Page 35 of Forgotten Pieces

I stand back and take a swig of my beer. “Trace, you just made my day.”

He looks over at Ivy. “I just told Tacoma she could move into the apartment upstairs.”

“Well, thank heaven because I am sick and tired of hearing Harper complain about her lack of privacy.”

We all laugh at that as Trace hands me the keys to the apartment. “Move in whenever. Let me know if you need help.”

I nod at him and smile.

“I told Johnnie that you would call him if you needed help tonight. But since the last few Tuesdays have been slow, I figured you would be fine alone.” Trace walks around the bar and grabs Ivy’s hand.

“Thanks again,” I say as they walk out.

Trace giving me the apartment is a dream come true. I can’t keep the smile off my face all night. Even when we pick up and get busy and Johnnie says he can’t come in. Even when a customer spills their drink all over me on accident. And especially not when Mac walks in with Ryder on his heels.

Chapter Twelve

Ryder

When I walk into the bar and see Tacoma, I can’t help but smile. Last week when I was here I had no intention of talking to her or anyone. I wanted solace but not the kind you find at home alone. Never would I have thought I would open my soul to Tacoma again. But I did. Even if I didn’t give her much, even if I barely skimmed the surface of the water, it was more than I’ve given anyone in the last year, even Shelley.

We get lucky there are seats at the bar. It is crowded tonight and almost every seat is taken. Mac finds two seats next to each other and we both sit and wait for a drink. That’s when I notice Tacoma is working alone. And there are at least thirty people in this bar. She seems to be handling the crowd fine as she jumps and runs around with a smile on her face but I worry that she is here alone and something could happen to her. Just last week creepy Gary tried to convince her to come home with him. Who knows what other creeps are hanging out around the bar.

“You could be more subtle,” Mac whispers to me.

I look over at him, confused. “What are you talking about?”

“We’ve been waitin’ here five minutes for a drink and you haven’t taken your eyes off Tacoma once.”

“That’s not true,” I lie.

He looks at me and rolls his eyes. “Just keep tellin’ yourself that man, but you are the one with the fiancée.”

“Which I am happily engaged too.”

“You keep tellin’ yourself that too.”

I look over at Mac and am surprised he can see through me. For the last few weeks we’ve been hanging out I still saw him as my young, stupid cousin from high school. But now I can see that he is grown up, he’s changed, his skin has grown thicker. He isn’t the kid he was back then and for some reason I feel like we have a lot more in common now than we ever have.

Before I can respond to his comment though, I hear the woman next to me.

“What took you so long to get over here? I have been waitin’ for nearly ten minutes for a drink.”

Tacoma is standing across from her, hands on her hips, looking down at the woman. “Well, I am sorry ma’am,” she says with a flourish, her hand coming up to her chest. “I did not realize we had the mayor’s daughter in here tonight. What can I do you for? Would you like me to turn the music down, ask some people to leave, maybe find a naked man to fan you and feed you grapes?”

The woman gasps at Tacoma’s sarcastic comments and I can’t hold in the laugh any longer. Mac is chuckling next to me and I am positive the man sitting next to the so-called mayor’s daughter is laughing too. “Well, I have never been treated like this before.”

“There is a first time for everything,” I hear Tacoma mumble. “What do ya want?”

I can tell the woman is irritated with Tacoma, but she continues anyway. “I’ll have a mint julep.”

“This is a dive bar, not the Kentucky Derby,” Tacoma deadpans.

“I’ll take a glass of white wine then and I hope it’s on the house because your attitude is poor and I had to wait far too long for you to take my order.”

Tacoma ignores her and turns to the man she is with. He orders a beer and she walks away to grab the drinks. When she comes back, the woman thanks her for being prompt.

Tacoma just smirks at her. “Bless your heart.”

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