Page 245 of Fury

We finished the roast lamb, with Beck asking me questions about where I came from, where I lived. I gave him what I could of my story.

“Hey Mom, tell me about Pete’s.”

“Pete’s Tavern?”

“That’s the one.

“It’s the old bar here in Meager, one of the oldest in the area. They sell a lot of local craft brews, basic eats, and they support local musicians. Why?”

“Dad mentioned it.”

“Oh, of course. Cruel Fate played here when they first hit it big.”

“I wanted to check it out.” Beck arranged his fork and knife on his empty dish. “You guys up for going there for a drink or no?”

“Sure.” Lenore glanced at me.

“Yeah, let’s do it,” I said.

“Great.”

My gaze went to Beck. “I heard Cruel Fate play once.”

His face lit up. “Oh yeah?”

“Yep.” I folded my napkin and pressed over it. “At a rock fest in Colorado.”

Lenore’s eyes slid to mine.

Beck took my empty dish and stacked it on his. “What did you think?”

“They were good. Lot of fans, girls screaming, singing along,” I said.

Lenore planted a kiss on the side of my face as she took the dishes from the table. My hand went to her lower back as she moved past me.

“Where you headed after Denver, Beck?” I asked.

“Albuquerque, then Dallas, then Houston.” He told me about the last leg of his tour.

“Hey you two.” Standing in the foyer, a thin shawl expertly wrapped over her shoulders, Lenore swiped dark red lipstick on her gorgeous mouth. “Let’s get going to Pete’s.”

“Who’s that?” Beck asked.

“Who?”

“That dude glaring at you.” Beck drank from his longneck, his gaze on Tricky.

Tricky sat next to a wiry young brunette with sparkly makeup, dark lipstick, and big hoop earrings. She was talking to him, but Tricky’s eyes were on me. At his table were Grace and Lock, Jill and Boner, and Butler and Tania, who Lenore had stayed to chat with after we’d gone over and said our hellos, introducing Beck to them.

“Ah, he’s just some guy,” I muttered, staring Tricky down.

He finally looked away, his arm going over the shoulders of the girl he was with, and she smiled huge as she drank her pink cocktail.

“Ah.” Beck turned to me. “Some guy. Got it.”

“Yeah.”

“Small town, huh?”

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