said. âCongratulations on putting Big Buckâs on the map for something other than a mechanical bull.â
âThat hasnât been here in years,â she said, leading the way to the relative quiet of the back room.
âWow,â Josh said, drawing to a halt in the middle of the room. One glance at him, and Josie knew he wasnât staring at the row of kegs that had been delivered yesterday. Heâd spotted Caroline slamming the dishwasher closed.
âGetting out of the woods looks good on you, Miss Caroline,â he called.
Caroline turned and spotted Josh. She offered a tentative smile. âIâd been camping for a while when you found me,â she admitted.
âI owe you an apology,â he said. âI should have offered you a ride straight over to Big Buckâs. To Noah. Iâm sorry I didnât believe your story about someone being after you. I didnât realize you were a marine.â
She took a step back and her hand moved to her waistband searching for the weapon thankfully locked in Noahâs safe.
âYour secret is safe with me,â Josh said, still beaming at Caroline as if the sight of a petite woman in combat boots, jean shorts, and an oversized Big Buckâs shirt blew him away. âMy short-Âterm memory is still just starting to work again after a logging accident.â
âIâm sorry,â Caroline said. âAbout the accident.â
Josh shrugged. âSometime life delivers you a whole pile of shit and thereâs nothing you can do about it.â
âYes. It does.â Carolineâs arms dropped to her side.
âBut at the end of the day, my siblings found a great doctor for me and I learned to bake an awesome pie while working on my memory.â Josh rested an elbow on the stainless-Âsteel counter beside the dishwasher. âDo you like pie, Caroline?â
âI do,â she murmured.
âIâll bake one for you sometime.â He stood and took a step back. âIâll let you ladies get back to work. But Iâll see you soon, Miss Caroline. When I drop off your pie.â
Josh headed for the swinging door. He gave Caroline one last wave and disappeared into the other room.
âI canât accept a pie from him,â Caroline said. âOr eat one with him.â
âIf you give me a slice, Iâll chaperone your pie-Âeating date,â Josie volunteered.
The marine turned back to the dishwasher. âI canât.â
âItâs just dessert.â
Caroline glanced over her shoulder. A hollow, haunted look had replaced her smile. âItâs never just a pie.â
âI know.â One date, one dessert could stumble headlong into pain and heartache. And looking at the marine turned dishwasher, Josie knew there wasnât a single path that led to all that pain. âI know,â Josie added, âbut I still have a sweet tooth.â
Named Noah. . .
âI think I lost mine.â Caroline turned back to the dirty glasses. âI should get back to work.â
âMe too.â Josie headed for the room overflowing with customers. Every tip took her one step closer to thrusting her debt into the past. And after her shift, sheâd try for a taste of the man busting his ass behind the bar.
âYouâre better than ice cream, pie, and cookies combined,â she murmured. âOr at least you were five years ago.â
Â
Chapter Eight
B Y THREE IN the morning the DJ had packed up and theyâd drained the Hoppy Heaven kegs. Noah declared the cows home for the night and the place emptied out. He sent April, the experienced bartender his dad had hired seven or eight years ago to help cover the busy weekend nights, home an hour later.
Josie walked up to the bar. Sheâd removed her Big Buckâs apron. Between her little red sundress and cowboy boots, she looked like the missing âcountryâ in Big
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