance, lass?” Sean wagged his eyebrows at me and flashed his famous dimples.
“When Fiona and Granny stop fighting.”
“Basically never, then?” Sean pretended to be wounded by slapping his hand over his heart. “Guess I’ll have to set my sights on some other lucky lady.”
“Trust me, you don’t want to be involved in my life these days. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Another lucky lady sounds perfect for you.”
The bells over the door chimed, and we turned around to see a petite woman walk inside.
“Aye, like that lovely lass right there.” Sean started to stand.
“Easy, Romeo, have a seat,” Jo said. “That, my friends, is my cousin Zoe.”
Sean lowered himself slowly to the barstool, looking transfixed.
Zoe glanced around the bar, spotted Jo, waved, and made her way through the crowd toward us. She looked like Jo, but she was petite and short—in fact I don’t think she was any taller than five feet—and she had silky straight red hair instead of a mass of curls.
She also had gray
“At least I still know how to butter a muffin,” Fiona shot back. “Why, I ought to—”
“I think I just saw one of your nanas walk by,” Sean said, pointing out the window. “She looked distressed. You might want to go see if anything’s wrong.”
“Oh, dear me. Duty calls,” Fiona said and dashed off out the door.
“Duty smuty.” Granny harrumphed and rubbed her eyes until one set of her eye lashes was dangling off the corner of her eye and bouncing off her cheek as she talked. “Fiona left because she knew she was losing the argument. Let’s go, Sunny. We’ve got our own duty calling our names. Besides, I could use my heating pad right about now. It’s painful to be beautiful.” Granny hobbled off to the locker room.
“Thanks, Sean.” I blew out a breath and smiled at him.
“Anytime, love. See you on Friday.”
If I made it until then, it would be a miracle.
* * *
Friday night I pushed open the heavy door to Smokey Jo’s tavern and headed into the bar. I slid on a stool, slipped my fringed knapsack over the back, and then folded my arms on top of the rich mahogany surface.
“You’re early. Bet I can guess what you want,” Jo saidfrom behind the bar, expertly sliding an ice-cold beer across the surface until it stopped directly before me.
“You read my mind.” I took a sip, glancing around at the amber lighting and listening to the soothing sounds of the seventies folk music as it oozed softly out of the speakers. “It’s been a heck of a week.”
“Careful, lass, it’s not over yet.” Sean gave my shoulders a squeeze and then slid onto the stool next to me. “A lot can still happen.”
I groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
“Don’t remind you of what?” Cole asked as he wandered out of the kitchen behind the bar and slipped his arms around Jo. He was a Sasquatch of a man, intimidating most with his deep voice, five-o’clock shadow, and chain-link tattoo around his neck. But he was so unbelievably gentle with her, I got teary-eyed watching them.
Jo leaned her head back against his chest and looked up at him with pure love shining in her smoky gray eyes. She was a voluptuous redhead, but he made her look like a Disney Princess. That was one of the things she loved about him. He made her feel petite, and beautiful, and loved.
“I haven’t congratulated you yet,” I amended, popping some bar nuts into my mouth. “I really am so happy for you both.”
He winked at me. “I heard your detective was back in town. Haven’t seen him around much.”
“He’s not my anything, yet. Turns out we have something in common, Cole, because I haven’t seen him around, either.”
“Like I said, when are you going to dump him and take me up on that offer of romance, lass?” Sean wagged his eyebrows at me and flashed his famous dimples.
“When Fiona and Granny stop fighting.”
“Basically never, then?” Sean pretended to be wounded by slapping his hand over his heart. “Guess I’ll have to set my sights on some other lucky lady.”
“Trust me, you don’t want to be involved in my life these days. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Another lucky lady sounds perfect for you.”
The bells over the door chimed, and we turned around to see a petite woman walk inside.
“Aye, like that lovely lass right there.” Sean started to stand.
“Easy, Romeo, have a seat,” Jo said. “That, my friends, is my cousin Zoe.”
Sean lowered himself slowly to the barstool, looking transfixed.
Zoe glanced around the bar, spotted Jo, waved, and made her way through the crowd toward us. She looked like Jo, but she was petite and short—in fact I don’t think she was any taller than five feet—and she had silky straight red hair instead of a mass of curls.
She also had gray
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