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“I’d need you to do more than tend bar. I have a server for lunch and dinner. While she runs the front, I run the grill in the back.”
Oh. Damn. Disappointment tugged at Kerry’s shoulders. She was a capable cook, but not much more than that. She glanced away from the encouragement in Eugenia’s eyes. “I can mix drinks under pressure. Cooking, not so much.”
“We could probably talk Ruthie into trading places when necessary.” He didn’t give her a chance to gush her thanks. “Got any questions for me?”
She burst out with “Who’s Mitzi?” What’s Mitzi?
Eugenia hid a smile behind her hand.
“You didn’t see my sign out front?” Snoozy scratched his chin with long, thin fingers. “Maybe I should get a bigger one.”
She’d seen the sign. Python Petting Zoo. “I thought that was some kind of dirty joke.”
“Mitzi is no joke,” Snoozy huffed. “I’d be pleased to introduce you.”
Kerry glanced uneasily at Eugenia. The other woman lifted an eyebrow and Kerry got the message, loud and clear. How badly do you want this job?
She tipped up her chin and sidled over to join Snoozy beside the pen. He scanned the interior, then pointed to the far left corner. Kerry followed his finger, and froze.
Something slithered.
Something big.
“Beautiful, isn’t she?” Snoozy spoke in hushed tones.
Teeth digging into her lower lip, Kerry watched as a thick, round body, brown with gold markings, coiled around a horizontal tree trunk. The sinister motion seemed endless, and Kerry didn’t know whether to be impressed or terrified that there was no sign of the snake’s head. She looked around for Eugenia. Her “friend” was standing on the other side of the bar, pretending to have a fervent interest in a grouping of neon signs announcing You’ve Been Drafted, Beer Yourself and Someone Get the Lites.
Kerry swung back around and willed her gaze to return to the snake. There was some comfort, anyway, in knowing where the thing was. “How big is she?”
“Ten feet. She weighs sixty, maybe seventy pounds.”
“Um...would that be part of the job? Taking care of...Mitzi?”
Snoozy sagged. Even his moustache seemed to wilt. “This is why I’m not crazy about going away. No one appreciates Mitzi like I do. But Audrey has her heart set on a honeymoon.”
Eugenia crossed the room again, giving Mitzi a wide berth. “The good news is, you won’t come home and find out she’s been barbecued, since the person who suggested eating her is the same person sharing your honeymoon.”
Snoozy brightened. Kerry hugged her sweater closer, no longer enjoying the smell of that chili.
Eugenia clapped her hands. “Let’s get this show on the road. I need to get back to my shop.”
The door swung open, letting in the sounds of traffic. A heavyset man with a bushy gray beard stood blinking at them.
Snoozy waved him away. “Not open yet.”
“C’mon, Snooze, I’m hungry.”
“And it’ll be my pleasure to feed you, Dale. At eleven-oh-one.”
The man stomped back outside.
Kerry aimed a tentative smile at Snoozy. “So. Not being a big fan of snakes is strike one against hiring me.”
He shook out the towel and folded it in half. “There a strike two?”
She nodded. “Harris Briggs is my father.”
Snoozy went still, and scrunched his forehead. “That means...”
“Yes. I was convicted of a felony and spent six months under house arrest.”
He cast a furtive glance at Eugenia. “Had something to do with money, I heard.”
Kerry managed a nod. “Receiving stolen property and conspiracy to commit fraud.”
Eugenia opened her mouth, then closed it. A familiar flush of shame heated Kerry’s cheeks. There were no extenuating circumstances. No defense for what she’d done.
“When do you leave on your honeymoon?” she asked the bar owner quietly.
“Ten days.” There was no mistaking his reluctance, and Kerry’s heart sank. “We’ll be out of the area for three weeks,” he continued.
“What if I work the first week for meals only?” When the sides of his mouth curved downward, she pushed her shoulders back. “I’m desperate for this job. I hurt a lot of people, financially and emotionally. I have amends to make, and I intend to make them. But I can’t do it without a job.”
“A lot of folks would say you should have thought of that before spending money you didn’t have.”
“A lot of folks would be right. There’s nothing about this situation that doesn’t shame me, except for my resolve to fix it.”
“This place is all I have,” he said gruffly.
“I understand.” Kerry forced a smile. “Thank you for even considering it.”
“Well.” Eugenia sighed the word as she adjusted the buckle on her purse. “At least Harris will be relieved.”
Snoozy’s gaze sharpened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“The man is being his usual pigheaded self. Not only did he dismiss Kerry’s plan to pay back her debts, he refused to let her stay with him. He sent her to Joe’s instead. She’s been there since Monday.”
Snoozy regarded Kerry with a combination of disgust and speculation. “Harris sent you to Joe’s motel?”
“To be fair, he had no idea I was coming to town.”
“Your own father sent you to a motel.” Snoozy’s mouth tightened. “You know, he mocked my Mitzi.”
“No.” Eugenia gave the word enough lingering, horrified glee to make a daytime soap star green with envy, and it was all Kerry could do not to roll her eyes.
Snoozy nodded emphatically. “He asked if Audrey would be making her own wedding dress. Out of snakeskin.”
“He didn’t.”
Snoozy pressed a fist to his mouth, made a gurgling sound and nodded again. Eventually he held up a hand and cleared his throat. “Tried to patch things up by offering to put together Aud’s bouquet using Parker’s specialty tulips, but the bottom line is, doing that man a favor ain’t exactly my priority.” His somber gaze settled on Eugenia. “You’ll vouch for her?” When Eugenia answered with an unequivocal yes, Snoozy slid the towel from his shoulder and dabbed his forehead. “Then I suppose it won’t hurt to give this a try, Kerry Briggs.”
The embarrassingly loud sound of Kerry’s thankful gasp was smothered by Eugenia’s delighted clap. “Thank you so much,” Kerry said. “I won’t let you down. It’s not Briggs, though. It’s Endicott.”
“Okay, Kerry Endicott. You’re in for some long hours. I’ll expect you to do things my way and not question why. The sheriff’s a good friend of mine. I’ll be asking him to check in regularly. No telling when he’ll stop by.”
“I understand.”
“Good. You can start tonight.”
Kerry blinked. “Tonight?”
“I need time to find someone else if you don’t work out.”
Relief warred with panic. “Fair enough.”
“Just who else do you think you’re going to get?” Eugenia demanded.
“Liz, maybe.” Snoozy hesitated. “Or Hazel. She offered to help out for free.”
“Liz is far too busy working with Parker at the greenhouses and raising that baby boy of hers,” Eugenia said. “And Mayor Hazel doesn’t have time for anything but that community center she and her sister are determined to finally make a reality. Besides, give her any control here and the first thing she’ll do is install a condom machine in each of the bathrooms.”
Snoozy’s face glowed red and Kerry fought not to smile.
Eugenia crossed her arms. “The second thing she’ll do is organize a wet T-shirt contest. Only male contestants need apply.”
The extra color faded from Snoozy’s cheeks. “Might bring more ladies in,” he said thoughtfully. “Which in turn would bring in more men.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Eugenia dropped her arms and bopped Snoozy with her clutch. “Hazel Catlett doesn’t know a Woo Woo from a Snakebite.”
Snoozy tugged at his moustache. “Don’t get much call for Woo Woos here. Beer, whiskey and wine. Even old Mr. Katz can handle that.”
This time Eugenia thumped Kerry with her clutch. “What’s in a Woo Woo?”
“Vodka, peach schnapps and cranberry juice.”
“There you go,” Eugenia said smugly. “Anyway, can old Mr. Katz or even Hazel handle drink deliveries, or cleaning up this place the morning after payday? Think of the business Kerry will bring in. Once people find out the new bartender is Harris’s daughter, you’ll be in danger of violating the fire code.”
Okay, that was a cheerful thought. Not.
“Guess I’ll see you tonight, then.” Snoozy sighed. “Don’t worry. I’ll find someone else to look after Mitzi.”
“Thank you,” Kerry said.
“Glad we got that settled.” Eugenia nodded crisply. “Now we should have plenty of time to get you moved out of the motel and into my apartment before you have to report back here.”
Kerry glanced uneasily from Snoozy to Eugenia. “That’s kind of you, but—”
“I’m not being kind, I’m being practical. How are you supposed to pay anyone back if you’re spending all your money at the motel? Besides, the sooner you settle your debts, the sooner we can gloat to your father about how wrong he was.”
“Sounds good to me.” Snoozy’s grin took ten years off his face. “Can’t have you working for free, now, can we?” He nudged Kerry with a bony elbow. “I’ll start you off low, though. Even with tips, you won’t be making much.”
“Any amount will help. I promise I won’t let you down.” Kerry shook his hand. “By the way, congratulations on your upcoming wedding.”
She hid a belated flinch. How long ago had Eugenia canceled her own ceremony?
Before she could issue an apology, the door opened behind them. Snoozy paled, and Kerry and Eugenia turned to see who had come in.
A rigid Harris Briggs stood in the doorway, in worn jeans and a maroon thermal shirt. His color was high, his eyebrows low. His disbelieving gaze traveled from Eugenia to Kerry to Snoozy. His massive chest swelled as he inhaled.
“Traitors,” he growled.
Slam.
Eugenia stared at the door, Snoozy at the ceiling and Kerry at Mitzi’s pen. An elongated, V-shaped head with obsidian eyes stared back at her through the plexiglass, and Kerry could almost hear the snake wondering what a North Carolina girl might taste like.
Panic baked the inside of her mouth. No way she could stay in Castle Creek. Her plan had always been to pay her literal dues, then return to blessed urban anonymity, not become part of a community where everyone would know not only her name, but every one of her failings, too.
It took her two tries to get the words out. “Sure you don’t need me to demonstrate my cocktail skills?”
“Good idea,” Snoozy said hoarsely. “I’ll take one of those margaritas.”
“Count me in,” Eugenia said, and marched toward the nearest wooden stool.
Kerry hoped Snoozy carried a decent cider, because she was opting for a Snakebite.
Might as well get it over with.
* * *
HER FIRST SHIFT at Snoozy’s, and Kerry started out doing everything right. She exchanged her usual heels for comfortable, nonslip shoes and wore a sleeveless top with her black jeans, in deference to the bar’s subtropical temp. She showed up early and immediately checked her stock. The bar was astonishingly low on pineapple juice and mint, but when she mentioned it to Snoozy, he snickered and said they’d be in good shape until the order arrived the following week.
She made the sour mix, refilled the ice well and wiped everything down while familiarizing herself with the setup. She gave the bathrooms a once-over and verified drink prices with Snoozy.
But she couldn’t help feeling she was doing it all wrong. With every lime she sliced, cabinet she explored and pour spout she inserted, shame nagged. Slowed her thought processes, and made her fingers clumsy. She couldn’t stop seeing the wounded look on her father’s face when he’d walked into the bar that morning.
Traitors.
She was doing it again. Dragging the innocent down with her.
“Easy there, barkeep.” Snoozy put a finger on the tip of the stainless-steel spoon she was using to stir a Brass Monkey. “You’re mixing a drink, not calling in the ranch hands for dinner.”
With a feeble chuckle, Kerry surrendered the bar spoon. She garnished the drink with an extra cherry, set it on a cocktail napkin and slid it across the bar to a woman who, fortunately, was paying too much attention to a man at the corner table to care how much time the bartender had taken with her drink. Or how much of a racket she’d made.
“Enjoy,” Kerry told her.
The woman nodded distractedly and turned away.
Kerry offered her boss a rueful smile. “Good thing it’s not as busy as you thought it might be.” Especially since Ruthie had called in sick. Kerry couldn’t help wondering if the server was staging some kind of protest, but Snoozy didn’t seem worried.
The bar had been empty when she’d arrived, and still smelling of chili, with the biggest noisemaker the lazy, rattling hum of the overhead fans. Ninety minutes later, a mere half-dozen customers were enjoying The Very Best of Neil Diamond crooning through Snoozy’s surprisingly advanced Bluetooth speakers. Still, a french fries and grilled onions haze had overtaken the smell of oregano, and Snoozy kept Kerry sufficiently busy to prevent her from scoping out the lock on Mitzi’s pen every ten minutes.
A glance at the Yuengling clock over the bar showed it had been closer to thirty. Her chin jerked toward the pen. Yep. Padlock in place. She turned back to Snoozy, who rolled red-rimmed eyes.
“We’re only slow because no one knew you’d be here tonight,” he said. “Tomorrow night it’ll be a different story.”
Kerry’s stomach dropped. Which of her customers would stare, or shake their heads in disgust, or even walk out if they knew she was an ex-con? All of them? None of them? Did they know her father? Would it make a difference?
Or would they slide onto one of the scuffed wooden bar stools, lean in and ask if she’d ever met Piper Kerman of Orange Is the New Black fame and did she get any tattoos and not that they wanted to be nosy, but did she really go without sex the entire time she was behind bars?
Nobody wanted to hear about boring ol’ home detention.
She pulled in a breath. She had no business thinking of Snoozy’s patrons as her customers, anyway.
“I’m sorry,” she finally said. “For causing trouble between you and my father.”
“Don’t be sorry. Be dependable.”
She suppressed the urge to protest. If there was one thing she’d learned from her dealings with the court system, it was when to keep her mouth shut.
A pang of regret darted through her chest. The best way to fight it? Motion. She opened the refrigerator and peered in, took stock again, made sure the pour spout on the half-and-half was closed. Then she faced her new employer, a question about whether he allowed customers to run tabs hovering on her tongue.
But instead of keeping an eye on her, Snoozy was tossing lingering glances around the bar, as if filing away memories to call on during his time away. Or maybe he was gauging how much damage she could do. Kerry used the bar spoon to straighten the orange wedges in her garnish tray. Either way, it was clear he was having second thoughts.
Who could blame him? She was, too.
Her gaze followed the path Snoozy’s had taken, from the giggly girl smoking two guys at pool, to the middle-aged couple sitting side by side in a booth, nursing their drinks and staring more at each other than the menu, to the nerdy-looking dude in the corner, who appeared more interested in his laptop than the beer Snoozy had set him up with an hour ago.
Or maybe he was trying to make it last so he wouldn’t have to get his refill from Kerry. They’d made eye contact once, and he hadn’t looked impressed. Not that she’d expected him to. Or wanted him to.
Just as well. No guy would be interested in a woman with a past like hers. Anyway, she needed to focus her energy on one thing.
Atonement.
The door opened, and the bar quieted as all eyes landed on a thin teenage boy with pale skin and shoulder-length red hair. He wore faded yellow high-tops and a long-sleeved tee over shiny black basketball shorts. Just as Kerry was wondering with a sinking feeling if he was chasing down a missing parent, Snoozy gestured for her to follow him to the end of the bar, where he waved the boy over.
“Kerry, I want you to meet Dylan. He’ll be looking after Mitzi for me.”
“You will?” She grabbed the teen’s hand with both of hers and laid a fervent shake/squeeze combo on him. “My hero,” she said.
He blushed so hard, his freckles disappeared. “No big deal,” he muttered. “Mitzi’s cool.”
“Heroic and humble.” Kerry smiled, leaned in. “Truth is, Mitzi freaks me out a little, so I’m glad you’ll be around.”
She was laying it on a little thick, but the purple shadows under the teen’s eyes made her heart hurt.
Dylan’s blush deepened. “I can take out the trash. Do other stuff you need.”
“That would be great. I can see you’re going to be a huge help.”
He dipped his head. When his phone pinged, he hustled off into a corner and started typing with his thumbs, stopping every now and then to shoot a glance back at the bar.
Snoozy gave Kerry a considering look. “That kid’s standing a foot taller.”
“There’s something about him...”
“He’s had it rough.” His face tightened. “He lives four blocks away, so he doesn’t have far to walk. He’ll be in every day after school to change Mitzi’s water and clean her bedding. A few odd jobs on top of that won’t hurt, but don’t keep him long. He’ll have homework and chores of his own at home. I’m putting him to work right away so he can get used to the routine. He’ll be starting tonight.”
“He’ll feed Mitzi, too?”
“On Tuesdays. She only needs to be fed once a week. I’ll make sure someone’s around to help, though Dylan knows better than to handle her on his own.”
“She only eats once a week?”
Snoozy nodded. “Obesity’s a problem for pythons in captivity.”
“Interesting. Although,” Kerry said, drawing out the word, “the fatter she is, the slower she’ll move.”
“Pythons don’t chase their prey. They’re ambush hunters.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” She scrambled for a change of subject. “It’s okay to let a minor in the bar?”
“As long as he’s supervised. Don’t let him wander off or we could get in trouble. If the bar’s busy, keep him with you, or ask him to come back later. I’m going in the back to make some phone calls. Any other questions?”
“Would you happen to have a sweater I could borrow? It was pretty warm in here this morning and now I’m wishing I’d worn something with a little more fabric.” Though they both knew her goose bumps had little to do with the cool air.
“Yeah, the AC’s temperamental. Kind of like my bride-to-be.” He grinned, and some of the tension in Kerry’s shoulders eased.
“Let me see what I can find in the back,” he said.
“You can borrow mine.”
Kerry swung around. A smiling blonde flanked by two other women held out a purple cardigan. She gave it a shake when Kerry hesitated.
“It’s okay,” the blonde said. “I don’t need it.”
“That’s so nice of you, Allison.” Still Kerry hesitated. “But I might spill something on it.”
“You remembered my name.” The other woman beamed. Kerry didn’t deserve her delight, though. She couldn’t help but remember, considering she’d run into Allison probably two or three times a day for the past couple of days. Allison Gallahan and her husband, Joe, owned Sleep at Joe’s, the motel where Kerry had stayed before moving into Eugenia’s apartment that afternoon.
“It’s washable.” Allison tugged at Kerry’s hand and draped the sweater over her forearm. “It has to be. I have a kid. You’ve met Parker, right?”
Kerry managed a smile for Parker Macfarland, who stood on Allison’s right. The redhead wore jeans, an emerald top and an expression free of censure.
“It’s nice to see you again,” Kerry said.
Snoozy held up Allison’s sweater so Kerry could poke her arms into the sleeves. “This third one here, she’s trouble.” He winked at the woman on the other side of Allison, the youngest of the three—and the least friendly looking.
“I’m Liz,” she said. She flicked a mass of pale blond corkscrew curls over one shoulder and thrust a hand across the bar. “Liz Watts. I used to work here.”
“Liz left us to work full-time with Parker. Place just isn’t the same. Say...” Snoozy directed the word to his feet. “Mind if Kerry gets your number? Case something comes up while I’m gone?”
“Good idea.” Liz stared, unsmiling, at Kerry. “Because you never know.”
Parker tossed a quick side-eye in Liz’s direction. “Though I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“And if you’re not, we’ll help,” Allison added firmly. “After all, Eugenia sent us to offer moral support for your inaugural shift. Didn’t she, Liz?”
Liz grunted, sounding eerily like Snoozy.
“That’s kind of you,” Kerry said. She seemed to be saying that a lot these days. She really was grateful, but she couldn’t help feeling uneasy, too. She was racking up a lot of favors.
Allison waved away her compliment. “We’re not kind, we’re curious. Plus, Liz and I are in dire need of a little baby-free time.”
Kerry nodded in faux understanding. These three had each other’s backs. What would that be like?
Stop taking advantage of people and maybe someday you’ll find out.
Snoozy rapped his knuckles on the bar. “Glad we got that that settled. I’ll let you ladies talk.”
His sound system started playing “Hotel California” and he whistled as he headed toward the kitchen, quicker than Kerry had seen him move all night.
“So what can I get you three to drink?” she asked.
“A mocktail for me.” Parker patted her baby bump. “Bet you all didn’t think I knew that word. Here’s another. I’ll have a no-jito. Get it? That’s a mojito with no alcohol.” Her bravado slipped as she eyed Kerry. “Can you do that?”
“I can definitely do that.” Though that would probably use up the last of the mint. Next round she’d have to talk Parker into something else. Kerry turned to Liz and Allison. “And for you two?”
“We’d each like to try a Blue Hawaiian,” Liz said.
“We would?”
Liz elbowed Allison without looking her way. “Have you heard of it?”
“I haven’t, but I can look it up.” Kerry retrieved her tablet from under the bar and pressed a few keys. When she located the recipe, she couldn’t help a chuckle.
“Rule number one.” Liz glared. “Don’t make fun of a customer’s drink choice.”
“I’m so sorry. I promise I wasn’t laughing at your order. Earlier I told Snoozy we were low on pineapple juice, and he looked at me like I’d grown a second head. I should have enough for two of these, though.” Kerry scrounged for the professionalism that had once made her a passable barkeep. “Did you know the Blue Hawaiian is also called the swimming pool cocktail?”
Liz’s expression cleared. “Snoozy always was surprised when we ran out of fruit juice and peach schnapps. You might want to go ahead and pick some up, and reimburse yourself from petty cash. That is...” She cocked her head. “Is he even trusting you with the petty cash?”
CHAPTER THREE
PARKER SUCKED IN a breath.
“What the hell?” Allison whispered harshly.
Even Liz looked startled by what she’d said.
“He is trusting me with the petty cash,” Kerry said evenly. No need to point out Snoozy was trusting her with the whole damned bar. “I don’t intend to let him down. Excuse me while I find the curaçao.”
She turned away and scanned the mirrored shelves. She knew exactly where Snoozy kept the blue curaçao, but she needed a moment to remember how to breathe. Liz’s words may have been unkind, but they weren’t unfair.
She walked away from the furious whispers behind her, rolling her shoulders in a futile attempt to shake off her distress. Gratitude was what she should be feeling. For freedom. For second chances. For this job.