“Yes.” She ducked out from behind the bar and sat on the stool in front of her laptop. “She’ll be down in a minute if you want something to drink.” She wasn’t going to text Josie to come down for these two, who she knew never paid for their drinks. Didn’t they realize Swanson’s was about to go under? How could they take advantage of their friend like that?
“I can do it,” Adam said, sliding behind the bar. “I help Josie out back here all the time. How are things going for the show?”
Eve watched him pour beer as an idea formed in her mind. “It’s going well. Actually, there’s something I think you could help me with.”
“Oh yeah?” Adam said, perking up. “What’s that?”
“I have a few questions that you two might be uniquely qualified to answer for me.”
* * *
An unusual sightgreeted Josie when she made it back downstairs after feeding the kittens. Eve, Kaia, and Adam sat together at the end of the bar, deep in conversation. Well, it didn’t quite look like they were new best friends. It looked more like Eve was interviewing them without her camera crew—or Josie—around.
“Should my ears be ringing?” she asked as she slid behind the bar, noting the half-empty beers in front of Adam and Kaia.
Kaia’s face said “yes,” but Eve spoke first. “Your friends were just helping me with a few details in my market research.”
“Details?” Josie echoed.
“Yes.” Eve rose and walked back to the stool at the other end of the bar where she’d left her laptop, her body language—as usual—indicating she had no intention of elaborating.
And it hit Josie all over again how much trust she’d placed in this woman, how much control she’d given her. Right now, Eve was deciding what she was going to do with Swanson’s, without giving Josie even the slightest inkling of what she had in mind. What had she been thinking to get herself into this?
Eve caught her eye, one brow raised ever so slightly, as if she could hear every thought racing through Josie’s head. “Is there a problem?”
“No.”Yes.But it was too late for second thoughts. She’d signed a contract, and there was no backing out now. She had to trust that Eve would do what Josie hadn’t been able to—bring in new customers and save the bar. Luckily, a boisterous group of men entered the bar, distracting her from her spiraling thoughts. By the time she’d finished serving their beer, Eve was absorbed in whatever she was doing on her laptop.
Market research.
Josie made her way over to Kaia and Adam. “What did she want with you guys?”
Kaia shrugged. “She was asking about your friends, mostly.”
“My friends?” Josie asked. That was not even in the ballpark of anything she’d imagined Eve talking to them about. “What about you?”
“Like, how many people who come into the bar are your friends versus random customers,” Adam told her.
“Hm, she asked me that too,” Josie said.
“She also wanted to know how many of us are queer,” Kaia added.
“What?” If Josie had been holding anything, she would have dropped it. What in the world?
“I’m not sure if that had anything to do with the bar or just, you know, personal interest.” Kaia’s lips twisted in a smirk.
“Personal interest?” Josie snuck a look at Eve, who was still engrossed in her laptop, completely ignoring their conversation.
“In case you didn’t notice, she’s totally hot for you,” Adam clarified with a grin.
Josie’s cheeks heated. “I noticed.”
“So what are you going to do about it?” Kaia asked.
“Nothing, probably. Yeah, I’m ridiculously attracted to her, but I’m not entirely sure Ilikeher.” Although, that was a lie. She liked Eve. Maybe she shouldn’t, but she did. In fact, she had a feeling that icy exterior was armor, protecting her more tender parts. Or maybe that was wishful thinking on Josie’s part.
Over the next few hours, she kept herself busy, chatting with Adam and Kaia between customers. Eve had grown very quiet at her end of the bar, working on her laptop. Around ten, Josie made her way down to check on her, to see if she wanted a beer or even some water. Eve had one elbow propped on the bar, head in her hand, facing away from Josie.
“Hey,” Josie said, loud enough to be heard over the noise of the bar.
