Red gave me a thoughtful glance but didn’t press. “Well, you found quiet, that’s for sure.” Inside, he flipped on the lights and I paused, surprised by what I saw. The inside of the bar did not match the outside, whatsoever. The wood floors had a worn but polished look. The dark-stained tables and chairs looked solid, and the long bar housed a mirrored wall with shelves of liquorthat went all the way to the ceiling and gleamed beneath the glow of the overhead lights.
“Wow,” I said under my breath.
“Sorry?” Red turned back to me.
“This place is…nicer than I expected,” I admitted.
He chuckled. “Most people think the outside is gonna match the inside. I like to surprise them.”
I followed him to the bar and perched on a stool. “So,” I started, “do I get an interview, or…?”
“Belle already did most of the talkin’. Said you’re looking for some work but didn’t go into detail, but she trusts you. And Belle’s not the type to hand out trust lightly.”
That warmed something in my chest.
“Still,” he added, “I like to do a little vetting of my own.” He poured whiskey into two glasses and slid one across to me. “You ever waitressed before?”
“Yes,” I said smoothly. “It’s been a while, but back home I worked weekends waiting tables at a little bistro.”
He nodded at that. “You show up on time, work hard, and don’t skip out when things get busy?”
“Absolutely.”
“You plan on sticking around?”
“For a little while, yeah.” I hesitated. “I kinda messed up my car on the way into town, so I’m here for as long as it takes Willy to fix it.”
Red eyed me for another second, then nodded. “Fair enough, and I appreciate the honesty. I’ll give you a trial shift tonight. You do okay, the job’s yours. Pay’s not much, but the tips can be decent—especially on weekends.”
Relief flooded my entire body, and I fought the urge to sag against the bar. “Thank you.”
“And we’ll keep things off the books for now, just until I see how you fit in. Then we’ll make it official.”
It was the most informal interview I’d ever had but, then again, there didn’t seem to be much that was formal about this little town. I liked that—how unpretentious it was. And I liked Red, too. He was straightforward and no-nonsense, and I liked that I didn't have to wade through any of the usual bullshit—the fake smiles, the subtle power plays, the endless pretending I’d grown used to back in Northview.
I smiled, grateful for the chance and his generosity, and nodded as we tapped our whiskey glasses together.
“Bottoms up,” Red said, and I attempted to follow his lead as he tossed back the entire shot in one go. But when the whiskey hit my throat I all but managed to swallow it before falling into a coughing fit and slamming the shot glass back down on the bar.
“Oh, that burns,” I said between coughs.
Red laughed and took my shot glass, placing it in the sink to be washed. “Not a whiskey girl?”
I shook my head and shuddered, pushing to my feet as I met Red’s amused eyes. “What would you like me to do first, boss?”
“We need to check the stock on the ice chests and get all the chairs down,” he said. “But Norah should be here any minute, and I’ll get her to show you the ropes.”
“Norah?” I asked.
“Yep. My other waitress,” Red replied, just as a rumbly truck pulled into the lot. “Speak of the devil.”
I turned to the door, expecting someone middle-aged or older considering how old-fashioned her name was. Instead, in walked a sun-kissed blonde, probably around my own age, with long legs and confident steps. Her jeans and tee were nearly identical to what I was wearing, which helped ease my self-consciousness a bit.
Norah beamed as she crossed the room. “Hey, Red!” Then her gaze landed on me. “Oh, you’ve got company.”
“Not company. New hire,” Red said. “She’s taking Laurel’s place and helping you out from now on.”
“About time,” Norah teased, turning to me. “Hi, I’m Norah McKade.” She held out her hand.
