Chance’s tail gave a little thump, and he seemed to actuallysmile.
Noah barked a laugh as he headed out his door. “Can’t blame you there. Thinking of her makes me smile too … even if I have no business thinking of her in the first place.”
Amy slid onto a barstool as he arrived back behind the bar, puffing out a breath and grinning. “Not bad for a Monday night, Noah.”
“It would have been better if the band had showed,” he groused. He looked around, expelling air from his lungs when he didn’t see Ursula. But his spirits took flight when he spied a flash of bright green skirt.
Amy chuckled. “People seemed to like the karaoke, though.”
“Afewpeople—the ones doing the singing who were immune to their own sound.” Noah pulled an open bottle of chardonnay from the bar fridge, splashed a generous amount into a glass, and pushed it toward her.
She accepted the drink. “Yeah, I’m not sure my ears will recover.”
“Thanks for your help tonight, Amy. Can you hang out for a sec while I ask Hailey to—”
A commotion at the front door snatched his attention. A clog of people who’d obviously been getting their Irish on came pouring through his door. He recognized them as the same folks he’d spied out his window.
“We’re baaaaack!” one reveler called out. “And we brought some friends who apparently owe you an apology.” People parted, and in strolled a quartet of guys dressed like they were fresh from Leprechaun Lane, complete with green plaid kilts and flaming red beards.
As Noah stepped out from behind the bar, Dewey nearly ran him over from behind. The man’s demeanor—more agitated than his usual tepid level—signaled he was excited aboutsomething. Sure enough, he jabbed his forefinger toward the door where the leprechauns and the crowd clustered.
Noah dipped an eyebrow in Dewey’s direction. “Do we know these guys?”
“They’re the Celtic Knots,” Dewey enthused. “Seems things were kinda dead at Dell’s, so he cut their set—and their pay—short.”
“How do you know this?”
Dewey tapped his temple and grimaced. “I know things. I see things. I hear things.”
Noah huffed, “Well,I’mnot paying them.”
“They’re not looking to get paid. Well, not in cash, but they did mention they’re mighty fond of Jameson’s. And I’m suspicioning we could even get themto pay for their libations.” Dewey gave him a sly wink. “They want to know if we’re willing to let them join our party and play for a while. Seems they still have some music in them. I could set them up in the mezzanine in a jiff. Are we willing?”
Noah looked around at the pumped-up crowd and let the din of their laughter ring in his ears. Would he prefer a professional rock band over folks singing their drunk lungs out very, very badly? Oh hell yeah!
“Do we have any food left?”
“Stew’s mostly gone, but we still got fixin’s for burgers, Reubens, and BLTs. And lots of fries since people mostly wanted stew tonight.”
“But Reece left. Who’s gonna help serve it?” Noah posed, mostly to himself.
Their part-timer, Luanne, overheard and rushed over with a bright smile. “I’ll help Dewey.”
“But I was about to send you home,” Noah protested. “It’s your day off.”
“And what am I gonna do there? Sit on the couch eating chips and dip, bored to tears while I watch some reality show about a golden bachelor? No, sir.”
“What about your boy?” Luanne was a single mom to a seventeen-year-old.
“I’m thinking you could use a dishwasher right about now.” Her smile widened.
“Yeah, but—”
“Boss, I’d rather bring him aboard, if you’re okay with it. I’ll pay out of my tips if it’s not in your budget. I’d rather stay right here and listen to these fellas play.” She turned and waved to a band member who beamed her back a smile. “One of them’s kinda cute, and I think he likes me.”
“Then okay … and thanks.” Noah shooed her away, more to disperse the electric charge coursing through him. He turned to his cook, the ex-roadie. “Tell you what, Dewey. While our warblers are having at it, help these guys set up. Once they’re ready to roll, pull the damn plug on that karaoke machine and get it out of here before anyone sees you. After their first set, I’ll pour them as much Jameson as they can hold.”
“You got it, boss. Let’s get the party started!” He gave Noah an awkward shoulder pat and dashed off with a hoarse whoop, and Noah had to corral a laugh.
