lives.”
It was true. Jake and Nora were newlyweds with a baby on the way, and Eve and Sawyer were all loved up at the Mermaid Inn. Things had changed a lot around here. But there had been a hint of wistfulness in Maya’s tone just then, which mystified Law. He hadn’t thought she wanted any of that domestic stuff. She’d never had a boyfriend in all the time he’d known her, and while she was always swiping through Tinder while she sat at his bar, it never seemed to manifest any real-life men.
“Hang on.” Nora threw her head back and chugged her drink. “I’m coming.”
“Me, too,” Eve said.
“But where will we get flowers this late at night?” the tourist asked.
“Don’t you worry about that,” Maya said. “I have an in with the town florist.” She tilted her head and furrowed her brow—that was her thinking face. She pointed at Law. “Actually, you should sell wishing flowers here.”
“What?”
“You could get a mini-fridge and set it on the bar so everyone can see it. My dad stays open late on actual full-moon nights to sell flowers, but you know how you sometimes see people chucking flowers in the lake on random dates? You’re open late every night. I bet lots of drunk people would buy them.” She chuckled, staring into space like she was seeing a scene that was invisible to the rest of them—she did that. “You could totally price gouge them. If I didn’t have a key to my dad’s shop, you’d have made four sales right now.”
“That—” Was actually a really good idea. He couldn’t quite make himself say it, though.
And she didn’t seem to be waiting for any sort of response—not that she ever did. She hopped off her stool and looked down at herself. “Should I change first?”
“Nah,” Eve said. “I feel like you are totally rocking the murderous 1980s prom queen thing.”
Maya and her friends—old and new—started gathering their things when Maya’s phone chimed. “Hang on a sec.” She picked it up, and after a beat she winced and hung her head.
When she looked back up, she was back to normal. Well, she was back to being pissed, which was pretty much the same thing. She leaned over the bar, resuming the position she’d been in earlier when she’d been glaring at him.
He raised his eyebrows. She didn’t speak. Just did her laser-death-beams stare thing. “What?” he said snappishly.
“Have you ever heard the term patron of the arts, Benjamin?”
“Yeah.”
“Well.” She leaned closer. “You’re whatever the opposite of that is. What’s the opposite of patron?”
“Antipatron of the arts?” Eve suggested cheerfully.
“No,” Maya said.
“Enemy of the arts?” Nora said.
“No.” Maya put both hands on the bar and leaned even closer, stopping about six inches from his face. “Destroyer. You, Benjamin, are a destroyer of the arts.” She lifted her hands suddenly, like the bar was a hot stove, and started walking backward. “But don’t worry. I will have my revenge.”
It was a relief when Jake and Sawyer arrived a little later. Law had been watching for them. They had a tradition of hanging out at the bar on Friday nights, and he could use their advice this particular Friday.
He started pulling their preferred pints as they approached.
“Hey,” Sawyer said. “The girls are down at the lake. We thought we’d join them.” Law set a beer in front of him. “But I guess we’re having a drink instead.”
Law motioned for them to huddle in. The bar wasn’t crowded, but you could never be too careful in this town. If Karl and Pearl and company got wind of his plans, they’d be all up in his face with recipes and contractors and oversight he did not need.
“I got approved for the business loan,” he whispered.
“Whoa!” Sawyer said, and, realizing he was being too loud, he grimaced and lowered his voice. “That’s great, man, congrats.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“What’s the matter?” Sawyer asked, probably picking up on the lack of enthusiasm in Law’s tone. “This is good news, isn’t it?”
“It is.” It was. Everything was going according to plan. “I’m just…I guess it’s sinking in that it’s real now.” He was going to have to tell people besides Sawyer and Jake. But you couldn’t open a restaurant without telling people. So he didn’t know why he felt so unsettled.
“You’re not getting cold feet, are you?” Sawyer asked. “It’s going to be great. You have a business plan and a loan—and great instincts for food and booze. The pizza here is a huge hit.”
It was.