Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Flossy turned slightly on her stool, watching him.
“Write it down in the register,” Amka said, already regretting not making a bank run earlier. The till was too full.
Jarod reached in again and removed two more twenties. “You write it down.” He nudged the drawer closed with his hip and grabbed a magazine from the end of the bar to slide in front of her. “Have you picked a dress yet?”
It was one of those heavy bridal magazines, glossy and unread. She hadn’t opened it once. Why in the world would she pick out a dress? “No,” she said.
“We might want to get on it,” he said.
The front door opened, and cold air slipped inside along with presence. Definite presence. Amka didn’t need to look up to know who’d entered.
Christian walked in with his brothers, Brock and Ace, heading for their usual table by the fireplace. Christian gave her a nod as he passed. They were just missing Damian, and it would’ve been all four Osprey brothers in one place.
“Where’s Olly?” Flossy yelled after them.
Brock looked over and smiled. “Still at the station. She’ll be here soon.”
Ophelia Spilazi had come up from New York as an FBI agent on a case and ended up staying for the sheriff. From the way things looked, she and Brock weren’t far from setting a date for their own wedding.
Amka liked her. She was tough, didn’t waste time, and treated people straight. Having her around made things better.
Daisy hurried up to put dishes in the sink. “I’ll get the Osprey brothers,” she said, already turning toward their table with a little bounce in her step.
Amka watched her go, not sure if the woman was looking for a steady man or just chasing a good time. “Sometimes I wonder what she wants.” She’d flirted with the tourists for a while and now was leaning close to Christian, pointing at something on the menu. Way too close to him.
Flossy blew out a breath. “Oh, who cares? As long as she has a good time.”
Several more tourists came through the door and took seats at a table near the window. Amka went to work, grabbing menus and taking orders while collecting dirty dishes on her way back to the kitchen.
When she returned, Flossy was clearing plates at one of the tables.
Amka hustled over as fast as her ribs would let her. “Flossy, come on. You’re a guest,” she said, trying to take the tray from her hands.
Flossy held onto it. “Amka. We’re family.” She said it quietly, already walking the dishes toward the back. She was surprisingly quick for her age, and Amka had to sidestep to get around her and wipe down the table before Flossy could.
They were busier than expected with the locals mixing with derby tourists, filling every table.
A young woman with bright purple hair came in and walked straight to the bar.
Amka met her there, already circling behind the counter. “Hi. What can I get you?”
“I’d love a dirty martini.”
Amka studied her for a second. “Can I see some ID?”
The woman laughed and pulled a wallet from her back pocket. “Yeah, no problem.”
Amka checked the date. The woman was twenty-five, and her name was Nixi Halliday. Cool name. “Oh, sorry.”
“That’s okay. I don’t mind looking young.” Nixi glanced over her shoulder, scanned the room, then focused in on the table by the fireplace. “Hey, the guy in the dark green T-shirt—what’s his name?”
Why was she asking about Christian? “Why?” Amka asked, reaching for the vermouth.
“I saw him save you yesterday. He burst out of the flames, surrounded by smoke, with you in his arms. Serious hero material there.” Nixi slid onto a barstool. “I filmed it. The video already has two hundred thousand likes.”
Amka winced. “People are pretty private around here. He’s not going to like that.”
“What’s his name?” Nixi asked again.
Amka’s chest tightened. Christian would hate being on the internet. “You should take down the video.” He didn’t even like being looked at too long, let alone going viral. “Seriously. He wouldn’t want that.”
“Not a chance.” Nixi reached for a menu. “Do you have a special tonight?”
“We do. The Cobb salad is excellent.” Amka finished the drink and placed it on a cocktail napkin. She didn’t wait for a thank-you and just moved back down the bar to refill two beers and check a soda at the pass-through.
The crowd didn’t let up for another hour. Somewhere around ten-thirty, things finally started to slow. Amka took a glass of water and slipped two Advil into her mouth, swallowing hard. Her arm still ached and the pain in her side had sharpened.
Daisy came up beside her. “I can finish out.”
Amka looked around. Most of the crowd had drinks, and plates were mostly cleared, but the tavern was still too full for comfort. “I’m really fine.” Except she wasn’t. Her arm throbbed, her legs burned, and even her back ached from the constant movement. Her ribs were the worst. Something was definitely cracked.