Owen shook his head at their nonsense. He was pretty sure they were just looking for reasons to give him shit. The table wobble wasn’tthatbad. “Yeah, okay. I’ll be right out,” Owen said.
Claire shot him a smile and straightened from the door frame. “Thanks, boss man.”
Her braided red hair swung behind her as she turned to walk back to the counter, leaving the door open in her wake.
Owen locked the screen of his computer and made his way out to the dining area. Pete and Harry sat at their usual table overlooking the lake. A lacquered black cane rested against the window beside Pete. He walked up to the pair and clapped Harry on the shoulder. Today he wore an orange patterned tweed hat. “Heard you boys had some complaints.”
The two bearded men looked up at him, their coffee cups half full and a stack of playing cards spread out on the table mid-game.
“Damn right, I got a complaint. When are you going to fix the uneven legs on this table? About lost my cards when I pounded my fist,” Harry said.
Pete wiggled the table for added effect. The cards didn’t move a centimeter, but Pete raised his eyebrows like the movement was dramatic.
“Have you thought about not pounding your fist? That might help.”
“Did you come out here to fix this damn table or not?” Harry grabbed his coffee cup and took a drink, the movement making his beard twitch.
“Alright, alright, don’t get yourself worked up over it. How about I slide something under it for now, and I’ll run out to the hardware store. It’ll be good as new by the time you show up tomorrow.”
“Suppose that’ll be fine,” Pete said. His hand dropped to massage his bad knee under the table.
“How’s the knee, Pete? I see Betsy finally convinced you to use a cane.” Owen motioned toward the cane propped by him.
“You know how she is, always worried about something. You have one little fall and suddenly you’re incapable of walking, according to her,” he complained.
“And the doctor,” Harry added.
“Not you too, Harry,” Pete groused. He shook his head. “If she had her way, we’d be selling the bar and taking the camper down to Florida. Just can’t seem to find anyone interested in taking over.”
Harry nodded to Pete.
“I’m sure the right offer will come along,” Owen said.
Owen couldn’t picture the town’s only bar being run by anyone else, but the two of them were getting older. And like Ava’s dad, you never knew how much time you had left. He couldn’t deny that’s what inspired him to buy the Agatha Building when he did.
Pete gave him a hopeful look. One that Owen needed to nip in the bud immediately.
“That offer won’t come from me. I have enough businesses to run,” Owen said.
Both men grumbled but let it go. Owen didn’t need rumors swirling around town that he was trying to buy up all the businesses like a game of monopoly.
“I’m going to find something for the table leg and then head out. Unless you two need to bust my balls about anything else?”
Harry and Pete traded grins, and Owen immediately regretted his joke, knowing they were about to come up with something he wouldn’t like.
“Word around town is Ava’s been getting cozy here at the café and spending an awful lot of time with that son of yours. But I suppose that’s just town gossip,” Harry said. He took another sip of his coffee and leaned back in his chair.
Owen shifted his weight, unsure where Harry was going. “Is there a question in there somewhere?”
Harry laughed. “No question. Just an observation. Seems interesting she’d be here so much.”
Pete’s gaze darted between the two of them, his attention rapt. Owen held back an exasperated sigh.
“She’s here until August, but she still has work. You know what a cheapskate Gavin was; the internet is crap at the cabin. She comes here for the Wi-Fi, like everyone in town does.”
Harry nodded slowly, his eyebrows raised.
“Sure, sure. Well, take care of yourself while Avery’s at summer camp. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Harry winked at him and picked up his cards to resume their game.
