Page 7 of Grump of Misty Mountain

“Did I do that? I can’t recall. But considering I typically only see him once a week, I wasn’t surprised he showed up here yesterday asking about you.” Ms. Clara’s faux innocence made me giggle. “And he’s definitely over forty, but not by much.” She added.

Now his story of looking for a dog made sense. At the time, it had seemed odd, considering no one had showed up looking for a lost pet while we talked.

“Okay, so not old, really. But I don’t think you can deny that you wouldn’t like to see all the single people in town married off, right?”

“You think so?” Clara wore a grin a mild wide and really, how could I be mad at such a sweet woman? I understood where she was coming from, especially since she’s so happy with Hank, but it also made it difficult when all I might be interested in would be a little fun. Whether it was with Finn or someone else.

Somehow, I didn’t think Clara would understand wanting just a hookup now and then.

But I’ve been wrong about people before. Boy, have I. Huh, thinking about my ex usually produced a sinking feeling in my stomach at how he’d cheated on me. But now, when I thought about it, it felt more like anever-gonna-do-that-againtwinge.

“I do. But just know when I ask you a personal question about somebody, it doesn’t mean I’m interested-interested, okay?”

“Sure. It’s curiosity. Nothing more.” Clara didn’t seem hurt by me calling her out, and quickly switched subjects. She did that a lot.

“So, do you think you could do me a favor? And Hank too Could you take some fliers for his Beers and Darts Night to some of the local businesses when your shift is over? He just got them from the printer, but he can’t spare anyone from the tavern today to distribute them.”

“Sure, I need to pick up some groceries anyway so I can hit all the shops between here and there, how does that sound?” I’d worked a full shift today and was looking forward to soaking in a hot bath after I swung by the Misty Mountain General Store, but for my new friends, I’d do it.

“Perfect. I’ll let him know you’ll stop by to pick them up when your shift’s over.” Clara took out her cell and called her husband. A sunny glow appeared on her face when he answered. Damn, it was hard to not be just a bit jealous of their love.

An hour later, I walked along the town’s Evergreen Way, taking in the charming brick buildings housing variousbusinesses and the vintage lampposts that would be winking on soon and providing an enveloping warmth often only found in small towns. The river, clear and lazy, flowed by not far from the town center, and I crossed the charming wooden bridge that often served as a meeting place for town regulars and a viewpoint for picture-taking tourists.

Several people I recognized as customers from the cafe waved as they crossed the street. Yet, one more confirmation that moving to Misty Mountain was the right decision. I loved the close-knit community and the open and welcoming vibes I’d received from everyone I met.

Pushing open the door into the tavern, I was hit by a wave of sound. Just after five on a Sunday and the place was hopping. No wonder Hank couldn’t spare anyone. I made my way over to the bar. This was only the second time I’d been at The Rusty Elk. The first time had been my second day in town when I’d picked up a to-go order and didn’t know a soul besides Clara.

Now, several patrons called out my name. Including one of the waitresses, who I recognized. Marilee was another regular at the cafe, picking up her favorite drink several times a week.

“Hi, Sami.” Marilee greeted me from behind the bar.

“Hi, there. I didn’t know you’re a bartender. That’s so cool.” A few inches taller than my five-two, Marilee was super nice. I really needed to make more of an effort to create new friendships now that I felt a bit more settled.

“It is. Especially the tips. You here for the fliers? I’m pretty sure Hank put them here somewhere. Hold on.” Marilee walked down the length of the bar as she looked. I took an opportunity to scan both the restaurant portion of the tavern and the pub height tables scattered between the two spaces. Not that I was looking to see if a particular silver-fox might just happen to be eating dinner or grabbing a beer, but you never knew.

“You lookin’ for someone special?” She handed me a stack of papers held together with a large clip. “I know just about all our regulars’ comings and goings.” Her grin made me wonder if Clara had been conspiring with the friendly waitress.

“No, just checking out the space. I was here once before but was starving when I got my to-go order, so I didn’t take the time to really look around. I like the dark wood. It gives a rich, warm, and cozy feel. I see why it’s so popular.”

“It doesn’t hurt that it’s the only bar in town, too.” Marilee laughed.

“True. Well, I need to make a few stops plus hit the grocery store. I’ll see you the next time you’re at the cafe, okay?”

“You bet. Thanks again for helping out. Hey, you should come to next Saturday. There’ll be plenty of single men there and you can meet some of the women from the area, too. We’re kind of outnumbered by all these men living the rugged, mountain man existence, if that’s what you’re looking for.” The bartender grinned.

Oh, yeah, I knew all about the event, even before I agreed to help. “Yeah, and if Ms. Clara gets her way, she’s going to have everyone paired up, starting on a new generation of Misty Mountain citizens before we know it.”

Marilee’s smile disappeared at my comment.

“Uh, you have your eye on anyone, Marilee?” My heart rate had picked up at her reaction.Please don’t say Finn Campbell. Please don’t say Finn.I’m not sure why I reacted so strongly. I was not looking for anything, let alone forever with him.

“Me? No way. I’m just here for the summer. Guys are not on my radar at all. Not right now.” Her tone put a fervent exclamation point at the end of her statement.

That seals it. We definitely needed to grab a drink one day so we could swap our own war stories, because there was a story there. I had one too, but I wasn’t going to write off a little funwith Finn.Whoa, where had that come from?Now, all of a sudden, I was thinking it would happen.

“We’re on the same page, Marilee. And yeah, I have no plans to put myself in anyone’s sights for anything permanent, no matter what you might have heard from Clara.”

Marilee’s smile returned. “Yeah, good luck with that. At least my boss leaves the matchmaking to his wife. But I’m glad he set this night up for the military guys who live around here. They all could use at least one night a month to come out of their hideaways and have a beer with someone who understands them.”

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