“All American bottle, please,” I reply.
As she walks away to grab my drink, I throw a wave to a handful of the regulars at the bar. Tom, Larry, and Gus are there, sipping on their drinks and enjoying a plate of food.
“I started you a tab,” Jani says, twisting off the bottle top and setting the drink in front of me.
“Thanks,” I reply, taking my first drink of cold beer before heading down to where the guys sit. “Evening, gentlemen.”
“Hey, Cade!” Tom hollers, holding up his beer in salute.
“Get over there and try some of Lizzie’s food. The little wienies wrapped in bacon are to die for,” Larry states, stabbing one with a toothpick and popping it into his mouth.
“I’ll do that,” I confirm, just as the woman herself walks around the corner from the back carrying a tray of cookies. “Excuse me.”
I take the few steps to where she’s standing, adding homemade sugar cookies to a platter. “Hey,” she practically sings the moment she spots me. “I was wondering if you’d show up.”
“I’ll always show up for you,” I tease in a flirting tone before bending down to place a friendly kiss on her cheek.
She snorts and shakes her head. “Your brother’s not here,” she replies, the insinuation I only do that to make him jealous heavy.
She’s not wrong. I do love to say and do things like that to piss him off. Usually when I kiss her cheek, he comes over and wipes it off before replacing it with a kiss of his own. Makes me smile—and want to do it more every time it happens.
“I know, but word will get back to him,” I boast.
Lizzie rolls her eyes. “He’s gonna start texting me any minute, isn’t he.” It’s not a question, and it makes me laugh.
“Probably. Tell him I took advantage of him not being here, or that I’m taking good care of you.”
She shakes her head. “No way. I’m not poking the bear.”
Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I pull up the texting app. “Fine, I’ll do it.”
She reaches for my phone, trying to pull it out of my hand. “Don’t you dare!”
“Fine,” I agree, putting away my phone but only so I can grab a plate of food. Teasing my twin will come after I try those bacon-wrapped wienies.
“Help yourself. I always make more than enough.”
“I think I’ll do that,” I say, grabbing a plate and loading it with her delicious food.
“I’m gonna go check on everyone painting. We’ll catch up soon,” she says, taking the empty container from the cookies with her as she walks off to where the ladies are painting.
Making my way back to the bar, I head toward the opposite end, where there’s several empty seats and a baseball game on the television. Just as I sit down and pop my first bacon-wrapped treat in my mouth, the door behind me opens. I glance over and see our youngest brother walk in.
“Hey,” Camden greets as he joins me.
“Hey. Lizzie made food.” I smear some sort of cream cheese dip on a cracker and pop it in my mouth.
“I’m gonna go grab some. I’m starving. Will you get me a beer when Jani comes over?”
Since my mouth is full, I just wave, letting him know I’ve got him.
Jani catches my attention. “All American bottle?” When I nod, she asks, “You ready for another?”
“Nope, I’m good,” I reply after swallowing my food.
She sets Camden’s drink on the bar. “I’ll start him a tab too.”
“Thanks, Jani.”
