Hailey waited for Noahto finish up the drinks he’d lined up for folks seated at table six, reveling in every flirty wink and smile they exchanged. Mr. Grumpy Grouch really knew how to dazzle with the charm, and she told herself not to think about past recipients of that attention—like Germaine, his biggest fan currently leaning across the bar, the dark roots of her redheaded dye job showing, squeezing her boobage together so the girls practically spilled out of her gaping wide-necked top. The floozy clutched the brim of a green glitter-infested leprechaun derby in one hand.
Hailey hitched up the floppy sleeves of her own slutty costume—again—and told herselfheroutfit was different because she hadn’t picked it. Wouldn’t be caught dead in it if Hurricane Dixie hadn’t practically shoved her into it. And shove she had. Never mind that Hailey could pull it off better thanGermaineand that she flashed her favorite barkeep some cleavage of her own occasionally to make sure he remembered who she was. He seemed to recall without any prodding.
“Noah,” the redhead sang out, “I’d like to buy you another drink. You can wear my hat.”
Hailey turned her head just in time to catch the body wiggles and eyelash flutters Germaine lavished on the poor guy as she thrust the green derby at him.
Noah looked up from his cocktail assembly line. “Appreciate it, Germaine. I’ll add it to your tab.” He bent his head, accepting the hat she plopped on it. It was too small, but it sat at a rakish angle that had Germaine falling into a fit of giggles.
Anotherdrink? When did she buy the first one? And how many wasthisone?
Hailey bit her bottom lip and told herself to ignore the unexpected sting of jealousy. Being a good businessman, he would accept the drinks because they added to his bottom line, right? Hopefully he wasn’t in the habit of accepting other gifts from his admirers, festive derby aside.
Germainetugged on a hank of her unnaturally red hair and sent Hailey a self-satisfied smirk. Hailey responded with a nonchalant shrug, as if to tell Germaine, “I’m only waitstaff, so why would I care?” In truth, though, her confidence had been fueled by the fact thatshewas the one whose mouth his tongue had been ready to map a mere thirty minutes ago.
Take that, Germaine.
But damn, Hailey didn’t like being in a horse race. Competing on the waves against other athletes was one the thing, but against other women? For a man? Not her jam. Too many fish swam in the sea for her to get stuck on one alpha male all the bitches panted after.
Shit, and now she was mixing her Wild Kingdom metaphors. She needed to unscramble the hormones taking possession of her brain like escapees from a zombie apocalypse movie. She also needed to think beyond tonight and plan her return to Montrose, though her wanton side was thumbing its proverbial nose at her. It wanted what it wanted, namely the hunky bartender with a kiss that had the power to melt Lambert Glacier. She had high hopes he would keep her busy after they were off duty tonight—sleep was overrated—dismissing the disturbing possibility that he had his pick of playmates.
Meanwhile, she watched him prepare the orders with unabashed admiration. The guy wasgoodat what he did, and she enjoyed watching a pro at work. Then there was the hotness factor: his sage-green T-shirt with his bar’s logo on it exposed corded forearms and chiseled biceps she wanted to get her hands on again. It clung to his carved pecs and those broad shoulders, adding to the total package of masculine perfection. Who knew a guy in a T-shirt and jeans could look so …delectable?
Whew! Was it growing warm in the packed bar, or was it the sizzling specimen in front of her? She looked over the restaurant patrons, letting their revelry add to her own.Thiswas how it was supposed to be. Taverns were where a town’s heart beat. They were the public houses, the gathering places for neighbors to congregate and feel they were part of something big and meaningful. The Miners Tavern served that role. It was an important cog in this tiny town, and those cogs meant something to the cohesiveness of a community. A coffee shop or general store served the same purpose to a lesser degree … and so could a bookstore. But could a tiny bookstore serve the same purpose in a city the size ofDenver? And why was this a question breaking through her consciousness?
Noah brought her focus back to earth with a go-ahead nod, mouthing, “You’re doing a great job.”
Heat raced up her neck and spread across her face like a beacon, annoying the hell out of her. Did she have to be so obvious? She dipped her head and began loading her tray with the freshly made drinks. A dark-skinned woman with glossy black hair, soft brown eyes, and perfect cheekbones slid onto the barstool on Hailey’s other side and sent Noah a shy smile and a wave.
Gawd, another Noah Hunnicutt playmate candidate!Hailey suppressed an eye-roll.
He beamed his exotic customer one of his dazzlers and swiped at the polished swath of bar in front of her with a clean towel. “Hey, Amy. It’s always good to see you. Looking for Micky?”
Hailey let go a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.
“Found him. He said you were shorthanded, so I thought I’d chip in, if you want to put me to work.”
“God, yes!” Still addressing Amy, he pointed toward Hailey. “Amy Caufield, meet Hailey Bailey. Hailey’s been busting her ass helping us out tonight.”
Amy made a quick sweep of Hailey’s getup. “Please tell me I don’t have to wear a wench costume, Noah.” Before Hailey could muster offense, Amy placed a warm hand on her forearm. “It looks dynamite onyou, but me? Not only would I overflow in all the wrong places, but I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum from ‘Irish colleen.’ One look, and customers would step on each other trying to run out the door.” She let out a trilling laugh that made Hailey like her instantly.
Meanwhile, Noah roamed an appreciative gaze over Hailey’s face to her neck and below. She could practically feel the caress on her skin. When his eyes met hers again, they smoldered. “No, Amy, you’re fine as is. One hoochie mama is enough.”
Tingles raced along Hailey’s spine, raising goose bumps. She knee-jerked by blurting, “Amy, you’d pull them in like flies to honey, girlfriend.” She could have sworn a blush rose under Amy’s smooth mocha-colored complexion.
Noah lifted his chin toward the front door. “Amy owns Mountain Coffee just a block down.”
Amy bobbed her head. “So I’m used to serving Noah’s customers, only they’re usually a lot grumpier when I see them.”
Dixie materialized in their midst. “Because the sun isn’t even up yet when they stop at your place. If God had meant for us to be up that early, He wouldn’t have given us eyelids that close.” She rolled her eyes dramatically while Hailey checked for a Harry Potter portkey that would allow the woman to move through time and space without so much as a ripple.
Dixie patted Amy’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get you an apron and something to tie your hair back with.”
Amy dug a scrunchie from a pocket. “I came prepared.”
With an amused inner headshake, Hailey deposited the dog-name box on her tray, hefted it, and snaked her way toward an exuberant group of guys seated at one of the big tables, who gave her a rousing wolf-whistle welcome. Unloading their drinks, she felt a pair of eyes weighing on her from across the room and looked up to see a stunning brunette studying her from the stairs leading to the mezzanine. Those steps had been chained off from the time Hailey had entered the bar with Charlie, yet here this woman was, standing on a riser beside the slack links as though sheownedthe stairwell and was holding court over the crowd. Regal and haughty as hell.
She wore tight blue jeans that highlighted long, shapely legs and tucked into a pair of pristine turquoise cowboy boots. Dressed in an equally snug buttercream leather vest adorned with silver and turquoise beading, she flaunted tanned arms. She appeared to have on nothing beneath the vest, exposing an equally flawless décolletage and pillowed breasts divided by a chasm of cleavage. One upper arm featured a silver band that accentuated her toned bicep. The woman reminded Hailey of a country singer—asuccessfulcountry singer—with tresses that landed at her cinched waist in perfect spirals.
