“I think I pissed her off.”
Wayne started laughing. It began as a slow chuckle that grew and grew until the other patrons in the bar all stopped talking to watch him belly laugh.
“Remind me to start charging you double for beers,” I muttered after he pulled himself together.
“I don’t know what you did,” he wheezed, “but it had to have been bad. Willa is the sweetest girl in Flathead County. How’d you manage to make her angry?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
He scoffed.
“Really!” I held up my hands. “I don’t know. I know I’ve slipped a few times and called her Willow. But in my defense, I’ve always sucked at remembering names.”
The only way I remembered a new name was to do what Hazel had taught me in high school. I said a name ten times in my head or I came up with a pneumonic device. But neither trick had helped me get Willa’s right.
“You do suck at names,” Wayne mumbled. “You thought my last name was Brown for the longest time.”
Brown, like the color of his chocolate hair. “I—wait, your last name isn’t Brown?”
“Christ, Jackson.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s Black.”
“Sorry. Damn it,” I huffed. “At least I’m great with faces.”
Bullshit with me for twenty minutes and I’d remember you for years. Tell me your name once and ask me to repeat it weeks later, not happening. Working at the bar suited me perfectly. I recognized repeat customers by their faces and got away with calling them by a generic nickname.
Hey, man.
Good to see you again, sweetheart.
Welcome back, buddy.
No names required and I was still the cool bartender who remembered his patrons.
How was it that I hadn’t really noticed Willa’s face?
“You really don’t know what you did to make Willa mad?” Wayne asked.
“No idea,” I muttered and grabbed a glass. “I need a beer.”
I filled it up, then shut off the tap. I examined the white foam around the rim, but before I brought the glass to my lips, I stepped over to the sink and dumped it out. Just two days ago, I’d made the decision not to drink as often and I sure as hell could go more than one day without a beer.
“So what are you going to do about her?”
Good question. I blew out a long breath. What was I going to do?
I could just leave her be. I’d asked her out and she’d rejected my offer. It was done. Things would probably be simpler if I just moved on.
There was a woman in the corner booth who’d been eyeing me all night. I bet she wouldn’t turn me down if I asked her to come home with me later. But the problem was, I didn’t have the slightest bit of interest.
When I’d delivered their latest round of drinks, the woman had eye-fucked me. Normally that look would be enough to stir some interest, but my dick was fast asleep. At the moment, it only came alive at the thought of Willa. Just remembering how she looked earlier today in the camp’s kitchen, with her hair loose down her back, gave me a semi in three seconds flat. Saturday night, after she’d slammed the door in my face—twice—I’d walked home with a raging hard-on.
Something about her just did it for me.
So was I going to let Willa be? Would I take her rejection and move on?
Hell no.
I grinned at Wayne. “I’ll think of something.”
Maybe I’d swing by the camp again tomorrow. Maybe I’d leave a note with some flowers by her door. I was in the middle of brainstorming other ideas when the front door swung open and Willa walked inside.
I did a double take to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
The sunshine streamed in behind her, making her hair look like waves of gold. She had a heart-shaped face, her high cheekbones flushed and rosy. Her blue eyes were mesmerizing, the color of the lake on a sunny day.
How had I missed this? How had I missed her?
Willa looked around the room, searching. When she found me, she froze, still standing in the doorway.
I smiled and lifted a hand to wave, but before I could say hello, she was spinning back around and running out the door.
“Wayne,” I called as I jogged down the length of the bar. “You’re in charge.”
He laughed and threw up his hands. “Free drinks for everyone!”
The bar erupted in laughter, but I didn’t stop moving. I ran past the tables in the middle of the room, nearly slipping on a pile of peanut shells, and yanked open the door.
“Willa! Wait!”
She was halfway to her car already. At my call, she glanced over her shoulder but didn’t stop. If anything, she seemed to be walking faster.
Just not fast enough.
My boots thudded hard on the gravel parking lot as I sprinted to catch up. I reached her side right as she beeped the locks on her SUV.
“Hey,” I panted, standing by her door. “Why did you leave?”
“I, um . . .” She fiddled with the keys in her hand. “I changed my mind.”
“Changed your mind about what?”
She closed her eyes, drawing in a long breath. Then she squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and looked me right in the eyes. “What do you want, Jackson? Why are you asking me out?”
Her questions caught me off guard. No woman had ever asked me why before. They’d all just said yes.
“I, uh . . . don’t know.”
“You don’t know.” She huffed and yanked open the door to her car, tossing in her purse before climbing inside, muttering, “Stupid idea. Stupid. Stupid.”
“Wait.” I grabbed the door before she could swing it closed. “What was a stupid idea? Coming here?”
“Yes,” she snapped. “I should have stuck with my original plan.”
“What plan?”
“To stay away from you.” She tried to shut her door, but I held it tight. “Let go, Jackson.”
“No. Just . . . just one second, okay? Clearly, I did something to piss you off. But I’m not sure what I did. So at some point, you’re going to have to spell it out for me.”
She frowned, tugging the door handle harder.
Still, I didn’t let go. “You want to know why I’m asking you out? I guess . . . because I want to get to know you. I don’t know, something about this,” I waved my free hand between us, “feels different. Special.”
Her mouth parted and her eyes widened, but she didn’t say anything. Though she did stop jerking on the door handle.
“Come inside,” I pleaded. “For just a little bit. Come sit in there and hang out. I’m sure Wayne’s passing out free drinks at the moment so you can at least take advantage of one of those.”
Her lips turned up, just a bit.
“Please?” I was begging now. I never begged.
Willa made me stand there, sweating from the summer sun and her intense stare, until finally she gave me the smallest of nods.
I did my best to hide my smug smile as she grabbed her purse and slid out of the car. As soon as she was clear of the door, I closed it behind her and walked with her back into the bar.
I opened the bar door for her, and sure enough, Wayne was making himself comfortable behind the bar. Though it didn’t look like he was giving away drinks.
Thea and I never gave drinks away for free. It was a policy Hazel had drilled into us when we’d both started here, just as it had been drilled into her head long, long ago.
Hazel’s parents had been the original owners of the Lark Cove Bar. When they’d passed on, she’d inherited it, as well as her childhood home. I’d worked alongside Hazel at the bar for years, until Thea moved to Lark Cove. With both of us running the place, Hazel had decided to retire, though her rules remained.
No free drinks.
It might be against the rules, but Wayne had just earned a free refill.
And Willa could drink for free any night of the week.
“Hey, Willa.” Wayne smiled and winked at her as we approached the bar.
She smiled back. “Hi, Wayne.”
I slid a stool out for her, and after she sat, I went behind the bar. “Thanks,” I told Wayne, clapping him on the shoulder. “Next one’s on me.”
“Rain check. I’ve hit my two-beer limit for the night and it’s time to go home.”
With a quick wave to Willa and a couple others in the bar, he walked out the front door, leaving me and Willa alone across from each other.