LITMIR.BIZ

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you how friendly she could be. Now I have to ask—did you keep it?”

      “I thought it’d make a nice addition to my collection.”

      “No doubt about that.” She poured herself a diet cola. “I hope you washed your hands after touching it.”

      “Washed them and then stuck them in the disinfectant just to be safe.”

      Allie picked up her tray. “You don’t know how relieved I am to hear that.”

      He waited until she was out from behind the bar before saying, “And you were right.” She stopped and looked at him. “Her name and number were on the thong,” he said, “along with a little heart.” Which had half amused, half horrified him.

      Allie laughed again as she went to finish clearing tables.

      Dean lifted his hat long enough to run a wet hand through his hair. He needed to watch himself. She was damn likable, but he couldn’t let his guard down.

      Allie came back and set her tray on the bar. “So, tell me about this job in Saranac Lake.”

      She stood on tiptoe and reached for her soda. He caught a brief, tantalizing glimpse of smooth cleavage and a lacy black bra.

      He cleared his dry throat. “Tending bar at the Valley Brook Resort. Starts Monday.”

      “I’m impressed. The Valley Brook is pretty upscale. You must’ve wowed them with your interview.”

      “Like I didn’t wow you?”

      She tapped her fingertip against her glass. “Let’s just say I’m used to more…vocal interviewees. You know, people who speak when spoken to.”

      “Good thing for me the people at Valley Brook didn’t have the same problem.” He dried his hands and grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler. “Besides, I’m not sure what you’ve heard, but it’s important for bartenders to be good listeners. Not talkers.”

      She set her glass down with a soft clink. “Well, then you must be a great bartender.”

      He almost grinned. “I saved your ass tonight, didn’t I?”

      “That you did. Could you hand me a clean rag so I can wash off the tables?”

      He handed her one, making sure he didn’t touch her, then took a long drink before asking, “What happened to the bartender you did hire?”

      “Not sure. She seemed excited to get the job, and was even apologetic when she called to tell me she wasn’t coming in.” Allie shrugged. “Guess she had a better offer.”

      Yeah. She had. He’d made sure of it. Katherine had found out that Terri Long’s real ambition was the stage. She’d followed her boyfriend—a ski instructor—to Serenity Springs. Dean had pulled some strings and got Terri hired as an understudy in an off-, off-Broadway show, effectively ending Terri’s desire to work at The Summit.

      He wondered if it ended her desire for her boyfriend, as well.

      “That’s too bad,” he said. “Hope you find someone else.”

      

      “OKAY, GUYS, NIGHT’S OVER,” Allie told the last three men left in the bar. “Last call was forty-five minutes ago. Time for you to move on.”

      Two of them slid their chairs back, but the dark-haired one in the middle, the biggest one, didn’t budge. “I’m not done with my drink,” he slurred.

      She sighed. Why were the biggest ones always so much trouble? “You’ve got five minutes to finish it and get on your way. Or else I call the cops to come and escort you out.”

      “That won’t be necessary,” the taller, lankier one on the left said, his Adam’s apple bouncing as he swallowed. “Right, guys?”

      The shorter one with the thick neck nodded, while Big Guy glared at his beer.

      “Five minutes,” she repeated, walking away.

      Since Dean had everything under control behind the bar, she finished wiping off tables. She hated to think about what her night would’ve been like if he hadn’t shown up. Even Noreen had said he wasn’t half-bad.

      And from Noreen, that was high praise indeed.

      Allie scrubbed at a sticky spot on a corner table. She had to admit Dean had impressed her. He’d not only saved her ass—as he so eloquently put it—but he’d stuck around to help clean up. Which meant she might get home and in bed before the sun rose.

      Yep, no doubt about it. Dean was her hero. She wiped the table dry before setting the chairs on it. She just had to figure out how she was going to persuade him to give up his job in Saranac Lake and work for her instead.

      She ran her hands down her jeans, picked up her rags and headed behind the bar. “You have everything under control back here?”

      “So far,” Dean said.

      He was quite the man of understatement. But during the past few hours she’d come to realize that although he talked slowly and took his time, he was far from stupid or lazy. He got the job done, kept the customers happy and seemed at ease whether trying to sweet-talk Noreen into cleaning, or shutting down a young coed when they’d overimbided.

      Hey, maybe there was something to being laid-back.

      She’d have to give it a try sometime.

      She refilled her glass, drinking from it and then nodding at the three young men getting to their feet. “I’m glad they’re leaving. I was afraid I’d have to call Jack.”

      Dean tipped his hat back. “Jack? That your boyfriend?”

      “No, my brother.” She ran her finger through the condensation on her glass. “He’s also the police chief.”

      “That’s handy.”

      “It’s great,” she agreed. “I can always count on him to bail me out. And then lecture me until my eyes cross.”

      Was it any wonder she’d never told Jack what had happened a year ago, what she’d done, before she’d bought The Summit? Even after all these months she still had a hard time facing herself in the mirror. She didn’t need to face her family’s disappointment in her, as well.

      She bent to tie a bag of garbage closed as the three kids passed the bar. Instead of moseying on out, though, the big one stopped. “I changed my mind.” He hefted himself onto a stool and slammed his hand on the bar. “I want another beer before we go.”

      “Sorry, no can do,” Allie said before Dean could respond. “We’ve already had last call.”

      “Come on, Harry,” his tall buddy said, glancing warily at Dean. “Let’s get back to the hotel. We’ve got a twelve-pack there, remember?”

      Harry—did people still name their kids that?—stood and shoved his companion into the bar. “Back off. I want my beer here.”

      “I’m giving you ten seconds,” Allie said, making her voice as cold as the weather outside despite the uneasiness in her stomach, “then I’m calling the cops.”

      Harry puffed up his chest, swaying with the effort. “I’ll go when I’m ready to go.”

      Both of his friends began talking at once, trying to convince him. Before Allie could pick up the phone to call in the cavalry—namely Jack—Dean sighed and tossed down his cleaning rag. She grabbed his arm.

      “What are you doing?” she asked.

      He looked at her as if she’d been drinking the disinfectant solution. “I thought I’d convince young Harry and his followers to go home.”

      “But there are three of them.”

      He gently peeled her fingers off his arm. “I appreciate your concern, but I think I can handle the Three

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