Riverbend Reunion(74)

“Still in Maine. Got a job opportunity for you. An independent security firm is working for the base here in Maine, and they need folks to train recruits for the jobs we had. Would you be interested? Pay is great, and we can put the old team back together in a way. We won’t live in Maine. The training is done out in New Mexico and Arizona, and we’re all used to that kind of hot weather and sand in our boots,” Anderson said.

“I have a business going here,” Jessica said. “I inherited an old church, and I’m turning it into a bar.”

Anderson laughed out loud. “You’re joking, right? You are definitely not a bartender. You are a soldier. You don’t just turn your training off and on like a water faucet. It’s in your blood. Let me tell you about the pay.” He quoted her a figure so high that she couldn’t wrap her mind around it.

“We’re pulling out of—” she started.

Anderson butted in before she could finish. “There will always be wars and people like us who are trained to go in, do the job, and disappear. The recruits that will do what we did need good training.”

Jessica glanced over at Wade and thought about Risa, Mary Nell, and Haley, who were all depending on her. “Sorry, but the answer is no. I’m settled in here, and I’ve found a home.”

“Well, if you change your mind, you’ve got my number, and the offer is open ended for at least a year,” Anderson told her. “But I still can’t see you as a bartender.”

“Tell everyone I said hello, and if you’re ever in central Texas, give me a call. First round of drinks will be on me,” she said.

“I just might take you up on that. Bye, Jess,” he said and ended the call.

“Got a job offer, I take it?” Wade asked.

“Yep, and turned it down.” She went on to tell him what Anderson had said.

“That’s a lot of money,” Wade said.

“You want me to call him back and see if he wants to hire you? You’re probably more qualified to do the work than I am,” Jessica pointed out.

“No, thank you.” Wade shook his head. “I’m happier than I have been in a long time, and I’m not messin’ with that.”

“Me either.” She locked eyes with him and could feel the chemistry flowing.

“I’m glad,” he said.

The wind shifted and dust boiled up, signaling that more than one vehicle was coming their way. Jessica set her empty bottle aside and stood up. If that was those two rotten boys coming back, she was ready to give them a healthy dose of her mind. No one would treat the twins like they had and then be brazen enough to expect to have parking rights. No, sir! They could take their sorry little crude asses down the dirt path to the river, and she hoped that they ran over a sharp stick or a nail and got a flat tire. If it was Stella, she would tell her to take her robes of righteousness back to town and stay away from the bar, or church, or whatever folks wanted to call it.

She was surprised when Mary Nell’s and Haley’s vehicles came to a stop close to the porch. Wade stood up and tipped the bill of his cap toward her. “This looks like a hen party about to happen. I’m going out to my trailer. If you need me, give me a call.”

“You can stick around,” Jessica said.

“Not tonight. You gals just cuss and discuss.” Wade waved over his shoulder.

“We need to talk,” Mary Nell said as she marched into the building.

“What’s going on?” Jessica asked, following her.

“Everything, and it’s bad enough to get out the ice cream,” Lily answered as she brought up the end of the parade of women and girls.

Jessica’s red-alert senses were crawling—not totally unlike they had when she was out on a dangerous mission. Her thoughts went into overdrive and kept circling around to the idea that one or all of them were going to quit, and there was no way she and Wade could run the bar without their help. Maybe this was an omen that she wasn’t cut out to be a bartender, and that she should call Roger Anderson back and talk to him about that job.

She followed all of them into the kitchen. Mary Nell had taken a gallon of sweet tea from the fridge, and Haley was putting ice in six glasses. Risa had brought out a loaf of banana nut bread and set it on the table with half a gallon of butter brickle ice cream and six spoons stuck in it.

“This must be some serious stuff,” Jessica said.

“When we get out ice cream, you can bet your sweet ass it’s serious,” Daisy said.

“Daisy!” Risa scolded.

“That is not a cuss word. It’s in the Bible. Jesus rode on an ass. Maybe that little donkey was a sweet ass.” Daisy dug deep into the ice cream and put a heaping spoonful in her mouth.

“What is going on?” Jessica asked. “All of you look like you fought with the devil, and he won. Please don’t tell me you aren’t staying in Riverbend.”

“It’s my problem,” Mary Nell said. “I did battle with the devil, but he damn sure didn’t win.” She went on to tell them about Kevin’s phone call. “I feel like a new person since I stood up for myself with him, but I got to admit, for a split second, I thought about giving him a second chance.”

“I’m proud of you,” Haley said, “but this must be the night for the past to come back and haunt us. I got a phone call, too.” She told them all about Amanda’s call.