“Tinker has one bun and bangs.”
I laugh as I sit across from her. “You’d look good with bangs.”
She throws her napkin at me.
“You know I…”
My phone rings before she can finish.
Cas.
“Morning, Sheriff,” I answer.
“Morning, asshole. Just calling to tell you the roads are still closed today, so no opening the bar. I’m hoping this snow lets up tomorrow, but it doesn’t look good.”
I exhale slowly. “Alright. I’ll put something up online.”
There’s rustling on the other end. Then laughter.
I grin. “You still in bed, you fucker?”
Cas laughs. “Yeah, gotta go. Got something to take care of…”
A second later, Penny’s voice cuts through, loud and offended. “Don’t call me Mrs. Hawthorne. I’m not eighty!”
I shake my head, already smiling. “Tell her I said hi.”
“Cas, stop. You’re still on the phone with Dex!”
More laughter.
Then the call cuts.
I stare at my phone for a second, shaking my head.
Yeah.
Not touching that.
I set it down and look up.
Lexy’s watching me, those ocean-blue eyes a little wider than before.
“Still not opening?”
I shake my head. “Not today.”
She nods slowly.
I grab my phone again, typing out a quick post for the bar, but I can feel her attention on me, steady, curious.
“Did you always want this?” she asks.
I glance up. “The bar?”
She nods.
I lean back slightly, thinking. “Yeah. I think so. I remember going to rodeos with my dad and Jace when we were kids. We’d end up in these bars after, nothing fancy, just loud and full of people, and there was always this one guy behind the counter who knew everyone. Even the ones who didn’t want to be known.”
