Page 60 of Crushed

“Yeah, I’m really happy. What about you? Are you originally from the area?”

She nodded. “Well, my parents moved to the area from western Pennsylvania when I was three, so I don’t really know anything else. I grew up in Lockwood.”

Lockwood was the neighboring town to Steel Ridge.

“I love it here,” I said.

“I do, too. And like you, I’ve got a guy who makes me so happy that I’m not planning to leave here ever,” she replied.

Before I could delve deeper into that conversation and ask about her guy, Deanna had to run to take care of a group of people that had just walked in.

The next thing I knew, the rush that Deanna had told me earlier would be coming arrived. Being in the thick of it, hustling around behind that bar, I felt moments of utter joy. In the end, I’d had a fantastic first day at work that only got better when I walked outside to see Jesse standing there, waiting for me.

I’d just texted him as we discussed before walking outside, even though Kelly and Everett were both leaving at the same time.

“See you guys later,” I called out, as I broke off from them and moved toward Jesse.

He slipped his arms around my waist the moment I was close enough to touch and gave me a kiss on the lips. “How was your first night?”

Smiling brightly at him, feeling wonderful, I answered, “Unbelievably good.”

Jesse returned the smile, kissed me again, and said, “Let’s get you home, so you can tell me all about it.”

“Okay,” I agreed.

Then, Jesse led me to his vehicle, opened my door for me, and took me home. I had to admit that despite the very horrible thing that had pushed me to come back to Steel Ridge, I started trying to see the bright side of it.

Maybe I was going to get a second chance.

Maybe this was finally going to be home again.

It was about ten minutes before my shift was over when it happened.

I’d been working at The Steel Pub for about two weeks now, and everything was going well for me.

I got along with my coworkers, and the relationship I had with them was far better than I’d had withanyonein the twelve years I’d been away from Steel Ridge. In all fairness, I hadn’t really allowed myself to open up much to anyone ever since I left.

It was too risky.

There was a time when I felt like I’d had it all, and in an instant, it had all been ripped away. I didn’t want to take that chance again.

But being back here, making things right with Jesse, and being able to see my mom on a regular basis again was starting to help me make changes.

I wanted this place to be home again, and the only way that would ever happen was if I opened up and took the chance again.

Fortunately, it was paying off, and the patrons at The Steel Pub had been great, too.

But nothing could have prepared me for what happened just before my shift ended. The front door opened, and a group of women came walking in. At first, I didn’t think anything about it.

I mean, it was a Wednesday night, and folks were looking to unwind and relax after their workday. But as the women approached the bar, I noticed them not just looking at me, but quietly assessing me.

My body started to tense up, bracing myself.

This was it.

This was going to be the moment that someone recognized me, declared how horrible I was in front of my new friends from work, and I’d be fired.

But then, I realized I recognized one of the women. Only, she wasn’t someone I knew from high school.

---