Page 14 of Always My Love

ChapterFive

Why had she agreed to work a double shift the weekend of New Year’s? Probably because she knew she had no chance of going out on a date.

She’d worked the large New Year’s party at the Golden Oar the year before and had made a lot of money.

The fact that it had been over a year since they’d moved into town still shook her. In the past six years, she had never let them stay this long in one place.

But things were different here. Pride was more like home than any other place they’d ever been. Most of the townspeople didn’t know their past, but Harper felt comfortable here and, most importantly, safe. At some point, she’d stopped jumping at shadows.

The strongest argument in her head for sticking around town was the fact that Hailey was blooming here. Her little sister was acting almost normal, like they hadn’t come from the worst sort of childhood imaginable, and that was enough to keep them here longer.

Still, Harper knew that at the first hint that anyone was clued in as to what she’d done one incredibly hot summer night in Georgia, they would leave.

Now, as the guests poured into the bar area and the drink order tickets piled up, she wondered if the couple hundred dollars she’d make in tips that night was going to be worth the back and foot aches she was bound to have the following day. Thankfully, she’d planned ahead and had requested the next two days off.

Putting on her best smile, she filled each order quickly, knowing that the place was filled with family and friends of the bosses.

She knew every single guest and, more importantly, she liked them all too.

When she turned to take the next order, she practically spilled the drink when she noticed Nick standing on the other side of the bar. He was wearing a dark suit, and his black hair was slicked back from his face. It was his smile that gave her pause at first. Then she noticed just how truly sexy he looked in the clothes.

Her mouth watered and her tongue felt twisted. She didn’t even trust herself to say hi to him and instead chose to nod and smile back.

“Evening,” he said, leaning against the bar. “You look busy.” He glanced up and down the bar.

She had roughly six people waiting for her to fill their orders. Still not trusting her mouth to function properly, she nodded.

“I’ll wait,” he said, taking a seat.

She needed to clear the fog from her mind, so she purposely ignored his presence for the next ten minutes until the bar emptied out as everyone shuffled onto the makeshift dance floor in the main dining area.

“What’ll you have?” she asked Nick, happy that she at least got that much out.

“Just a Coke,” he answered. “Designated driver for my sister and Tom tonight.” He motioned to the couple, who were dancing happily with everyone else.

She filled his order and then, when she noticed that no one else was waiting, she grabbed herself a soda as well.

“I didn’t know you were coming tonight,” she said, setting down his drink in front of him.

He tilted his head. “I hadn’t planned on it, but when Kate asked…” He shrugged. “What about you? Stuck working?”

“Asked for the shift. Last year I made a few hundred for a couple hours.” She smiled and leaned on the bar top as she wiggled her ankles and feet behind the bar.

“Your feet must hurt. Didn’t you work the lunch shift today too?”

“It’s not the first time I’ve pulled a double shift. Still, yeah, it’s my third one in a row. But I do have the next two days off.” This time, her cheerfulness was genuine.

“Nice, I have the next three days off. I’ve been on call for over a week and a half.” He took a sip of his drink then said, “We should do something.”

Her eyebrows arched up. Was he really asking her out? She’d thought he was asking her out last time, but it had just been to go get the dogs. Was this time different? Deciding to play along, she asked, “What’d you have in mind?”

He tilted his head and thought for a moment. “The weather is supposed to be nice tomorrow. How about an afternoon sail?”

“Sail? As in… sailing in a boat?” She felt her heart skip a beat. She’d never been on a boat before. Actually, her fear of water was like a massive black cloud that loomed over her. She had never learned to swim. Had never had any cause to.

“Sure, my family has a sailboat. I’ve been taking it out on the water for as long as I can remember. I bought myself a small sailboat the year I moved back.” He narrowed his eyes and ran them over her face. “You’re afraid of the water. We could do something else?”

“No,” she said quickly, feeling stupid. She could do this. She wanted to do this. To break her old fears. Lock them away. Become stronger. “I’d love to go out on the water.”