As the crowd moved in, Dixie got them seated and Hailey started collecting their orders. Back at the bar, Amy downed her wine and slid from her stool. “Looks like it’s time to get back to work!”
Guilt sat heavy on Noah’s shoulders. He hated that he needed the help but was damn grateful for it. It was a weird concoction of emotions. “Amy, you’ve done enough. Luanne’s sticking around, and we can cover it from here.”
“What? And miss the best party of the year? No way!” She practically sprinted toward the teeming tables to help gather orders.
At the bar, a grinning Charlie chatted with the people who filled the stools. Noah executed a mini fist pump and jogged back to his station, suddenly re-energized. He slapped down paper coasters along the bar. “What’ll it be?”
Dixie appeared beside him, and Noah nearly jumped. Jesus, he wished he could get used to her sudden appearances. She didn’t seem to notice him flinch. “Incoming at one o’clock, boss. I’ll handle the bar while you take care of Hulk Hogan’s baby brother.”
“Hulk Hogan?” Confused, Noah looked toward the front door. His befuddlement disappeared when his gaze landed on Bruno Keating standing with legs spread and arms crossed at his entrance like a bouncer. Two huge guys who actually could have been bouncers flanked him.
Jesus, what now?The night was getting weirder and weirder.
Noah crossed the dining room, pondering why bouncers were needed in a town of six hundred. Behind him, Dixie’s voice carried above the tavern’s burble. “I can make you Irish coffees, Irish slammers, black and tans …”
Noah slowed his gait as he approached his rival, but Bruno’s attention was fastened elsewhere. Following his point of focus, Noah suddenly understood. Keating was fixated on Hailey. Noah didn’t like it, but he couldn’t blame the guy. He nearly slipped on his own drool every time he got a full frontal of her in that skin-tight bodice thing and those tiny green bows at the top of her tights.
As Noah approached, Keating spat, “What’sshedoing here?”
Not what he’d expected. “Excuse me?” Maybe Brunowasn’tgawking at Hailey. “Who are you talking about?” When Noah glanced back at her, Hailey’s eyes had gone as wide as his coasters.
Rather than answer him, Bruno’s mouth curved into a savage smile. “There’s no trick you won’t try, is there, Hunnicutt? First you cheat your way into opening this place, then you sicheron me, and now you bribe the band out of from under me!”
Noah locked on to the last accusation and jabbed his thumb against his chest.“Ibribed the band out from underyou? That’s really funny, Keating! Even if I had, I’d only be taking a page out of your playbook.”
The twin towers took a step closer while Keating shook a finger in Noah’s face. “If you think—”
The door whooshed open, and in stepped Reece and one of his search and rescue team members—who also happened to be the county’s deputy sheriff, Shane O’Brien. Both men matched Keating’s bodyguards in height but weren’t cut like the jacked-up beefcakes. Nevertheless, Noah would put his money on his brother and Deputy O’Brien without blinking. Fortunately, he didn’t need to.
“Mind if we come in and join the party?” Shane drawled, making a show of appraising the posse of three while Reece hid a smirk.
Recognition flickered between the trio, and Keating growled, “Be my guest. We were just leaving this dump.” They pushed past Reece and Shane. Keating paused at the doorway, glanced over his shoulder, and barked in Noah’s general direction, “Hunnicutt, this is far from over. You’re going to regret tangling with me.”
You started this, asshole,Noah refrained from saying to his back. No need to add fuel to Keating’s fire.
Shane’s eyebrows hit his hairline. “Did he just threaten you?”
Noah flapped a hand at the vacated doorway. “Nah. He’s just blowing smoke. As usual.” Noah clapped Shane’s shoulder. “Come on in. The band’s about to get started.” Behind his back, Noah shot Reece a quizzical look that communicated his question about whether Reece had deposited Ursula at her door. Reece answered just as silently by giving him a thumbs-up. At least Noah didn’t have to worry about Ursula’s antics anytime soon.
Which sent his mind—and his wandering gaze—toward a different woman. What had Keating meant when he’d laid eyes on Hailey? Noah wasn’t going to find out anytime soon because the Irish Fräulein had vanished.
Chapter 15
Bailey’s on the Rocks
Though the remaining crowdwas small, the fact that Noah had to announce last call at midnight meant the Miners Tavern had had a banner night. And bonus: no one had thrown up in either of the bathrooms.
He owed the night’s success to his cobbled together staff, Keating’s shortsightedness, and the ensuing offer to play for free by the Celtic Knots. Their front man and the guy Luanne had made eyes at all night, Aidan Mooney, clapped Noah on the shoulder and shook so hard Noah’s teeth practically rattled in his head.
“Thanks again, man, for letting us set up here and celebrate with your good folk tonight.” The man’s jolly face was flushed Jameson’s red. “Sorry again about the misunderstanding.”
“We’re sticking with ‘misunderstanding,’ are we?” Noah couldn’t keep his grin from spreading. He could afford to be forgiving, especially with Mooney’s promise to return in the summer and play for half the band’s usual fee. They would be a great draw during thebusy season.
Mooney’s eyes twinkled. “We are because it was mymisunderstandingabout the benefits of aligning with a shifty lawyer. But you understand now, dontcha, that with us being a humble band based in Basalt and right next door to Aspen, we found it difficult—and possibly career-ending—to refuse his … proposition.”
“And what happens if he ends your career anyway?” Noah refrained from adding that he had planned to do the same.
“We pick up and move to Silver Summit.” Aidan roared a belly laugh. “We hear they’ll be looking for the best acts in the state.” He threw a stout arm around Luanne’s shoulders and pulled her against him. She grinned up at him. “And we’ll be closer to the prettiest Irish colleens this side of the Continental Divide.”
