Page 25 of Home Tears

When Dani arrived, Aiden and Kate moved to her side. “Where were you?”

“I was about to send Bubba out to your home.”

“I held back and waited for the parking lot to clear.”

Shifting on her feet, Kate glanced over her shoulder. “Did I see you come in with Jonah?”

“Yeah. He wanted a ride.” Dani shrugged. Seeing Robbie on the dance floor with someone, she asked Kate, “Is that one of the girls he’s interested in?”

Kate nodded, making a face. “That’s Lori. She was here, just waiting for him once we arrived.”

“Then, in that case,” Dani nodded toward the pool table. “Want to play a game of pool?”

“Love to!” Kate looked so relieved. “Thank you, and maybe we can flirt it up with a couple guys over there.”

Dani added, “Robbie won’t know what hit him.”

“Damn straight!” Kate laughed, ducking around Jonah as he returned from the bar. “Hey, Jonah. I’m stealing your ride. She’s going to be my sidekick the rest of the night.” She tapped on his shoulder and pointed to a table of women, all eyeing him up and down. “Just a word of advice, avoid that table. They look a little crazed tonight.”

Dani grabbed the water from Jonah’s offered hand, but Mae showed up at that time. “We’re swamped. Can you help behind the counter?”

“Yeah?” Dani glanced to the rest of the group. “You guys wouldn’t mind?”

Kate waved her ahead. “And have our own personal bartender? Go. Now! We won’t have to wait in line anymore.”

Dani just laughed, then waved to everyone. She moved through the crowd, bypassing Robbie who was heading back to the table with Lori in tow.

Dani used to help bartend when she was younger, before her mom died, and Aunt Kathryn took over. Mae seemed to vanish from their lives then, but Dani worked behind the bar in her travels. It was a job where she could pick up some extra cash whenever she needed it. The crowd was insane, but she didn’t think it’d be too hard before she picked it back up, just like old times.

Aunt Mae yelled in her ear, patting her on the shoulder, “Hope you didn’t go rusty with your time away.”

Dani merely shook her head. “Never!” Then she began filling an order, and the first hour went fast. The rest of the night passed just as quickly, but the last thirty minutes were always the worst. The drunk got drunker and the one-nighters became more brazen with sharing their numbers.

Jonah had taken residence at the end of her counter space. Every time a girl approached and her hand lingered down his arm, he’d shoot Dani a look and she’d move in. The first few were deterred when Dani announced that he’d come with her. And then one took it as a challenge to throwdown, and Dani changed tactics. Now she merely slid them a watered-down Coke and pointed across the bar. She told ‘em it came from the gentleman in the blue.

There were too many gentlemen in blue to count.

The girls loved it, didn’t notice it was watered-down soda only, and went off in search for their mysterious gentleman. After the fifth girl, Dani slapped a towel in front of Jonah and suggested, “Must be hard. Having to literally fend them off, huh? Or having another chick to do it for you?” His rich laugh was her reward, and she rolled her eyes. She gestured to the towel. “If you really want to get rid of them, just get busy. I’m sure Mae will need all the help she can get to clean up.”

Robbie heard the last words as he approached the counter. He noted Jonah, who was leaving to start clearing tables. “You and Jonah seem to get along.”

“For now.” She winked at him. “What’ll you have?”

“Water and a Diet Coke.”

“Lori’s had enough, huh?” Dani murmured as she filled the glasses. Robbie lingered afterwards, gazing back to that table where the group was still hanging out. “Something wrong, Robbie?”

“Yeah.” He hunched over the bar, folding his arms on the counter. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure. Although we really only met tonight.”

“That’s why I want to ask you. You’re objective. You might have a different set of eyes.” He leaned closer. “Do you think…coming from your first impression, do you think Lori would make a good mother?”

“Whoa. What?” Dani slid a drink to another customer. “I barely remember Lori, and I haven’t talked to her at all since getting back here. It’s only been a few days.”

“Yeah, but look at her. Does she look like good mother material?”

“Uh.” Lori was pretty. That’s all Dani thought. “Look, I can only tell you what I do think, and if you’re asking the bartender about the girl you’re dating, you’re probably dating the wrong girl.” Kate was watching them talk, but trying not to make it obvious. She ducked behind Bubba. Dani let out a breath. “Go for the ones who scare you. Maybe there’s a reason they scare you.”

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