Page 32 of The Hometown Dilemma
“What are you going to do now?” Cami asked, swiping one of her fries through the bowl of mayo. “About Moira I mean.”
Chewing on my burger to give me a minute to think, I shrugged. “I guess I could contact her myself and tell her what Mom said. Although if she was interested in me working for her, Austen would have given her my number.”
“You think?” Cami cocked a brow. “If he didn’t tell you the truth about the staging, what makes you think he’d do the decent thing and pass on your details?”
“Mmm, you’re probably right.”
“Of course I am.” She waved a mayo loaded fry in the air. “I didn’t think he was right for you anyway.”
“How are things with you and Braden?” It had been a long time since we’d had a sister-to-sister chat about our love lives.
“What do you think? Dating a twenty-one-year-old college student whose life revolves around football is different than dating a thirty-two-year-old bar owner whose life revolves around making a failing business work.”
I took a swig of my drink. “Is Dempsey’s in that much trouble?” If working there was going to be my focus until I could sort things out with Moira, I didn’t want to end up unemployed.
Cami shook her head. “I don’t think so. But Wade is obsessed with making it more successful. It’s pretty much all he could think about the whole time we were together. And you know his dad’s not in the best of health. I think that bothers him too.”
Wade had always been very family oriented. When we were in college, working together at the bar, he always said he did it for his dad and mom. Which was exactly what he reiterated when he dropped out to take on more hours at the bar after his dad’s first spell in hospital.
“But back to what you originally asked. Dating Braden is definitely much more fun.” She waggled her eyebrows. “With Wade, everything seemed pretty serious quite quickly. I guess him being a bit older and having different responsibilities didn’t help. I mean, we’re pretty lucky to live in the house we grew up in rent free. He has to find money for his apartment, as well as running the bar twenty-four-seven. Or at least that’s what it felt like.”
I nodded, sipping my margarita.
“I mean, he’s probably more suited to someone like you.” Cami picked up her glass and waved it in my direction. “Someone who has a strong work ethic and a career plan. Not a flighty beautician.” She giggled and downed the remainder of her drink, pouring the last of the pitcher into the empty vessel. “Shall we get another one?”
“Sure.” Given Cami had suggested Wade and I would be suited, I wondered if she would mind if there was something more between us. But I couldn’t ask her now, at least not yet. I’d need another pitcher of margaritas before I could broach that subject.
ChapterFourteen
Wade
The nightof the grand reopening had finally arrived.
Although it hadn’t been that long since I’d sorted out the papers with Mom, it seemed like forever ago. Jaime and I had been working on a plan, which would hopefully mean the bar would be packed.
Monday nights were usually dead, with everyone going to the bars that showed the game instead. But with some careful marketing, we hoped at least a few of them would defect to Dempsey’s, even if only for the special offers.
Jaime moved around the bar, placing the flyers with the ongoing offers on each of the tables. I watched her, the denim of her skinny jeans stretching over her ass like a second skin, the Dempsey’s t-shirt possibly a size too small pulled taut across her tits. Her glossy chocolate hair was pulled into a half-up-half-down affair, a shiny silver band holding it in place.
“Have you seen the weather forecast?” Mom asked, settling down on a stool at the bar. “Looks like there’s a storm brewing.”
“Ugh.” Reluctantly, I dragged my gaze away from Jaime and pulled a face. “That’s the last thing we need tonight.”
“I was hoping for a full house,” Dad chipped in. “But I don’t think it’s coming in until later, hopefully when the game’s finished.” For someone who had been so reluctant to get the screens installed and sort out the licenses, he seemed to be coming around to the idea.
“The place looks great, Wade. You and Jaime have done a great job.” Mom clasped her hands together and smiled.
The bar had been decorated in Carolina Panthers colors, the black, Panther blue, and silver bunting and streamers decking out almost every available area. I hoped that showing such blatant support for our local team would be a good thing.
“Right, every table has a flyer for this month’s offers, and I’ll make sure they’re restocked when new people come in.” Jamie placed the remaining stack of flyers on the bar with a flourish.
“You don’t have to do that.” I jerked my chin in the direction of the two college students who had been taken on trial shifts this past week and had done well. Again, another tiny sliver of anticipation that they would tell their friends where they worked, and we’d get additional customers. “These guys can run the floor; you can stay at the bar with me.”
A tiny smile played around the corners of her mouth. “Who says I want to?”
I drew myself up to my full height, staring at her from the opposite side of the bar. “Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to work with me?”
Jaime clutched a hand to her chest. “Oh, Wade, how could I possibly say no?”
