covered back here for the night, now,” I say. “Why don’t you help Slim manage the huge line outside the door for a while?”
He raises his eyebrows. “There’s a line?”
I smile. “Yep,” I say. “And we’re almost at max, so he’s having to make people wait until someone else leaves. Go see for yourself.”
A proud smile creeps over his face, and he nods. “I think I will,” he says. “It’s been a long time since we had a line at the old bar. Things are looking up.”
I laugh and watch as he makes his way through the crowd, shaking hands with old friends and beaming with pride. He’s earned this after years of hard work to keep this place going, and I have to hold back tears as I think about everything he’s been through.
I roll my eyes and run a finger under my eye. This is not a night for silly tears. It’s a night for celebration and making money. It’s a night for breathing new life into a place that means more to my father than just about anything in this world.
I turn to the next customer in line. “What’ll it be?” I ask.
And just like that, I’m lost again in the rhythm of this place. The constant push and pull, the give and take. The dance that keeps the bar spinning all night long.
It’s my favorite place to be on a Saturday night. I’m safe and happy here, and I don’t want anything to change.
Colton catches my eye and smiles, one eyebrow raised.
I suck in a breath and force my gaze away, trying to ignore the way he makes my cheeks flush and my heart race. He’s the kind of guy who acts like he wants to turn my whole life upside-down.
Well, no thank you.
I had my life turned upside-down once before, and I barely survived it. Things are finally back on track, and I am not about to let someone like Colton Tucker mess that up for me.
And yet, I can’t resist risking one more glance his way.
Chapter Two
“How y’all doing tonight?” I say into the microphone.
The crowd screams, holding their drinks up. We spent all morning moving the tables out of the bar so that we’d have more room, and every inch of floor space is packed. The place is electric with energy and excitement.
“We here at Rob’s want to thank you all for coming out tonight and supporting us. Where is old Rob?” I ask, lifting my hand to cover my eyes so I can see through the crowd.
Over by the door Rob gives a salute, a huge smile plastered across his face. I’ve never seen him so happy.
“There he is,” I say. “Let’s give it up for Rob.”
I hold my mic out to the crowd and they eat it up, screaming at the top of their lungs.
“Just to let you guys know, we’ll be having live music here at Rob’s every Saturday night, so I hope to see y’all right back here next week,” I say. “But I’m sure you didn’t come here to hear me yap my trap all night, so let’s get down to the music.”
More screams, and I’m loving every minute of it. I laugh and for some reason, find myself searching for Jo behind the bar. Our eyes meet across the crowd, and she smiles and shakes her head. She holds up her index finger and swirls it around, motioning for me to wrap it up. I laugh and nod.
“Without further ado, let’s give it up for one of our newest and best local bands, The Mason Dixon Line.”
I settle the mic back in its stand and step back to give Mason room to take over. “Knock ‘em dead, man,” I say, patting him on the back.
“Here goes nothing,” Mason says.
He strums the first few chords of a popular country song and the crowd goes completely nuts.
I jump off the edge of the stage and weave back toward the bar, saying hello to friends on my way through. Someone grabs hold of my belt loop and pulls me backward. I stumble and nearly bump into the kind of guy you just don’t mess with, but I manage to avoid him and turn toward the mystery girl.
“Colton Tucker, you sexy thing. Where do you think you’re going?” Missy Cartwright has her hands around my waist before I even realize what’s going on.
“Hey, darlin’, you having a good time?” I say. Missy’s a sweet girl. We went out a few times