Page 75 of Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell (Rock Canyon, Idaho 7)

“I’m really sorry to hear that, Connie, and I assure you, everything is fine with us.”

Connie finally gifted her with a small smile. “I’m glad, because I have to say, I’m not the only one who noticed something was wrong.”

“Oh? Who else said something?” Gracie asked.

“You haven’t seen Miss Know-It-All’s column this morning? It said you two were already on the rocks. Something about you having the hardest time committing and you get scared off easily.”

Gracie’s blood boiled under her skin to the point that she wanted to scratch it. That manipulative son of a bitch! It wasn’t enough that he’d dragged his mom into their business, but now he was using his column to get the whole town involved?

Forcing a smile and hoping that Connie couldn’t tell how upset she was, she handed them their drinks. “There you go. You folks have a safe trip, okay?”

After the Henderson’s left, she turned to Tanya, slipping her apron off. “Tanya, I’m heading out for a bit. Can you and Renee handle things?”

Tanya’s grin split her chubby face. “Sure, Gracie, we’ve got it.”

“Great. I’ll see you in a few.” She grabbed her purse and jacket from the office and walked out the back door, ready for war.

* * *

Eric pulled out another crate of Haskin’s Pumpkin Beer, stepping over a sleeping Dog, who’d decided sprawling in the middle of the floor was just about the best spot he could find. The bar wasn’t open, and he’d wanted to come in early to restock everything. He’d left early last night to be with Dog, and his parents had been slammed hard if the angry texts from his mom had been any indication. He figured at least this way, they’d be ready later for when shit hit the fan.

His brother, Grant, had seemed to make a miraculous recovery and was busy wiping down tables. Eric went back into the storeroom for another case of Bear Island beer. He’d convinced his dad that spreading out and bringing in local vendors of spirits would help boost the economy of Rock Canyon and surrounding cities, and it definitely had. And with Hank’s sucking up some of their business with karaoke contests and shit like that, the local beers and wines that Rock Canyon locals couldn’t get anywhere else but Bucks kept them coming back.

Eric couldn’t figure out why anyone found a bunch of drunk people butchering classic songs entertaining. He’d been thinking about going by to scope the place out but hadn’t gotten around to it. It wasn’t as though the two bars couldn’t coexist together. Although if one more place opened up, he might get a little uncomfortable with all the competition.

“Hey, Eric!” Grant hollered from the barroom.

Eric came out of the stockroom with the case of beer, still walking down the hallway. “What?”

When he finally came into view, Grant gave him a sly grin and pointed. “Someone here to see you.”

Eric saw her before Grant finished his sentence. She stood just inside the doorway in a l

ong black coat, her blonde hair clipped back from her face, making her narrowed eyes and thin lips stand out more. Eric wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and kiss her until those hard eyes softened, but he had a feeling if he tried anything, she might kick his nuts straight up between his shoulder blades.

“Well, hello there, Gracie Lou. Long time no see.”

Gracie gave him a look that could have fried fungus. “What in the hell is wrong with you? Siccing your mother on me! Have you no balls?”

Eric looked over at his brother, who started whistling and scrubbing the tables again. “Hey, Grant, why don’t you take off and get us a couple of burgers from Jensen’s Diner?”

Grant grinned at him, unashamed to be enjoying his big brother’s discomfort. “Sure, bro. It was good to see you, Gracie. You look smoking hot, by the way. Too good for my idiot brother.”

Eric shot him a warning look, and Grant sauntered out the door with a swagger. When the door closed behind him, Eric turned the full force of his irritation onto Gracie, slamming down the case of beer in in his hands. “Now, what was it you were blathering about?”

Gracie’s acidic look matched her tone perfectly. “I was blathering about how your mother stopped by and let me know how disappointed she was that I had hurt your feelings, and how even Miss Know-It-All had noticed our strained relationship.” She pulled a paper from inside her coat and smacked him on the shoulder with the rolled-up parchment. “Really? You had to put it in the goddamn paper? You couldn’t come and talk to me like a man, but you had to use the whole town and your mother to bend me to your will?”

Eric’s whole body lit up with rage. Who was she to come in here after avoiding him like the plague and start shit?

“Look, I didn’t say anything to my mother, but if that column got you to do the adult thing and come talk to me, then obviously I made the right call.”

“Except real adults don’t need to use underhanded tactics and manipulation to get what they want.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, scoffing. “And you know all about being a mature adult, huh? You get a bug in your bonnet about something, and instead of coming to me and talking about it, you avoid me like I’m the dorky guy in high school about to ask you to the prom?” Eric shook his head, refusing to pull any punches. “You’ve always been an immature little brat. Why I thought age would change you, I have no idea.”

She actually looked down at her nails as if he was being the unreasonable one. “I was not being immature, I was busy.”

“Horse shit! You were having a freak-out about something, but I’ve got news for you, sweetheart. You agreed to help me out with my little problem until New Year’s Day. After that, I don’t care if you never say boo to me again, but I have been keeping up with the McAllisters for over two weeks now. This isn’t some one-way street. So, whatever your issue is, get the fuck over it.”

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