He followed Iris inside aware of the looks sent their way by locals who didn’t recognize them. He was guessing they’d stir up interest no matter what on account of his sister’s eccentric outfit. Her T-shirt and matching shorts were covered in pictures of dogs.
He chose the table farthest away from a group of older men enjoying their Sunday gossip and coffee. His butt had barely met the chair when they were approached by a young woman whohanded them each a menu and smiled widely. If Gus had to guess, he’d say she was in her early twenties, but with a face-full of artfully applied makeup, it was hard to tell.
“I’m Kylie. I’ll be your server. Can I start you off with drinks?”
“What do you have on tap?” Iris asked, glancing up.
“Really?” he replied.
“What?” she said with a smile. “It’s four o’clock somewhere.”
“Can I see some ID?” Kylie glanced between the siblings.
“Sure can.” Iris dug through her bag and held up her driver’s license. Kylie gave it a look and then frowned. “Boone.” She stood a bit straighter. “Are you related to the Boones in Fire Lake? Porter Boone?”
A heartbeat passed. And then another. Iris tucked her ID away and shook her head. “Nope. We’re not from around here.”
“What about you?” Kylie turned to Gus.
“No relation.”
Kylie looked like he had a damn horn growing out the side of his head. “Did you want something to drink?”
“Coffee.”
As soon as the server was clear of their table, he nailed his sister with a look that would make most men shake in their boots. But Iris? She just watched him with those big brown eyes of hers, afuck youexpression deep in their recesses.
“What are you doing here, Iris?”
“What are you doing here, August?”
“Is this the game we’re going to play?”
“I don’t know,” she replied. “Is it?”
He sighed and settled back in his chair. His sister left him no choice. He’d always been of the opinion that offense was the best way to go when it came to situations like these, and he had no regret going in hard. Kylie appeared with his coffee and a BudLight for Iris, and once he ordered the Hungry Man Special, and the server left, and he leaned in for the kill.
“I know you dropped out of college last fall.”
If Iris was shocked, she didn’t show it. “Technically I flunked out.”
“I was being nice.”
“Thanks for that.”
“You’re welcome.”
“What else?” she asked with cheek.
“I also know you quit your job at the insurance place.”
“Would you work in insurance?”
“I would if I needed the money to pay my bills.” He didn’t like the smile on his sister’s face. She took a swig from her bottle and looked at him coyly.
“Where were you last night?” she asked.
“What?” The abrupt change in conversation took him by surprise, but he was quick to recover. “We’re not talking about me.”
