“A celebration?”he asked, tipping his head in Billy’s direction.
She grinned.They hadn’t kept the fact that they were back together much of a secret.“Nah, more of a memorial—for the billboard.”
The expression on her customer’s face turned worried.“I’m sorry I told you about that.”
She shrugged.“I was going to find out one way or the other.”
“Yeah, but you seemed upset.”
“I was.”She scrunched her nose.Heck, she’d gone a bit off the deep end.“I was sad to see it go, but a lot of good things came out of it.”
She glanced at Billy who was still talking with Skeeter.
A lot of good things.
Her gaze raked over him from his gorgeous baby face to the way his Sturgis T-shirt clung to his muscled chest.Her mouth watered.Then there was that tattoo and the sexy cuff on his wrist.Those tricky hands and the tight ass…
“Whew.”She flipped her hair back.“Is it warm in here?”
“I’m okay,” Roux said.
He was bent down over the napkin again.Twisting her head to see it, Roxie made out the Cobalt River with a city skyline.“Hey, you’re pretty good.”
He shrugged.“Not as good as my mom.”
“Oh yeah?My mom could draw, too.”
He glanced up.“Could?”
“Probably still can.I don’t know.She gave me up long ago.”
His pen jerked, leaving a line that didn’t blend.“Gave you up?”
“Yeah, I grew up in foster care.
“Hey!”Roxie called when she saw Charlie walk in the door.She hurried over to greet him.When he held out his arms, she walked into them and kissed him on the cheek.“Thanks for watching the bar while I was gone this past week.I know you just retired.You probably didn’t expect to be back so soon.”
“Anything to see you two kids back together.”Her old boss patted her shoulder.“Nobody’s going to punch anyone tonight, I hope.”
Roxie made a face at Billy when he ducked and weaved.“Not unless he gets fresh with one of my sisters again.”
Grinning, Billy patted her on the butt.Heat went through her when he hooked his thumb in her back pocket and left his hand there.“I know which one’s my girl.”
Charlie took off his jacket and passed it to the bartender, who put it on the hook he’d used for years.“Are you finished with the move?”
Billy nodded.“We fit most everything in my truck.Sold some stuff and donated other things.”
“It must be hard to leave those race cars and all that technology.”
“I’d only been there for a year and a half—and that was longer than I’ve spent most places.You know me, Charlie.I’ve been a vagabond ever since I left Cobalt City.”
Roxie felt herself on the verge of blushing when Billy wiggled his fingers against her ass.He’d convinced her in many ways that he was ready to come home.
“It will be good to be settled,” he said.
Settled, but not settling.
“Are you going to open your own shop?”
