Cole raised his voice over the intro to Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” “Hey, Olivia. I’m meeting Adrian. Do you know if she’s here yet?”
“Don’t think so,” Olivia shouted. She stretched the thin material of her black tank top over the exposed line of pale skin at her belly. He caught a glimpse of a small, heart-shaped tattoo buried halfway underneath the beltline of her low-rise jeans. “She’s probably closing shop and carting Kyle over to Briar’s. While you’re waiting, though, I’ll give you something more potent than this.”
She snatched the bottle out of his hand and gave it to one of the regulars, instead. Then she went to work pouring, stirring and blending. In two minutes, she handed him a tall hurricane glass. “This is the best margarita south of the Mason-Dixon. Brace yourself.”
As he lifted the glass to his lips, he was aware that several of her patrons watched him closely. He did brace himself and took a sip. The surprising tang of salt and alcohol made a visible shiver worm its way effectively down his spine. “Wow,” he choked.
The nearest regular let out a whooping laugh and clapped a hand over Cole’s back. “Knocks your socks right off, don’t it, man?”
“Yeah,” he muttered, braving another sip. “Sure does.”
Olivia let out a bellowing laugh that made heads around the room swivel. She patted his cheek, leaning over the bar and exposing ample cleavage over the low scoop of her tank. “I knew you’d fit right in.” Shouting over the music, she announced, “Now who wants to buy me my first drink of the night?”
Excited shouts of “Over here, Liv” and “Right here, baby” echoed around him. Men muscled Cole out of the way in their rush to get to the bar. As he walked backward, he almost toppled over the woman standing close behind him.
“Bit overwhelming, isn’t it?” Adrian shouted with a knowing smile.
“Olivia or her customers?”
Adrian laughed and raised herself on tiptoe to brush her lips over his cheek in greeting. “Let’s get you another drink.”
* * *
BRIAR STEPPED INTO the tavern from the door behind the bar just in time to see Adrian give Cole a smooch. Her stomach plummeted to her toes. Determined not to feel crushed, she went to Olivia’s shoulder and waited until her cousin downed the two shots the rugged gentleman in front of her had bought. She wasn’t at all surprised when Olivia didn’t so much as flinch.
“That’s the way to start the night!” she shouted, leaning forward to give the man a hard kiss on the lips. “Whew!” She stumbled around and spotted Briar. “Oh, hey there, cuz! What’d you do with the little one?”
“He’s napping on the couch in your office,” Briar said, nodding back toward the door she’d closed to block out some of the noise. “Didn’t take him long to pass out.”
“Being a kid’s tough,” Olivia said. “What are you doing here?”
“Figured you could use some help since it’s Monica’s night off.”
“Could, yeah,” Olivia agreed. “Busier than an ant at a picnic.” She looked over Briar’s shoulder. “You could start by taking their orders.”
Briar turned toward the end of the bar and met Cole’s gaze. She hadn’t noticed him and Adrian grabbing two stools. Whirling back to Olivia, she caught sight of the smirk on her face as her own heated. “Liv, I know what you’re doing.”
“What am I doing?” Olivia asked innocently.
“They’re on a date.”
“But notice, his eyes are on you,” Olivia pointed out. “And I’m the boss ’round these here parts.” She gave her cousin a good push in their direction. “Scat.”
Briar walked toward them on uncertain legs. She answered Adrian’s smile of greeting before leaning over the bar and raising her voice. “Kyle’s in the back room sawing logs.”
“I know you wouldn’t leave him anywhere alone.”
“What can I get you two tonight?” Briar asked, putting on her brave face.
“We’re not going to be here long,” Adrian considered. She turned to Cole. “Crown and Coke suit you?”
“Suits me just fine,” he said, his eyes never straying from Briar’s face. He took out his wallet. “Let me get it.”
“No, this is on me,” Adrian protested.
He laid a hand on the one she’d used to open her purse. “You’re nice enough to show me around town. Let me pay for the drinks.”
When she shrugged acquiescence, he turned back to watch Briar mix the drinks behind the bar, pretending she hadn’t heard their exchange. A moment later, she set the glasses on the bar. “That’s three dollars.” She smiled at Adrian. “Olivia says you get the official family discount.”
“How sweet,” Adrian said with a smile and a wave at her friend across the room, tipping her glass to her lips.
Cole took a ten-dollar bill out of his wallet and handed it over the bar. “No change.”
She took the bill uncertainly, eyeing him in surprise. “Are you sure? That’s seven dollars.”
“A tip for a good bartender,” he said as he raised his glass and drank, watching her over the rim.
“Thank you,” she said, heart hammering as she walked away. More blood rushed to her face. She bit her lip to choke it back.
Olivia caught up and muttered in her ear, “Wow, what was that all about?”
Briar sent her an imploring, sidelong look. “It didn’t mean anything. He was just being nice.”
“A dollar is nice,” Olivia pointed out. “Three dollars is generous. Five dollars is damned chivalrous. Anything more than that is just plain love.”
Briar glanced back to where Adrian and Cole had been sitting. Something inside her shrank when she saw that they were already gone. She tucked the whopping tip in Olivia’s jar before turning back to the bar.
Olivia gestured to the couple sitting on the far side. “There’s Roxie and her squeeze. Go introduce yourself while I mix a couple more margaritas.”
Briar pushed Cole out of her mind and pasted on another smile.
Roxie lifted a delicate hand when she recognized Briar. “I was hoping we’d see you tonight. This is Richard.”
“Nice to meet you, Richard. I believe you’re acquainted with my father,” Briar said as she shook his hand. “Hudson Browning.”
“Ah, yes,” Richard said. His tall, gangly build towered over his companion’s. Briar gauged him to be in his mid-thirties. With his subtle green eyes and dull brown hair, he looked the part of professor in a pin-striped shirt tucked neatly into pressed khakis. “The defense attorney. I didn’t realize he had a daughter.”
Surprised, Briar’s eyes widened. A barb she was all too familiar with dug in against her heart...where it’d been lodged for some time. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you move into the shop today, Roxie. I wanted to, but—”
“I know you’re busy,” Roxie assured her, sympathy crawling into her eyes. She took Briar’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “It’s a tough time. But I’m as willing as Olivia and Adrian to help.”
“Um, thank you,” Briar said, uncomfortable. “Olivia should be done with those drinks in just a second.” Before Roxie could protest, she turned away to escape into the back room. She bypassed the office and surged into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She splashed cold water on her face as the fear and humiliation built at the back of her throat.
This