Grinning, he leaned in and kissed her. “Let me run an errand, and I’ll be back shortly. You rest until then.”
“Fine.”
Holt knew she had no intention of sitting still, but he left her there and headed over to Moonshiners. Since Rafe said he worked tonight, Holt figured Mack was manning the bar until then.
When he walked in, he found Mack sitting at one of the tables in the corner, staring at the room as though seeing it for the first time. Holt cleared his throat to get Mack’s attention as he approached, not wanting to startle him since he appeared lost in a daydream.
Mack’s gaze shifted, his eyes clearing. “I didn’t take you for an afternoon drinker.”
Holt smiled and motioned toward the empty chair. “Mind if I sit?”
Mack sat back and crossed his arms over his chest, nodding curtly. “You here to talk about me sellin’ the bar to Rafe? ’Cause that’s a done deal. All that’s left is to sign the papers.”
Frowning, Holt attempted to catch up. “I … uh…No. I didn’t even know that was happening.”
Mack looked surprised. Holt knew the feeling. He wondered why Rafe hadn’t said anything.
“Then what brings you by?”
Shoving the other topic aside for a later date, Holt nodded toward the bar. “I was here the other night. I was talking to Chester. I didn’t get his last name.”
“King,” Mack supplied.
“Okay. Anyway. I was talking to him, and he mentioned his niece had dropped out of her college classes and was moving back home.”
Mack nodded. “Chester raised both Maya and her brother, Cassius. Why?”
“I was just curious if she’d want to work at the B and B. Rex and Bailey are looking to hire someone who can clean. It’s not the most glamorous job in the world, but Chester said something about her needing to find something that interests her. I’m not saying that cleaning up after people is her ultimate goal, but she’d get to see firsthand what it’s like to run a B and B.”
Mack pinched his lips together and nodded. “I think you’re onto something.”
“You think you could pass that along to Chester?” Holt asked. “And if she’s not interested, that’s cool, too. Like I said, not everyone’s cup of tea.”
“I’ll give him a call.”
“Great.” Holt pushed his chair back. “If she’s interested, just have her call Bailey.”
“Will do.”
Holt stood and pushed the chair in. “I didn’t realize you were parting with this place.”
That distant look returned as he glanced around the space. “I’m not goin’ far. Rafe said he’d keep me on part-time. I think it’ll be good for both of us. That kid’s got a lot of ideas, and the only way to make it work is to give him the opportunity to run with it.”
“Knowing Rafe, he’ll outperform all your expectations.”
Mack laughed. “Funny how the rest of us see that in him, but he doesn’t see it in himself.”
That was for damn sure.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sunday, August 21, 2022
“Do you know what this is allabout?” Bailey asked Holt when they pulled into the parking lot of Moonshiners.
It was Sunday, so the bar closed early, and the parking lot was empty except for Rafe’s truck.
“He didn’t say. Just that he wanted to talk to us, and he wanted it to be tonight.”
