Read Online Resurrection in Mudbug by Jana DeLeon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jana DeLeon
Ads: Link
don’t apologize to me. You ain’t got nothing to apologize for.”
“I think I better go,” Maryse said.
Bill squeezed her shoulder. “The bar’s closed on Sundays, but I’m here doing the books. If you want to come in and sit with it all for a spell, just knock on the door. My granny always said everything could be fixed by sitting with it.”
“Thanks,” Maryse said and gave Jadyn a nod before allowing Mildred to guide her out of the bar.
Colt watched them leave, then downed a big gulp of beer. “Am I to assume you started this mess?” he asked Jadyn.
Jadyn took in his somewhat aggrieved expression and felt her irritation grow. “I did nothing of the sort. All I wanted to do was have a beer and relax, maybe get the local gossip.”
Colt shook his head. “You were flashing your goods at the locals and trying to find out who got to that pond first.”
“I was doing nothing of the sort,” she said, not sounding the least bit convincing.
“You can’t do this kind of thing in Mudbug,” Colt continued, completely ignoring her denial. “The men here aren’t used to this kind of play. You’ll end up causing a fight every time, and likely leave with nothing but a wasted night and a few more enemies in the end.”
“Maybe a few fans,” Bill said and winked at Jadyn. “Why didn’t you tell me you were looking for information on the pond? I could have told you anything that’s been passed around the bar.”
“Because I don’t know you?” Jadyn suggested.
Bill stroked his chin. “I guess there is that, but I bet Colt here was coming in to do the same thing, despite all his claims of peaceful beer-drinking.”
Jadyn narrowed her eyes at him. “I see. So it’s okay for you to come in here and ask questions but not for me to do so, even though I’m in charge.”
Bill whistled and leaned back against the bar, ready for the show.
“Look,” Colt said, “it’s not about who’s in charge. It’s about how things get done in small towns. Men in places like Mudbug are not ready for women in charge who look like you—especially not dressed like that. It clouds their minds and then they do stupid things.”
“Ha,” Jadyn said. “I’ll bet a million dollars Junior has been doing stupid things since birth. The way I’m dressed didn’t have a thing to do with it.”
“She’s got a point,” Bill said.
Colt glared at the bar owner. “Whose side are you on?”
Bill grinned. “Do you have to ask?”
Colt threw his hands in the air. “Fine, keep dressing like you’re going to a city club and stirring up the locals, but the next time, I’m not wading into the fray.”
“Who asked you to?” Jadyn shot back. “I was doing fine on my own.”
“Didn’t look like it from where I stood. Speaking of which, who pushed me into that freight train Junior?”
Jadyn shrugged. “Someone with a warrant? Got to be a few of those in this town.”
Bill nodded. “More than a few, I’d imagine. Anyway, if the two of you would stop running your mouth for a minute, I’ll tell you what you came for. Might as well shut down early and watch Saturday Night Live since you ran off all my customers.”
Jadyn and Colt took seats at the bar in front of Bill, and Jadyn took a drink of her beer. “So you know who was first to find the money in the pond?”
“Maybe.”
Jadyn snapped her fingers. “ SNL is waiting. Talk.”
Bill grinned. “Bossy. I like that.” He leaned forward and placed his hands on the bar. “It wasn’t Junior that found the money. He broadcast to his friends, but I could hear people yelling in the background when he sent out the call. I figure they was already at the pond.”
“So how did Junior find out?” Jadyn asked.
“He says a call went out on Marty’s channel that bass was biting big at the pond.”
“Marty?” Colt shook his head. “That can’t be right.”
Jadyn stared. “Marty, as in the guy who owns the garage? The garage where we left the boat last
“I think I better go,” Maryse said.
Bill squeezed her shoulder. “The bar’s closed on Sundays, but I’m here doing the books. If you want to come in and sit with it all for a spell, just knock on the door. My granny always said everything could be fixed by sitting with it.”
“Thanks,” Maryse said and gave Jadyn a nod before allowing Mildred to guide her out of the bar.
Colt watched them leave, then downed a big gulp of beer. “Am I to assume you started this mess?” he asked Jadyn.
Jadyn took in his somewhat aggrieved expression and felt her irritation grow. “I did nothing of the sort. All I wanted to do was have a beer and relax, maybe get the local gossip.”
Colt shook his head. “You were flashing your goods at the locals and trying to find out who got to that pond first.”
“I was doing nothing of the sort,” she said, not sounding the least bit convincing.
“You can’t do this kind of thing in Mudbug,” Colt continued, completely ignoring her denial. “The men here aren’t used to this kind of play. You’ll end up causing a fight every time, and likely leave with nothing but a wasted night and a few more enemies in the end.”
“Maybe a few fans,” Bill said and winked at Jadyn. “Why didn’t you tell me you were looking for information on the pond? I could have told you anything that’s been passed around the bar.”
“Because I don’t know you?” Jadyn suggested.
Bill stroked his chin. “I guess there is that, but I bet Colt here was coming in to do the same thing, despite all his claims of peaceful beer-drinking.”
Jadyn narrowed her eyes at him. “I see. So it’s okay for you to come in here and ask questions but not for me to do so, even though I’m in charge.”
Bill whistled and leaned back against the bar, ready for the show.
“Look,” Colt said, “it’s not about who’s in charge. It’s about how things get done in small towns. Men in places like Mudbug are not ready for women in charge who look like you—especially not dressed like that. It clouds their minds and then they do stupid things.”
“Ha,” Jadyn said. “I’ll bet a million dollars Junior has been doing stupid things since birth. The way I’m dressed didn’t have a thing to do with it.”
“She’s got a point,” Bill said.
Colt glared at the bar owner. “Whose side are you on?”
Bill grinned. “Do you have to ask?”
Colt threw his hands in the air. “Fine, keep dressing like you’re going to a city club and stirring up the locals, but the next time, I’m not wading into the fray.”
“Who asked you to?” Jadyn shot back. “I was doing fine on my own.”
“Didn’t look like it from where I stood. Speaking of which, who pushed me into that freight train Junior?”
Jadyn shrugged. “Someone with a warrant? Got to be a few of those in this town.”
Bill nodded. “More than a few, I’d imagine. Anyway, if the two of you would stop running your mouth for a minute, I’ll tell you what you came for. Might as well shut down early and watch Saturday Night Live since you ran off all my customers.”
Jadyn and Colt took seats at the bar in front of Bill, and Jadyn took a drink of her beer. “So you know who was first to find the money in the pond?”
“Maybe.”
Jadyn snapped her fingers. “ SNL is waiting. Talk.”
Bill grinned. “Bossy. I like that.” He leaned forward and placed his hands on the bar. “It wasn’t Junior that found the money. He broadcast to his friends, but I could hear people yelling in the background when he sent out the call. I figure they was already at the pond.”
“So how did Junior find out?” Jadyn asked.
“He says a call went out on Marty’s channel that bass was biting big at the pond.”
“Marty?” Colt shook his head. “That can’t be right.”
Jadyn stared. “Marty, as in the guy who owns the garage? The garage where we left the boat last
Similar Books
