that had a light sheen but no color. Then he looked into her pretty brown eyes that had seen too much. They got to him every time.
“You were daydreaming.” She drew back her hand. “If you had knocked this tray over I would’ve strangled you. Here.”
He took the bottle from her. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me.” She motioned with her chin. “Thank your friend sitting near the jukebox. The beer’s from her.”
His stomach turned. “Karina?”
“Yep.”
“I don’t want anyone buying my beer. Tell her I said thanks anyway.”
“Tell her yourself.” A small smile tugging at her lips, Nikki turned to pass a mug to Josh.
“I’m serious. Add this to my tab and then I’m cashing out.”
“You’re leaving?” Disappointment flickered in her eyes, and then she blinked and it was gone. “I can give you a total now,” she said, all business. “You’ve had, what...two beers?”
“This one makes three.” He waited for her to meet his gaze but she was being stubborn. He really didn’t want to leave yet, and if she gave him the slightest indication she’d like him to stay, he’d wait for her to get off work. But no, she seemed determined to treat him like he was any other customer. Which he supposed he was, but sure didn’t like it.
He set the bottle down and dug in his pocket. For over a week he’d had the same thing every night so he knew his tab came to $9.75. He pulled out two bills and laid them on her tray. “Keep the change.”
“Isn’t Karina a guest at the Sundance? You really want to turn her down?”
“Yeah, I do.” He wasn’t about to let that bronc out of the chute. Bad enough he had to socialize with the women crawling all over the Sundance. He didn’t need to owe any of them.
“It’s just a drink, Trace.”
He smiled. No, it wasn’t, not with these women. “Your next day off, how about you and me take a drive to Kalispell?”
“Why?” She glanced around, but no one had heard. He’d made sure he kept his voice low, and Sam was busy racking balls for the next game. “Isn’t that forty-five minutes away?”
“You haven’t been, right? It’s nice. Lots of restaurants, bars, department stores, movie theaters. I think there might even be a bowling alley.”
“So...you’re asking me to go because...?”
“I don’t know.” Man, she didn’t make it easy. “I have business there, anyway,” he said, lying through his teeth. “I thought you’d like to check out what’s available...stuff we don’t have in Blackfoot Falls.”
“I appreciate the thought.” She picked up two empty mugs off the shelf that ran along the wall. “But I have a bunch of things to do when I have time off.” Now she was lying. She wasn’t any better at it than him.
“Okay.” He saw Sam eyeing them, curiosity coming off him like steam. “If you change your mind let me know.” Trace grabbed his Stetson off the peg and returned his nearly full beer to her tray. “And don’t worry, Nikki. It’s just a drive.”
2
NIKKI FLORES WATCHED one of the blondes who’d been sitting at the end of the old mahogany bar run for the door that had barely closed behind Trace. Another woman had stopped him before he’d even made it that far. Whatever she’d said had him shaking his head, but he’d flashed her that movie star smile of his, the kind that had silly women forgiving and forgetting when they should be slamming doors shut.
“You gonna sulk the rest of the night because he went home early?” Sadie set a pitcher of beer on Nikki’s tray.
“Me?” She rolled her eyes. “No, but his fan club might. If we’re lucky they’ll drown their disappointment in expensive cocktails. I say we raise the price of those stupid appletinis.”
Sadie chuckled, sounding much better without the rusty wheeze she’d had a few months earlier when Nikki had first met the older woman. A lot of Nikki’s traumatic first visit to Blackfoot Falls had blurred once she’d returned to Houston. She’d only remembered a few things...the beauty of Montana wasn’t something easily forgotten, and the air, so clean and clear that taking a deep breath actually made her head light.
And the McAllisters...Nikki had never met a family like them. Their warmth and kindness was part of the reason she’d agreed to come back with Matt. At first she’d been wary. How could all three brothers and a sister be that well-adjusted? But then she’d met their mother. An hour spent with Barbara was