Page 12 of Timid (Lark Cove 2)

I made it to the bar and opened the back door, walking down the short hall past Thea’s office and the kitchen.

“Hey,” I said, getting Thea’s attention as I stepped up to the bar.

She looked up from the journal she’d been drawing in. “Hi. What are you doing here?”

I shrugged. “I was bored at home. Thought I’d come in and keep you company.”

It was Thea’s night to work, but I’d been too restless to stay at home. The unanswered questions were spinning in my head. Would she move back to New York with Logan or would she stay in Montana? What would happen with Charlie? Before I knew it, I was off the couch, out the door and on my way to the bar.

“Want a beer?” Thea set down her pencil and sketch pad, then picked up a pint glass.

“Nah. I’ll just have a Coke.”

She gave me a sideways glance, probably because I rarely turned down beer on Saturday nights. “Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m good. Just don’t feel like drinking.”

I’d been drinking a lot lately and needed to slow it down. The last thing I wanted to do was become a drunk. Besides, the last couple of times I’d gotten drunk, I’d fucked up royally. First by smoking that joint two weeks ago. Then by drinking too many beers before Charlie’s sixth birthday party and acting like an idiot.

“Been busy?” I asked after she set down my soda.

“Not bad. There was a good dinner rush tonight. Those guys in the corner booth have been here for a few hours. Wayne and Ronny were in earlier, but they both called it a night and left.”

That was about normal for midnight on a Saturday. We were usually busy all afternoon and evening, but the crowd would thin to just a few diehards wanting to stick it out until we shut down at two.

“Where’s Daddy Dearest tonight?” I muttered.

“Hey.” She frowned. “Don’t be like that.”

I winced. “Sorry.”

No matter how many times I told myself to give Logan a chance for Charlie’s sake, I couldn’t get past the fact that because of him, everything here was changing. Because of him, I could lose two of the three members of my family.

“It’s okay,” Thea said. “And he’s at my house with Charlie.”

I nodded and took a drink of my soda, swallowing a grumble.

“Are you sure you’re okay with covering the bar all next week?”

“Like I told you yesterday when you asked me that same question ten times, yes. I can handle the bar all week.”

“I know you can handle it. I just feel bad dumping it all on you short notice.”

She’d come down last night and asked me to cover for her. Logan wanted to take her and Charlie to New York for a week. I’d told her she was moving too fast but promised to manage the bar.

And even though she knew I was more than capable, she would fret. Thea ran most of the business side of things at the bar. She’d taken them on after Hazel had decided to retire.

Thea kept the books, ordered from the distributors and made the schedule. At times, she treated me more like an employee than a partner. She’d forgotten that I’d spent years at this bar before she even moved to town.

“It’s fine, Thea,” I reassured her again. “Consider it my penance for the whole kissing thing.”

Her face soured. “Don’t ever do that again. That was disgusting.”

“Disgusting? My kisses aren’t disgusting.”

“Don’t pout.” She scolded with a smile. “I’m sure all the women who throw themselves at you think you’re a great kisser. But since I’m the closest thing you have to a sister, I can say it was disgusting.”

“Yeah.” I grimaced. “It was kind of gross.”