Riverbend Reunion(93)

“I offered to paint a sign on it, but Oscar said if folks didn’t know this was Danny’s Place, then they were probably blind or drunk,” Zach said.

“Well, Oscar did good with the coatrack, and you did an awesome job on those last two pews,” Risa said.

“Zach, you should join us for lunch today for doing all this.” Mary Nell sent a smile his way. “We need to celebrate these final jobs.”

“Awww.” Zach looked down at his well-worn work boots. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

Mary Nell looped her arm in his. “Nonsense, it’s just lunch, and you’ve got to eat. Come on inside and sit with us. Risa is a wonderful cook, and she’s been sad all day because her girls started back to school.”

“And this is their last year,” Wade said.

Oscar clamped a hand on Zach’s shoulder. “When Risa is sad or happy or angry, she cooks. Today she’s sad, so the whole bar smells like homemade bread.”

Zach blushed and raised one shoulder in half a shrug. “I never turn down homemade bread, but I’m sorry you’re sad, Risa.”

“I’ve got lots and lots of support here. You’ll find out that we’re basically a friendly lot when you get moved in.”

“I promise to keep things quiet when whoever lives out here is trying to sleep during the mornings,” Zach said.

“That’s good, because Jessica and Wade might shoot you if you don’t,” Mary Nell told him.

Jessica hung back with Wade a little longer after the rest of the family—that’s what they were now instead of just a team—made their way across the parking lot and into the building.

“I thought I wanted to keep things quiet for a few weeks or months, but evidently everyone already knows,” she said.

“Do they know we’re living together?” His green eyes glittered.

“I’m not sure about that, but I’m ready to tell them that we are, and that I’m buying a vehicle and that I’m ready to bury my folks’ ashes,” she answered. “I’m at home, and it’s time to put my folks to rest.”

“Actually, we can share my truck.” Wade drew her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “I can make a wooden cross to mark the spot until you decide on a headstone.” He cupped her face in his big hands and kissed her. “Now, about living together. I want more than that, but I’m not in a big hurry. You can tell me when you are ready for the next step.”

“Why, Wade Granger, are you proposing to me?” Jessica flirted.

“No, I am not. When I do, you won’t have to ask that question. You will know,” he answered.





Chapter Twenty-Two


We’re on the countdown.” Jessica pointed at the clock on the kitchen wall. “One hour until we open. Is everyone as nervous as I am? What if no one comes tonight?”

“Then we’ll open again on Tuesday night and hope they come then,” Wade said. “We have advertised in newspapers in every county all around us, and we even bought some airtime on the local radio.”

“Plus, all the controversy that Granny Stella tried to stir up had to give us a little bit of advertisement.” Lily looked up from the last tomato she was slicing. “Food prep is all done. Daisy and I are ready to help build burgers and wash dishes when the rush hits.”

“I just hope there is a rush.” Jessica smoothed down the front of her T-shirt, which was imprinted with the bar logo.

“Hey,” Mary Nell scolded, “there will be no bad vibes an hour before we open. We are going to have a full house, and there’s going to be people outside waiting to get in. The inspector said we can have a max of one hundred people, and we’ll hit that mark by six thirty.”

Zach chuckled. “You dream big, madam.”

Mary Nell shook her finger under his nose. “Don’t you call me that, and yes, I do dream big.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Zach nodded, but the twinkle in his eye told Jessica that he was flirting.

“Well, I’m proud of everything you kids have done this summer.” Oscar brought out a stack of red plastic cups and a pitcher of sweet tea. “I vote that we toast the new bar before we open tonight. Whether one person comes out to our grand opening or we have a million, we have created a family while we’ve been working on making a bar out of this old church building the past few months. That’s pretty danged awesome in my book. I was afraid a relationship between Jessica and Wade would be a bad thing, but I was wrong, so here’s to them, too!”

He poured tea for everyone and held his cup up. “To the old church family.”

“Hear! Hear!” The rest of the team picked up their cups and held them high.

Wade took a drink, set his cup down, and slipped an arm around Jessica’s waist. “My mama used to tell me that working together makes the best friends. We are proof positive of that tonight. I’m going to plug enough money into the jukebox at exactly six o’clock to play six songs to get the night rolling. Anyone have suggestions?”

“‘Danny Boy’ should be playing when the first customers come in,” Haley answered.

“And then ‘My Church,’” Lily suggested.

“I agree with Lily. Looks like we’ve got our first—” Risa stopped and pointed out the window above the sink. “Oh, no . . . ,” she stammered. “Mama is out there. She’s parking in the middle of the lot and just sitting in her car.”