Page 68 of Brage & Dinah

Chapter 27

The door opened, anda crowd walked into The Fire Ring. Dinah moved behind the bar and spotted Lizzy picking up the tub of dirty dishes.

"Hey, I'll get those for you." She reached in front of Lizzy and took the heavy item from her.

"What are you doing?" Lizzy laughed, holding her empty hands up. "Trying to take my job away from me?"

"No, of course not." Dinah set the tub near the kitchen door on the rolling cart. "You shouldn't be lifting heavy things right now."

Lizzy's smile softened. "You sound like Roar, but luckily, I'm good to go with my regular routine, which includes lifting the dirty dishes. That's per my doctor's orders, by the way."

"It doesn't hurt me to help out more." Dinah curled her arms and flexed her muscles. "It gets me in shape for when you're off on maternity leave."

Hands grabbed her biceps. "Showing off your guns, babe?"

"Don't knock my muscles." She smiled looking over her shoulder at Brage. "Do you want a beer?"

"No." He turned her around. "I stopped in to tell you I'm taking off for a few hours. I'll be back before the bar closes."

"Okay." She leaned back when he leaned forward for a kiss. "I'm working."

"I don't care." He wrapped his arm around her back and brought her forward. "I want you to be careful while I'm gone."

"I will be." She kissed him quickly.

He continued holding her, amusement lighting his eyes. "Mhm."

She flickered her eyes at him but went back in for a deeper kiss. His hand pressed against her lower back, holding her firmly against him. When he pulled back, she had forgotten where she was and rubbed her lips together. Her cheeks tingled from his beard.

"Later," he murmured.

She blew him a kiss and went behind the bar to shake off the pleasure Brage had left with her. It was late to be out riding. She hoped he and the others were careful.

A customer sat down on the stool. She stepped over in front of him. "What can I get you tonight?"

"Rum and Coke." The man half turned. "Can you bring it over to the pool table?"

"Sure." She grabbed a glass as more customers came in the front door.

It was going to get busy.

"I'll serve the new arrivals." She looked over at Peer, surprised to find he hadn't brought Tyr with him tonight. "Holly watching the baby?"

"Ja." Peer's brows lowered. "He's been fussy ever since I took him to the doctor and he got his shots."

"Ah, poor little guy." She let the customers coming in know she'd be right with them and walked to the pool table.

On the way back, she took everyone's orders. The next hour flew by, and Lizzy started sending the servers on their breaks.

Dinah grabbed a washcloth and scrubbed down the counter while Peer put bottles back on the shelf and out of her way. She enjoyed the nights that kept her busy, and her mind focused.

Peer nudged her arm. "I'm going to take my smoke break and run over and check on Tyr."

"Go ahead. I've got things covered here." She put the rag away.

She'd come a long way since she began working at The Fire Ring. Her arsenal of drinks she could make from memory grew each week. She no longer had to ask where bottles were located or the bar's policies on how to deal with drunks, fights, and food complaints.

Somehow, while her life fell apart, she'd clung to her position at work. The boost of energy filling her came from being proud of herself. She'd powered through the devastating news that the family she thought she belonged to were actually criminals who'd stolen her from her birth family and had murdered her father.

---