Chapter 3
THREE
KIRA
HIDDEN ASSETS
Lucky’s was bumping as usual. The bar was one big room with lazily spinning fans overhead to combat the humidity that was already creeping in. The next day was supposed to be a scorcher, and it looked like it was going to start with a steamy night.
A perfect sendoff for my last night at work. Now that I was taking over the taproom, it left me little time for a second job. I hadn’t really needed to work at Lucky’s for over a year. Tips didn’t need to be allocated to bills and savings, but I liked padding my drawers with extra play money.
Literally.
I had a secret compartment in my silverware drawer that I’d built to hold a stack of cash. It was annoying enough to get to that I had to really want the treat.
In my case a treat was often shoes and clothes—my secret weakness. And okay, sometimes a pint of ice cream or a fancy bar of chocolate.
Between the bar and the orchard, I didn’t really have any reason to dress up. Now that I was the face of Brothers Three Taproom, I could let that side of me out to play.
Starting tonight.
I fussed with the belt of my one-piece romper. The shorts were far more daring in length than I usually allowed myself. My body definitely leaned heavily into the sturdy column. Strong thighs and curves that headed a tick past lush, to be honest.
But I was tired of hiding everything beneath baggy shirts and khakis or the black-on-black uniform of being a bartender.
I had a closet full of gorgeous clothes that I had lovingly curated.
I wasn’t going to be afraid to wear them, dammit.
Since I was only working a few hours, I’d spent extra time in the shower, scrubbing every-damn-thing with a sugar exfoliant, leaving my skin super smooth and tanned with a light shimmer.
It was too blasted hot to leave my thick hair down so I’d just gone with a messy knot that TikTok taught me how to create. Damn videos always held me in a stranglehold, which was a good thing since I didn’t have a lot of girlfriends to teach me how to be a freaking girl.
Spending all my days with men definitely didn’t help in that regard. There was something to be said for a bit of girl armor when it came to this new phase of my life.
I slipped behind the bar and tied a short apron around my waist as I gave the room a quick perusal to see what I’d be dealing with tonight.
Summer meant long days and short nights with an extra layer of vacation vibes. Turnbull was primarily blue-collar men and women, many who worked the orchards and farms in the area.
July was the sweet spot, where people could still play a little harder before the harvest season really took over. Our version of a seasonal break.
Kids were out of school and schedules were much more relaxed. A rather large group of women were ruling the upper section of the bar. It looked like it was a moms’ night out, and based on the decibel of their rowdy laughter, I’d bet they were a few pitchers and shot glasses into their evening.
Time to boot the kids off to summer camp for a few weeks and let the adults play. I’d overheard a few people at the orchard doing a countdown for freedom. Being a parent was hard work and I was pretty sure in their place, I’d be doing the same.
The music was a mix of rock and country with a raucous feel to it. Ruby, the owner of Lucky’s, was good at knowing how to read the room and change the music up accordingly.
A pack of guys was holding court on the lower level near the huge television showing Wimbledon.
Even the most seasoned of sports fans had to have something to watch, but tennis wasn’t exactly the draw for this crowd, even if it was the finals.
They were looking for a way into the crush of women on the upper level.
It didn’t matter if it was a high school dance, or a bar—there was always a line in the sand between the boys and girls. Someone needed to break the ice.
“Aren’t you dolled up tonight.”
I grinned over at Ruby. “Special occasion.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.” She glanced out at the lower level to point out the ever-klutzy Shayna currently bumping her way around tables. “I really need to fire that girl.”
“Nah. She’s getting the hang of it. She just needs to find a little confidence. When she’s not being self-conscious, she does an awesome job.”
Ruby grunted and shuffled three pint glasses under a trio of taps and pulled the levers down to fill them all at once. The sweet hops followed by the sharp tang of citrus rose off the summer beer.
“Then why don’t you give her a dash of confidence so I don’t kill her?”
I laughed and grabbed a bucket and filled it with crushed ice and dumped a bunch of quartered limes inside and a bottle of tequila along with a sleeve of plastic shot glasses.
As I stepped around the bar, I grabbed a salt shaker off one of the tables and tucked it in the pocket of my romper.
“I’ll go get the moms juiced up and do the rounds. ”
“Not sure they need any more,” she called after me.
Tequila shots were always a good way to help people mingle.
I waded into the crowd and slapped a smile on my face as I enjoyed a few startled glances. My usual uniform of a T-shirt and jeans was little different than the orchard.
I’d worked at Lucky’s since I was old enough to bus a table and had advanced my way up to bartending.
There had never seemed to be enough money, even before I’d become the pariah of Turnbull.
Cleaning up after my family always seemed to include losing whatever savings I’d managed to squirrel away.
Because of that I’d never made time to do anything other than work and try not to get noticed.
Needless to say, people weren’t used to seeing me dressed up. Tonight I had big gold hoops at my ears, and stacked necklaces in a few different layers filled the deep open collar of the button-down romper. A heavier linked chain hugged the top of my neck with a tiny lock, making me feel sexy.
A hushed murmur followed me as I climbed the stairs, my paisley heels clicking on each step. The bucket was starting to sweat in my hands, or was that nerves?
I lifted my chin as I got to the top of the stairs and set the bucket down with a snap. “Hi, ladies. Thought a little tequila might bring the boys up to play. What do you say?”
A busty blond stepped forward. “What if we don’t want to invite them?”
I grinned wider and snapped the salt shaker on the table. “Guess I’ll just have to do the shots with you.”
“Is that you, Kira?”
I heard a voice from the back that I vaguely recognized. I was used to knowing everyone, but maybe I was forgetting a name. I started lining up the cups, ready to get in and get out.
As the crowd of women parted, I swallowed down a quick bubble of panic.
Dammit, not her.
Anyone but her.
I closed my eyes for a moment and steadied my hand before pulling the bottle out of the ice. “Care for a shot, Anne?”
She looked down her nose at the plastic shot glasses. “There’s only one kind of tequila worth doing a shot for.”
I shrugged. “Your loss.” I filled a cup, licked my hand and sprinkled salt on the skin above my thumb. “José always works for me.” I licked the salt and quickly drank the shot, chasing it with the crisp lime. “Anyone else?”
The blond held up a cup. “I’m in.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” I poured her one and started filling cups.
“Leave it to a Webb to have the tequila at the ready.” Anne arched a brow and crossed her arms.
“Lay off, Anne.” Another voice came from the crowd of girls who were lining up for a free drink.
I forced my smile to brighten. “I’m just here to have a good time like everyone else.” I’d learned long ago how to compartmentalize the pain of my family’s reputation versus my own reality. But the stab hurt, as it always did.
“Aren’t you working?”
I poured myself another shot, Anne’s voice grating enough for me to make it a double. “Last night at Lucky’s for me.” I tossed it back and stared her down. I desperately wanted the lime to help out the burn, but I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.
Anne frowned at me. “Since when didn’t you need two jobs for your debts?”
My hand fisted at my side. The urge to stab her in the eye with my pen was almost too much to ignore. “My debts are paid.” At least the ones to anyone I’d hurt. The bank still owned me for a few more years.
“Right.”
One of her friends urged her back to their table, and the uncomfortable silence went with her.
Soon enough, the idea of free drinks overrode the snide Anne Montgomery’s jabs. And as predicted, flashing a bottle of alcohol brought a few more people of the male persuasion upstairs.
It took a few minutes to get the vibe back into the party zone. Passing out limes and tiny plastic cups kept things light and fun until I had to flag Ruby for another bottle. She flashed me a middle finger, but I noticed the cash register was ringing up fast and furiously.
Kenny, one of the waiters, came up with another bottle and was surrounded by women before he could get the cap off. He laughed as he helped to pour. His gaze slid to me with a raised brow. He was a few years younger than me, but I caught him checking out my boobs. I didn’t hate it.
The taste of tequila prompted more beers and a round of margaritas as well. Pretty soon the buzz of conversation was laced with more laughter and the syrupy flirtatious banter that a good night always included.
My job here was done. I figured a pair of twenty dollar bottles had netted at least a few hundred dollars’ worth of drink sales. I’d have to remember that for the taproom on the slow nights.
“Thanks for the assist, Kenny.”
“No problem.” He took the pail and put the empty bottles inside. “Should have done that sooner.”
I stacked the cups and tossed the last of the limes into the bucket. “Tequila is always the way to a good time. Or trouble,” I added with a laugh.
“No, I mean, uncovering all of that.” Gesturing vaguely toward me, he licked his lips and cleared his throat. “Respectfully, you’re hot as fuck.”
I pressed my lips together. “Not exactly the uniform.”
“It should be.”
My cheeks heated. “Thanks, I think.”
“Oh, it was a compliment.”
“You’re barely twenty-two, Kenny.”
“You’re what? Twenty-five?”
“I wish, but thanks.” I was still the same Kira, but I couldn’t deny the little buzz of pleasure at being found attractive. All too often, I’d been slotted in the friend zone with the men around me. Knowing, and working, with the same people for all of your life would do that.
Especially having the last name Webb as the shittiest whiskey chaser ever.
But today was a day to celebrate, not to think about my fucked-up family’s past. I was finally working my way forward and away from all of that, I hoped.
Kenny took the sticky plastic cups from me. “I’m serious. Let me take you out.”
“That’s very sweet, but I’m going to be busy.”
“Kenny, you are not seriously hitting on her.”
I turned toward the sound of Anne’s voice. “You know what? Tonight’s my last night and I don’t need to be nice to you anymore.”
“Just because you poured yourself into an outfit better suited for someone at least six sizes smaller doesn’t change who and what you are.”
A flush raced up my neck to my cheeks as I stiffened.
“I’m not sure who you are, ma’am, but you need to return to your friends before you say something that will likely get you slapped.”
The deep voice behind me startled me enough that I stumbled sideways as my ankle rolled on the heels I wasn’t used to wearing.
A large hand firmed on my hip to make sure I was all right before falling away just as quickly.
I started to turn to see who was speaking, but he crowded up against my backside, the growl still in his chest. But he wasn’t talking to me even as his body pressed close.
“And if you had an ounce of class, you would never body-shame another woman, especially one this stunning.” The deep timbre of his voice raised the little hairs on the back of my neck.
Anne’s mouth dropped open. “Mind your own business.”
I was pretty sure my expression mirrored hers. My scarlet flush of embarrassment was becoming something far different, and I hadn’t even seen what this guy looked like.
Stunning? Me?
“It’s okay. I can handle myself.” My voice sounding more firm than I thought it would.
“Obviously. You shouldn’t have to, though.”
Kenny’s Adam’s apple bounced as his eyes tracked upward, making my breath stall. Just who was this guy?
Anne’s lips twisted into something ugly and harsh. “You’re not worth the trouble anyway.” She shoved aside another customer in her haste to return to her friends.
My back stiffened. Shame trampled the quick rush of pleasure at someone standing up for me.
“Excuse me, can you take our order?” A guy oblivious to the uncomfortable moment broke in.
Kenny waved me off. “I got it.”
I gave him a weak smile. “Thanks.” Now that I didn’t have Anne in my face, I could slink away. I didn’t even want to see what the guy looked like now. I could live off the voice for a night and not be disappointed in the reality.
“She’s a vain, unattractive woman.”
A nervous laugh bubbled up. “She’s definitely not unattractive by anyone’s standards.”
He gently curled his fingers around my upper arm to turn me around. “I beg to differ.”
Whatever fantasy guy I’d put together when I was alone wouldn’t even come close to what this stranger actually looked like. Wild honey and caramel-colored curls framed a sharp face. He had a neat beard that softened his jaw slightly and his eyes were dark and intense.
He wore a navy T-shirt with a hawk logo on it that I didn’t recognize, but the heavy belt buckle with the Celtic knot made me swallow down a sigh of pure feminine pleasure.
His shoulders were wide and muscular leading to arms that strained the cotton sleeves.
Ink swirled around one bicep and down along his forearm in more of the same Celtic flavor.
Heavy black beads circled the wrist of the arm holding me. A leather strap circled his other wrist. He was close enough that I could smell… Was that ginger?
Dear God. Who was this guy?