Until Then (Cape Harbor #2) - Heidi McLaughlin Page 0,61

Whitfield and ask if she had any single friends.

As if on cue, Monroe walked through the door, looking as cheery as ever with her strawberry-blonde hair pinned away from her face and in a ponytail. Graham went to her and kissed her on the cheek. “It’s great to see you.”

“You too.” The lifelong friends embraced for a moment.

“Here for lunch?”

“Yeah, and I was hoping we could talk.”

Graham already knew she wanted to talk about Grady. Roe, as her friends often called her, always had a soft spot for Grady, even when they were growing up. Graham motioned for her to take a seat while he stepped behind the bar to grab her a menu. He took it over and sat down across from her. “So, Grady?”

“Yeah?” She nodded.

Graham recounted the court hearing and the treatment facility Grady was living in for at least the next three months.

“Are you and your parents happy?”

“We are, and I honestly believe Grady is as well. It took a while, but our dad has finally accepted Grady’s situation and is willing to go to family therapy to help Grady. I expected Grady to beg our dad to get him out of there yesterday, but he didn’t. He’s not happy, but I think he, too, realizes this is life or death, and he wants to get better.”

“Oh, this is so good to hear.”

“Hey, how come you’re not in school right now?”

“Winter vacation.” Monroe threw her hands up and cheered. “This year has been rough. These third graders know everything.”

“I can’t even remember third grade.” Graham laughed. “How’s my neighbor Shari fitting in?”

“She’s a doll. Everyone loves her.” Graham asked Monroe what she wanted for lunch. He placed her order, poured the pop she asked for, and went back to her table.

“I think I’m going to start dating,” he told her. “I may need your help.”

Monroe chuckled. “Graham, you work in a bar. I’ve seen women throw themselves at you all the time. You’re just too caught up in your head to recognize what’s happening.”

“Really?”

She playfully rolled her eyes and giggled again. “Don’t worry. I’m sure I can convince Brooklyn to come down one night. We can scout some possibilities for you.”

Graham stood and kissed her on the cheek. “I knew I could count on you.” He returned to work but checked on her often. Throughout the day, his friends came in to eat, chat, and see how he was doing. It was like a new leaf turned over with Grady going to rehab. The black cloud of Austin’s death and Grady’s demise lifted. There was a fresh new life in Cape Harbor.

By the time Rennie walked into the bar later that night, the Whale Spout was packed with bodies, with barely any space to move. The weekly dart tournament had drawn a bigger crowd than average—not that Graham cared. He welcomed the noise, especially a week before Christmas. It wasn’t until Rennie squeezed her way in between two patrons and ordered a beer that Graham realized she was there.

His face fell, and he quickly turned away, hoping she hadn’t seen his reaction to her. He would never purposely hurt her, but right now, she represented Grady. The good, the bad, and the ugly when it came to him.

Graham popped the top of her bottle, set it on a coaster, and slid it toward her. “You want a tab?” he asked her.

Rennie nodded and motioned toward the end of the bar, giving Graham no choice but to follow her. She rose onto her toes and told Graham what she knew about the lawsuit. At first, he had a hard time hearing her and asked that she repeat herself, because surely there was no way in hell someone would sue him. He was, without a doubt, a diligent bartender and owner. He would never serve a minor, let alone let anyone leave if they’d had too much to drink. There had to be a mistake.

Graham walked away and toward the back of the bar, disappearing behind the door. Once he was in the storage room, away from anyone who could hear him, he fisted his hands and let out a guttural scream. The veins in his forehead popped out. They throbbed from the pressure building. He screamed again and banged his fists against the concrete wall, not caring if his knuckles cut open.

“Why?” he yelled into the room. “What the fuck did I do to deserve this?” He would never get an answer, because there wasn’t one anyone