Bucking the Rules(27)
She had him there.
“Should you be driving if it hurts that badly?”
“Steve took Lad back with him. I’m on my own so I can pull over when I need to stretch it out. But I’m probably not going to get back tonight, just a warning. I’ll need to pull over and rest for a while.”
“No problem. Little man here’s about to hit the hay and then he’s out for the night. I’m not going anywhere, so we’re set. Just be careful on the road.”
“Yeah …” He thought about it a little and wondered if maybe he should push all the way home. “Just don’t expect me tonight.”
“You got it. We’ll see you tomorrow, and don’t push yourself.”
She hung up without a good-bye. So like Peyton.
Don’t push himself. Well, Peyton had ordered. And if Seth was going down for the night …
Trace ran some calculations and wondered if he could really make it back to Marshall tonight. Maybe, but it might not feel great.
He’d try. And if he made it, he might see about stopping in and asking a certain bartender to work a kink out in his back.
He could only try.
Jo watched the young man pound back his third beer in an hour. If he ordered another, she’d have to call him a cab or refuse service. She always hated playing hardball, so it was time to be a little diplomatic instead. She walked up and leaned over the bar, elbows resting on the polished wood.
“Have you been in here before?”
The younger man—she knew he was twenty-two, as she’d checked his ID herself—predictably let his eyes wander from her face down to the cleavage the polo shirt provided. She couldn’t even bring herself to be annoyed about it. The reaction was too expected to rate annoyance. “I’ve been here. Just hang out in the back, usually.”
“And I’m always up front.” She took his empty away and started to fill a tumbler with ice. “Mind keeping me company while I take a quick breather?”
He nodded, then shook his head. “Sure. I mean, I don’t mind.”
He was cute, in an awkward, still finding his feet sort of way. She poured him some water as well, and as she hoped, he took a sip to match her own. Years and years behind the bar provided enough tricks to get a patron to slow down without being blunt. Lucky for her, her new young friend was easily led.
“So you work on one of the ranches around here?” She pulled the hair from her ponytail off her flushed neck and fanned the skin a little.
“Hell, no.” He looked offended. “I’m just home on break. I’m heading to law school next semester in Vermillion.”
“A smarty. I like a guy with brains.” The quick, teasing comment made him flush. Cute. “What’s your name again?”
“J. J. Jeff,” he corrected. “Jeff Junior, but everyone called me J. J. growing up. I’m trying to get rid of it.”
“Well, Jeff, it’s nice to meet you.” She held out a hand and he quickly shook it. She flashed him an apologetic smile as she stood to fill an order quickly, and then came back. “Excited about law school?”
“Sure. Family business. Can’t beat what you already know.”
She could relate, so she nodded. “Leaving any girls back here with broken hearts while you run off to school?”
“No,” he answered fast. “No girls.”
“Just as well for them, then. No need to leave a trail of crumbled souls behind you, right?” Jo winked, then glanced up as Stu motioned for her to follow him into the kitchen. “Looks like my break’s over. Thanks for keeping me company.”
He saluted her with his ice water, and she was relieved to see it didn’t appear as though he would order another drink. With any luck, he’d finish off that glass before heading out the door. And as she watched from a distance while he cashed out with her secondary bartender, leaving a healthy tip behind, she was glad to see he walked straight and without a hitch. She took her business seriously, and over-serving was never an option.
Three hours later, Jo stretched and watched the last of her servers clock out for the evening. Amanda hung back and waited while the rest walked across the street to the parking lot as a group.
“How was your date?” Jo asked, swiping her manager’s card to bring up the day’s receipts.
Amanda gave her a knowing smile. “Can’t complain.”
“Who was the lucky cowboy?”
“Oh, some guy passing through. I think he’s already gone.” Amanda shrugged and folded her apron before tossing it into a bin to be laundered. “I wasn’t looking for forever. For now is good enough. Know what I mean?”