Read Online Serving Trouble by Sara Jane Stone - Free Book Online

that first night,” she added.
    â€œI’m thinking about relaxing the other rules too.”
    But not because Caroline showed up.
    He leaned his head back, knowing he needed another combat nap or he’d fall asleep standing up at work tonight. He closed his eyes and prepared to drift off into a dream that might become a reality—­if he meant what he’d 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 she’d been through. What had she said yesterday? Look all you want, I don’t fall for the good guys? But he wasn’t a saint. Not even close. If she accepted that, then maybe a night or two—­
    â€œI just wanted to know if Caroline was part of your naked-­bull-­riding club,” Josie murmured. “If her membership might be current.”
    â€œNo. We were never involved,” he said without opening his eyes. “And for the record, sweetheart, you’re the only member of that club.”

 
    Chapter Seven
    â€œI HEAR YOUR staffing criteria has shifted from experienced bartenders to women who need a job.” 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 he’d erased Josie’s concern that he’d 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 didn’t break the dishwasher during the lesson or he’d be serving everyone in plastic cups until he could replace it.
    â€œThey’re not pouring shots and mixing drinks,” Noah said.
    â€œYet,” Chad said.
    â€œYet,” Noah agreed. “What can I get for you?”
    Moore Timber’s number one helicopter pilot pointed to Fern’s Hoppy Heaven, the special IPA half the country had stopped by to sample yesterday. At this rate, they’d need another keg by tomorrow. “I hear Josie helped you get that crazy beer. Pretty damn impressive for one of your strays.”
    â€œOne of my what?” Noah set the beer in front of Chad.
    â€œElvira told everyone in the coffee line at The Three Sisters this morning about how you’d taken in two women desperate for work and given them jobs. She claims you have a heart of gold.” Chad raised his glass. “All I can say is that it’s a damn good thing I found Lena in my bed before she met you.”
    â€œElvira’s full of shit,” Noah said and Chad laughed. Hell, they both knew that was a lie. He had a cocktail waitress with a week’s experience who’d 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.
    â€œHey, Josh is planning to stop in later,” Chad said after taking one long drink from his beer. “Can he slip into the back and talk to Caroline? He wanted to check in and apologize for mistaking her for a tree-­hugger.”
    â€œSure, though I don’t think she took that as an insult.”
    Chad snorted. “It is to Josh.”
    Noah nodded. The men who’d built their lives around the timber industry, who took pride in caring for the land, harvesting and then replanting, they didn’t exactly get along with the tree-­huggers.
    â€œAfter all the time Josh volunteered to the search, yeah he can head back when he gets here,” Noah said.