A lull hit, and she leaned against the long counter that displayed bottles of liquor. Her feet ached and her stomach growled as she watched her patrons enjoying the live music.
This was one of her favorite nights of the year. Yes, the hours were longer and bar busier, but there was nothing like the joy of seeing the place she loved packed and thriving. Even if her world outside these walls was in chaos, everything inside was perfect.
Reid tilted a pint glass and filled it with amber liquid from the tap. He handed it over to an older man who preferred a bar stool to the dance floor but tapped his foot along with the beat. Reid wiped his palms on the thighs of his jeans then shot her a grin. “This is fun.”
She snorted out a laugh. “Glad you’re enjoying yourself.”
He leaned against the counter beside her, his shoulder resting against hers. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m exhausted. I don’t know how you do this every day.”
Keeping her eyes on the dance floor, she shrugged. “It’s not always like this, but it’s always hard work. It is fun, though. And we aren’t the only ones enjoying ourselves.”
He followed her sight line to where Tara danced with Dax in the middle of the crush of people. “Dude better watch where he puts his hands.”
“So, you’re the protective type, huh?” She bumped against him, gaze fixed on his sister. Tara laughed at something Dax said before playfully slapping his arm.
“With Tara, not as much as I should have been. I’m glad she’s here. She deserves to have some fun.”
The wistful note in his voice piqued her curiosity. “Is she having a rough time? Is that why she’s here?”
“I don’t want to get into that now.” He grabbed another empty glass to fill. “You deserve some fun, too. You ever go out there and dance?”
She wrinkled her nose, irritated he’d evaded her question. “Nah. I’ve got two left feet. Besides, this is the part I love. Standing and watching people having fun in my bar. Knowing I’m carrying on traditions that have been passed down since before I was born.”
“Really?” he asked, frowning down at her.
Memories washed over her, of all the times she stood there in front of a similar scene, as well as memories passed down to her that she hadn’t experienced but wished she had. “Yep. To me, this night is almost as special as Christmas.”
“Why’s that? Does Honky-Tonk Santa make an appearance at some point?”
She grinned at the picture he painted but shook her head. “Nothing so eclectic.”
“Then what?”
“My parents met on a night just like tonight,” she said, wishing they were both with her in this moment. “This bar belonged to my grandparents. They were the ones who insisted on having an annual line dancing event when the rodeo was in town. My dad was working one night when my mom came with friends from a few towns over. He asked her to dance, and the rest is history. They’ve been happy and in love for close to thirty years.”
“So your parents fell in love at a dance and gave you two left feet? Damn shame,” he said, clicking his tongue.
She burst into laughter then smacked him with a nearby dishcloth. “Are you ever serious?”
“Only when I need to be.” He winked at her then returned his focus to Tara. “Dax will see that side of me if he doesn’t take Tara back to her seat soon.”
“Dax is harmless. A lot like you, really. Too busy having fun to cause any real trouble.”
Something in Reid’s eyes made her stomach drop, but it left before she could figure out its meaning.
“Sometimes it’s the ones you think are joking through life who have the least to laugh about.”
Before she could ask more questions he’d probably ignore, he pushed away from the counter and helped a man with scruff covering his jawline and a baseball hat pulled low over his eyes. After he poured a double whiskey neat, he glanced over his shoulder. “Eve, have you met Ben yet?”
She hadn’t, but the man’s hunched shoulders and scowl didn’t make her want to change that. She forced a smile and busied herself by wiping down the bar. “Don’t believe I have. Nice to meet you.”
Ben grunted something that sounded a little likeyou toothen sipped his drink.
“His bark’s worse than his bite,” Reid said.
“Does he bite a lot?”
A deep, husky chuckle rumbled from Ben’s chest, and she swore a hint of a smile lifted the corner of his mouth.
