Or could I?
“She was a journalist from Two Peaks. She was here one night, chatting to him and... poof!” She waved her arms dramatically. “Gone the next.”
BJ rolled his eyes. “She went hiking the next day and got lost. But you know how small towns work—why ruin a good story with the truth?”
I was beginning to figure that out.
“I’m going to put some music on.” Jodie jumped up and glided to the jukebox. A large group of already tipsy twenty-somethings had entered, and the bar was getting packed. BJ’s eyes followed Jodie.
“She seems nice,” I said, taking a few mouthfuls from my drink. It tasted like lemonade and went down a little too easily.
He nodded, dragging his eyes away. “She is. Nice, but a little naughty at the same time.”
ACDC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” blasted across the room. Jodie came back to the table looking super pleased with herself.
“Really, Jodie?” I chuckled. “What era are you from?”
“Oh, it’s a classic! It never dates,” she said, sitting down and singing along to the song. I laughed at her actions on the chair, which reflected some of the words in the song. Jodie, it seemed, was not shy. Nor did she give a damn what anyone thought of her.
“Georgie!” Jodie squealed, standing up to go cuddle a girl who headed toward us.
Georgie was tall and curvy and strutted with a hip swagger worthy of a catwalk. Dark-brown hair, sun-kissed skin, and thick, arched eyebrows framed her big blue eyes. She embraced Jodie with a warm hug and a kiss on her cheek. BJ stood up, and she embraced him too. Then she looked at me expectantly. I didn’t get up; I could hardly hug someone I’d just met, and to be honest, I’d never really been much of a hugger.
“Amy! So nice to meet you. I’m Georgie. You’re as stunning as BJ said you were.”
BJ sprung to his feet with a hint of horror on his face. “Vodka, Georgie?”
She shot him an amused grin. “Is the Pope Catholic?”
“Sit down, BJ. I will get you a round of drinks.” Clint appeared at the table. “Amy, good to see you walking on the other side.” I’d only spoken to Clint briefly the night before, but he seemed easygoing and friendly.
Eyes averted, BJ sat down. We ordered our drinks, and Clint moved off to get them.
“So, Amy, what brings you all the way to the mountains?” Georgie enquired.
I fiddled with the ring on my finger. “I needed a change, and it’s beautiful here.” I repeated the same line I had used a few times now.
She looked at me with unasked questions in her eyes. BJ smiled sympathetically.
Sorrow spread under the ice I swore I’d build like spiked leaves. Was my grief that obvious? Did I wear it like a sign splashed across my skin? Did it swell like rot from the place that was supposed to bloom? Here’s the broken girl no one loves.
“Well, I, for one, am glad you did, because now we have a new drinking buddy,” Jodie said with forced brightness, raising her glass and shooting down the rest of her drink.
Clint returned with a tray of drinks, placing them down individually on the table in front of us. I reached into my pocket, pulling out a fifty-dollar bill.
“It’s on the house.” He indicated toward the end of the bar where Ethan and Karson were.
Neither of them were looking our way. I’d never been comfortable with people buying me drinks—particularly men I hardly knew. They almost always had ulterior motives, ones I wasn’t keen to encourage.
I shook my head. “No, I prefer to pay.”
“Sorry, boss’s orders.” He threw up his hand, and before I could argue further, he walked off.
Jodie’s perfectly crafted eyebrow shot up. “Well, looks like someone’s made quite the impression.”
I grimaced. “I don’t think so—it’s probably just an employee thing.” I looked back across at Karson. He lifted his head at precisely the same moment, as if we’d prearranged to meet at exactly 9:15.
His gaze struck mine, stealing the breath from my lungs, and I felt my blood heat up. I dropped my eyes to the table and tried to pretend he wasn’t still looking at me.
