"That explains your attraction to me and Connor," Riley said jokingly.
"You're not trash," I argued.
"Plenty of people would disagree with that, but thanks." He gave me a smile I hadn't seen from him before. A real, genuine smile.
"Now I'm the one who wants to punch someone," I said. "I'm sorry people make you feel that way."
"I'm sorry your parents made you feel that way." He reached for my hand, wrapping his fingers around mine. "No one should do that to anyone, especially someone as sweet as you. Tell me about your sculptures. Why haven't I seen you making any? Have you been hiding them in a secret room in your house?"
"I haven't been making them," I said. "I?—"
Connor and Whitney stepped out of Jacob's room, both looking a lot more relieved than when they went in.
"Bastard is tough as shit," Connor said. "We might have to tie him down to keep him from working too hard."
"We'll help out," Riley said. "Whatever you need."
"Yeah, I can too," I said. If I was going to stick around town and become part of it, then I wanted to help out the townspeople the way they helped each other. I wanted to be a part of that. The warm community that looked after its own.
"Thank you," Whitney said to us both. "Don't think we won't take you both up on that. Because we absolutely will."
"Shit yeah, we will," Connor said. "Let's get something better than that crap coffee."
"Yes please." Whitney hooked her arm through mine, pulled me to my feet and we headed out of the hospital, into the evening air.
17
LEAH
"Should you be standing so much?"Connor gave me a look up and down.
"I'm fine." I gathered up a stack of empty glasses to carry back behind the bar. I was going to hurt tomorrow, but I'd help out where they needed it. Right now, that was keeping the Frosty Brew going. Connor disappeared into the office to do the paperwork his father usually did, leaving me and Fiona to clean up out here. He only just reappeared, his hair tousled like he'd run his hand through it several times.
"We're almost done." I loaded the glasses into the glass washer and closed the door.
"Leah," he said warningly.
I turned around, my hands on my hips. "I said I'm fine. Don't tell me you didn't need the help." He and Fiona would have been here all night without the extra pair of hands. Or they would have had to call in Zara on her night off.
"Not if it means…" He shut his mouth with a click of his teeth as Fiona stepped around behind the bar.
"You two are getting intense," she teased. "Should I leave?"
Connor's side eye suggested she should, but I lowered my hands to my sides, trying to appear less confrontational.
"I think we're both done here," I said. Fortunately the place was quiet enough tonight to close early, but the weekend was imminent. I was going to have to pace myself, or sit out. Honestly, I didn't care for either option.
"Yeah, thanks," Connor said with a grunt. "I appreciate the help." He took a step to the side to let Riley pass, carrying a keg on his shoulder. He disappeared into the cool room, followed by the clang as he lowered the keg to the concrete floor.
"That's the last one," Riley said, stepping back out and rubbing his shoulder. "I signed for the delivery."
"Great." Connor slapped his shoulder. "I'll put it into the system before I forget. You know what Dad's like with shit like that."
"Yeah, he'd lose his mind if you don't put it in thirty seconds after the truck pulls in." Riley grinned.
"Fifteen seconds." Connor sighed and disappeared back into the office.
"He acts like a fucking grizzly, but he really is grateful," Riley said. "This is more than his father's business. It's important to the whole town. Wait until summer when we get live bands here in the beer garden. The whole town comes. It's like one big, dysfunctional, more or less happy family."
