“Family business?” Her long black ponytail whipped him in the shoulder as she turned her head.
“You said you grew up in them.”
“Oh, right.” One hand lifted to rub her ear, the one with four studs in it. Damn, why was that hot? He’d never noticed piercings on a woman before. Never cared. But for whatever reason, the reminder she wasn’t quite country revved his blood. “We never owned bars, really. My mom just worked in them my whole life. Once I was old enough, it was a natural progression to get a job there. It stuck.”
“But you didn’t stick. You’ve moved around a lot.”
“Where Mother went, so did I. At least until I felt like I could strike out on my own. But even when I tried to go it alone, I wasn’t finding anywhere that felt permanent.”
He shouldn’t ask, but he did anyway. “Are you planning on sticking here?”
Her eyes grew hot. “Yes. I’m here to stay. And if anyone has a problem with it, they can—”
“Whoa, now. Easy.” He rubbed her shoulder in soft circles. “I wasn’t asking you to pack up and get out of town. Just making conversation.”
She blinked, as if not even realizing she’d been so fired up. “Sorry. I’m just tired of people around here thinking I’m a flash in the pan. That I’m too city to stick.”
It hurt her, he could tell. To be thought so little of. To be thought less because she wasn’t a native. “Who said that to you?” He’d kick their ass.
Wait. He’d what? No, no, he would not. He wasn’t a hot-blooded teenager with raging hormones anymore. She wasn’t the star cheerleader he wanted to impress more than anything. This wasn’t high school. He was a father, for the love of God.
“Nobody.” She smiled a little and took a sip of the water she’d given herself before sitting back down. “You know people are too polite for that. But I have my ways of hearing things. Though I do try to ignore gossip. It can be ugly,” she added.
Definitely a story behind that one.
“Small town. Gossip is the course between dinner and dessert.”
She snorted. “I’m learning that. It’s getting harder and harder to avoid it.”
He liked that. That she at least made the attempt to avoid it, even though it might make it harder for her to acclimate. Plus, he didn’t have to wonder what she’d heard about him. A true blank slate.
A pretty brunette waitress walked by at that moment and cozied up to the bar next to Jo. “Hey. Shouldn’t you be out doing something other than this?”
“Probably, but this is what I’m doing, isn’t it?” Jo shifted ever so slightly away from him in her chair. Maybe it was just his imagination, or she was only getting comfortable. But it felt to him like she purposely drew away from him.
The waitress looked over, as if just noticing him. “Oh, hey, Trace.”
“Hi. How’re things?” He wracked his brain for the name. He probably should know it. It was an A-something. April, Ashley …
“Things are good. You’ve been in town awhile. Planning to make it a permanent move?” Was it his imagination or did she really just jut her breasts out a little farther in that tight uniform shirt?
And did Jo scoot farther away?
“Amanda!” another server called from behind her. “Table nineteen is ready to cash out.”
Amanda. Right. He thanked his lucky stars he was saved from having to remember it himself. He sucked at names … which only made it more awkward when he would run into a woman on the rodeo circuit he’d slept with once, thinking he’d never see her again.
That only happened … always.
Amanda rolled her eyes in response, but she smiled brightly enough that he knew it was only for effect.
Jo swatted her arm. “Go make me some money.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She gave a demure nod of her head, which contradicted the twinkle in her eye. Then she scurried off to do whatever it was waitresses did behind the scenes.
Jo smiled as she watched Amanda hustle off. “She’s one of the best. Despite the attitude,” she added with a laugh. “She’s cheeky, but it’s always in good fun.”
“The best kind of cheeky.” It wasn’t his imagination. Jo’s attitude toward him had definitely cooled off. What the hell had he done wrong?
After a minute, Jo stood and brushed her hands off. “Well, thanks for the company.”
“Yeah …” What could he say to keep her longer? “How about sometime we—”
She shook her head, the small hoops in her bottom piercings wiggling enticingly. “I think I know where you’re going with that, and it’s best we just not take that trip.”