Page 76 of The Dating Dare

“Hi, Tara.”

“Hey, girlfriend.” Tara extended a fist across the counter, and Justine bumped it as she settled into a stool. “It’s so nice to see you here. You should come by more often.”

“I’m usually in bed by nine like a granny.” She shrugged a graceful shoulder. The woman seemed to do everything gracefully.

“It’s not easy keeping the hours you do. What time does Aubrey usually get in? Four in the morning?”

“Yeah. She told me I could come in at six and she’ll do the prep work on her own, but you know I can’t do that. I’m not letting my boss do all the hard work while I’m snoring away.”

“Aubrey honestly won’t mind,” Tara reassured her.

“I know she won’t. More the reason I want to be there with her. She’s an inspiration.”

“She feels the same way about you. You guys are like baker soul mates.”

“I like the sound of that.” Justine sighed a little dreamily. She was too cute.

“So what do you want to drink?” she asked while filling new drink orders Alex dropped off.

“Aren’t you going to card me?” the sous-chef said with the confidence of a twenty-one-year-old.

“We don’t card people who look over thirty-five,” Tara deadpanned.

“Harsh.” Justine attempted to glare at her.

“Not at all since you look closer to eighteen.”

“Hey… that’s not much nicer. I’m a grown woman.” She turned in her seat and gazed at Alex. “I wish people could see that.”

Wait, Alex?Well, well, well. Wasn’t that an interesting development? “I was just teasing. You’re a beautiful woman with a stunning figure. No one could miss the fact that you’re all grown up.”

“Thanks.” She smiled, erasing the brief note of sullenness.

“Why don’t you try Good Beer?”

“All your beers are good.” Justine’s eyebrows burrowed in confusion.

“No, that’s the name of the beer.” Tara cracked up every time she told the story. “My dad rarely gets to name the brews since Jack, Alex, and I are always trying to one up each other. But our new summer pilsner turned out so good that we decided to have Dad do the honors. And Good Beer is the brilliant name he came up with.”

Justine laughed delightedly. “Your dad is so cute.”

“Cute? That’s one adjective I’ve never thought of in conjunction with my father. Goofy? Yes. Cute? No.” Tara wrinkled her nose. “But I’ll be sure to pass that on.”

“Well, where is my Good Beer, woman? Time’s a ticking. It’ll be my bedtime soon.”

Bedtime. Tara served up a tall cold one for her friend, her thoughts wandering to a certain someone waiting up for her. Her special someone.

“Don’t do it, Tara.” Justine’s voice broke through her lovely daydream.

Blinking rapidly, she brought herself back to the present. What was she talking about? Did she miss something? “Don’t do what?”

“You had theexactsame expression that Disney princesses wear right before they belt out a song about their prince.”

Tara had so many thoughts about that statement that she blurted out the first thing that came to her. “What’s wrong with Disney princess songs?”

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with the songs. I love a good Disney medley myself, but I was afraid you’d climb on top of the counter and start twirling around.”

“Oh, my goodness.” Tara snorted. “Can you imagine the whole pub jumping up and dancing at the chorus?”

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