that first night,â she added.
âIâm thinking about relaxing the other rules too.â
But not because Caroline showed up.
He leaned his head back, knowing he needed another combat nap or heâd fall asleep standing up at work tonight. He closed his eyes and prepared to drift off into a dream that might become a realityâÂif he meant what heâd said about relaxing his rule. Sure, Dominic would still kick the shit out of him if he ever made his way back to Oregon. And after losing her baby, suffering a breakup with her asshole ex, Josie might be looking for a helluva lot more than Noah could deliver.
He frowned. She deserved a lot after all sheâd been through. What had she said yesterday? Look all you want, I donât fall for the good guys? But he wasnât a saint. Not even close. If she accepted that, then maybe a night or twoâÂ
âI just wanted to know if Caroline was part of your naked-Âbull-Âriding club,â Josie murmured. âIf her membership might be current.â
âNo. We were never involved,â he said without opening his eyes. âAnd for the record, sweetheart, youâre the only member of that club.â
Â
Chapter Seven
âI HEAR YOUR staffing criteria has shifted from experienced bartenders to women who need a job.â Chad Summers walked up to the nearly empty bar twenty minutes after noon on Friday.
Noah glanced at the door to the back room. Josie was in there teaching Caroline how to use the commercial dishwasher, a skill Josie herself had only picked up a few days ago. The two women got along just fine now that heâd erased Josieâs concern that heâd been naked bull riding, or naked anything else, with Caroline.
And it probably helped that Caroline had taken a shower. Plus, his fellow marine had agreed to let him keep her gun in his safe. He just hoped they didnât break the dishwasher during the lesson or heâd be serving everyone in plastic cups until he could replace it.
âTheyâre not pouring shots and mixing drinks,â Noah said.
âYet,â Chad said.
âYet,â Noah agreed. âWhat can I get for you?â
Moore Timberâs number one helicopter pilot pointed to Fernâs Hoppy Heaven, the special IPA half the country had stopped by to sample yesterday. At this rate, theyâd need another keg by tomorrow. âI hear Josie helped you get that crazy beer. Pretty damn impressive for one of your strays.â
âOne of my what?â Noah set the beer in front of Chad.
âElvira told everyone in the coffee line at The Three Sisters this morning about how youâd taken in two women desperate for work and given them jobs. She claims you have a heart of gold.â Chad raised his glass. âAll I can say is that itâs a damn good thing I found Lena in my bed before she met you.â
âElviraâs full of shit,â Noah said and Chad laughed. Hell, they both knew that was a lie. He had a cocktail waitress with a weekâs experience whoâd shown up on his doorstep damn near begging for the job. And a dishwasher who was wanted by the police. Plus, his former commanding officer might be hunting for Caroline. Oh, and she lived in his spare bedroom for now.
âHey, Josh is planning to stop in later,â Chad said after taking one long drink from his beer. âCan he slip into the back and talk to Caroline? He wanted to check in and apologize for mistaking her for a tree-Âhugger.â
âSure, though I donât think she took that as an insult.â
Chad snorted. âIt is to Josh.â
Noah nodded. The men whoâd built their lives around the timber industry, who took pride in caring for the land, harvesting and then replanting, they didnât exactly get along with the tree-Âhuggers.
âAfter all the time Josh volunteered to the search, yeah he can head back when he gets here,â Noah said.
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