I appreciate it.” She watched Sadie brace a hand on the back counter while she stretched up to stow the clean mugs on the upper shelf.
Her diabetes was under control, and she’d lost some weight, which allowed her to get around more, but she still had a few health issues. She’d been divorced a while and her only daughter lived in Oregon. For whatever reason, they rarely spoke and hadn’t seen each other in years. Sadie only had the Watering Hole. Leaving her would be hard. Nikki hadn’t expected that, especially not after working for her only two weeks. She’d miss the small rustic bar, too, with its warped tables and mismatched chairs.
“You look a little sad tonight, honey.” Sadie took the soapy mug from her and rinsed it. “You missing your mama?”
“A little. Mostly I’m happy she’s found someone who really cares about her.” Nikki couldn’t say the words without thinking about Wallace and how horribly he’d wronged her mother. She’d been young, hopeful and in love with the handsome older man who’d used her until she and Nikki had become an inconvenience.
“She have any family in Mexico City?”
“Some cousins and an uncle. I’ve never met them, but she’s stayed in contact.”
“I imagine you’ll be visiting her soon enough.”
Nikki nodded, though she worried she couldn’t scrape together the money to make the trip. No way she’d accept the fare from Matt even though he’d offered. She still planned on repaying him for the money he’d secretly sent her mother for a year. He just didn’t know it. Good thing, because it was going to take her forever.
“I hope I’m not opening a can of worms here,” Sadie said, “but how’s Wallace doing?”
Nikki shrugged. “He has a few weeks. He’s not even seeing the doctor anymore. A nurse from the clinic stops by now and then. Matt and Lucy are taking care of him.”
“Well, I sure give Matt credit. I doubt that boy ever heard a kind word from Wallace.”
“I think in Matt’s mind he’s doing this for his mom.”
Not anxious to talk anymore about Wallace, Nikki finished washing the last glass and then rinsed and dried her hands. “I’d better go check to see if anyone’s thirsty,” she said, her gaze going to the door. It had been a while since Trace left and the woman who’d chased after him hadn’t returned. Nikki had no business wondering what they were doing. They could be making out in his truck for all she cared.
“I bet she asked him for a ride back to the Sundance just to get him alone.” Sadie moved closer and lowered her voice. “Some of these city gals are downright shameless.”
Nikki didn’t bother denying her thoughts had drifted to Trace. Sadie saw too damn much. “Yes, sometimes we are.”
“I didn’t mean you.”
“Sure you didn’t.”
Sadie gave her a long look and laughed. “Don’t you start getting sassy with me.”
“Well, I am a city girl. Before coming here, I’d only left Houston once.” For a quick trip over the border to Mexico when she was sixteen and what a disaster that had been. Too late she wished the memory had stayed buried along with the other stupid rebellious things she’d done.
“Yes, but you aren’t like them.” Sadie’s gaze flickered toward the tall brunette talking to Sam. “That one, Sam Miller, he’s like a hound in heat. I’m not complaining, mind you. He’s good for business.”
“So is Trace.”
Sadie didn’t appreciate the remark, judging by her narrowed eyes. It was clear she liked Trace, maybe simply because he was a McAllister, no telling. “Those two names don’t belong in the same sentence.”
Nikki had to put her opinion on hold when a customer signaled for her. She’d meant to check to see who needed refills, not start thinking about Trace. Or trying to figure out how she could get information about him from Sadie without being obvious. Really stupid because she’d had him figured out the first night she met him at the Sundance. He’d been surrounded by fawning guests, eating up the attention. She’d promised herself right then she’d stay away from him. If she decided to hang around Blackfoot Falls for a while, she didn’t want to be the subject of gossip and embarrass Matt.
While collecting drink orders she had the feeling of being watched and looked over to find Sam staring. He gave her a sly wink that made her want to smack him. She pretended she hadn’t seen it. After working in bars for five years, she’d found it was best to ignore men like him when they were on the hunt.
“Four more tequila shots and three beers,” she told Sadie, then slid her tray onto the bar.
“I think Sam was trying to get your attention.”
“Sam can kiss my—” Nikki pressed her lips together.
Sadie chuckled. “I hate to tell you, honey, but I think that’s exactly what Sam wants to do.”
“Sorry,” Nikki muttered. “He’s a customer. I’ll play nice.”
“Not if he gets out of line, you won’t. I’ll take a switch to him myself. Though I reckon Trace would beat me to it.”
She sighed at the woman’s teasing smile. “Why would Trace care? They’re friends.”
Grunting, Sadie grabbed the bottle of tequila. “That’ll be the day. That pool table is about the only thing those two fellas have in common.”
“And being good for business.”
“That, too.” Sadie moved the shots she’d poured onto Nikki’s tray. “Although I think poor Trace has been coming to town to get away from those city gals.” Sadie didn’t even try to hide her amusement. “More likely, though, he has his eye on a certain pretty new waitress.”
“You’re delusional and a troublemaker.” Shaking her head, Nikki grabbed a stack of cocktail napkins. “Why does anyone want to work for you?” She ignored Sadie’s laughter and picked up the tray. “Don’t forget to check your blood sugar.”
Sadie glanced at the round clock on the wall behind her. “Thanks, honey.”
Nikki heard the soft gratitude in the older woman’s voice and hurried off to deliver the drinks. Letting herself care too much about Sadie would be a foolish move. So would letting Sadie think she could depend on her. Right now she was so lost and confused she was no good to anyone.
NIKKI WAS FINALLY getting the hang of driving a pickup and she wasn’t even grinding the gears so much anymore. No sooner had the thought formed than she shifted to make the turn onto the gravel drive and cringed at the awful sound she made. The truck Matt had given her to use was old and smaller than the other two big four-door, extended cab models that belonged to the Lone Wolf. He’d tried to convince her to take Wallace’s Escalade, which was an automatic, but driving the luxury SUV scared the crap out of her. Even though she’d gotten her license at eighteen, she’d never owned her own car. In Houston she’d used buses to get to work, then always managed to find a ride home.
The Watering Hole didn’t stay open late. Most of the customers were either hired hands or ranchers who woke up at an ungodly hour to take care of their animals. By eleven the bar was usually pretty dead. A few of the men stuck around if they had the next day off or were close to hooking up with a Sundance guest. No matter who was there, Sadie shooed them out and locked the door by midnight.
Something else for Nikki to get used to. Since she was eighteen she’d worked until the wee hours of the morning. Even while she’d attended community college for two years she’d worked late, and then studied when she got home. This going to sleep early crap wasn’t easy.
Driving slowly toward the Lone Wolf she saw that the bunkhouse was completely dark. Only the low-watt security lights were on in the barns and stable. The house was a different story.