The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska #1)(8)

Well, there was no going back now. Grabbing the Growly Bear, Zoey took another drink.





Chapter 2



Lana’s generosity had led to…shenanigans.

Disturbing beer-inspired shenanigans that would have horrified the younger, more impressionable version of Graham. Someone tried to summit Frank the Mounted Moose’s impressive antlers and almost succeeded. Another failed in such dramatic fashion, Graham was forced to water down everyone’s drinks. Finally, when they were dangerously close to becoming a fun place to hang out, Graham declared it closing time.

It was barely ten.

Sometimes he closed as late as midnight in the summer, knowing his town stayed up and wanted somewhere to eat during the sunlight-filled evening, but that changed depending on his mood. He was less reliable in the winter, and when the Seawolves were playing, he’d been known to not bother opening at all.

Boy, did the tourists online review the snot out of him for that.

“Out!” Graham called cheerfully to the remaining stragglers. “Sorry, ladies. You’ll have to come back tomorrow.”

“But, Graham—”

“Nope. Back to whence you came. Shoo, tourists, you are no longer trapped today.”

Locking the door, Graham turned to the mess he’d have to clean up and blinked.

There was a drunk bookworm in his diner.

Somehow during all the craziness of the evening, Graham failed to notice Lana had left, but her friend had not. Zoey had abandoned her table and was now curled up on a seat against the wall, wedged next to a pay phone that hadn’t worked since Graham bought the place.

She was still trying to read her book, but she was half-asleep, and her book was upside down.

Huh. He’d only given her the one drink, and that had been hours ago. Joining her by the pay phone, Graham hunkered down so they were eye level, voice softened to sound unthreatening.

“Hey there, Zoey Bear. Where did Lana go? You need a ride home. We’re all closed up here.”

Zoey peered at him suspiciously, then shook her head. “I need my glasses,” she slurred. “I can’t see. Danger, danger, Will Robinson.”

Graham grinned, because for a tourist, she was kind of growing on him. Trying to adjust her glasses on her nose, Zoey failed to realize that she’d been using them as a bookmark. Taking her very delicate frames, Graham carefully opened them and set them on her nose.

“Imma call a cab.” When she started to stand, she ended up staggering. “Whoops.”

Graham caught her arm to steady her. “Hey, Zoey? Did anyone else but me give you a drink tonight?”

“Nope. But Lana had some aspirin.”

“Are you sure you took aspirin?”

Sticking her nose in his face, Zoey raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure I took aspirin?”

Well. This was a first on his watch. “Give me your phone, Zoey. I want to call your friend.”

It took her a minute to find her phone in her hand, but with Graham’s help, Zoey got there eventually. She proudly presented it to him. Without asking permission, he squished her thumb on the phone to unlock it, then found Lana’s name on the recent calls list.

“Yes?” A familiar purr answered on the fourth ring. “I’m rather busy, love.”

“Lana, it’s Graham. Tell me you didn’t give Zoey drugs when she was drinking. Do I need to call an ambulance right now?”

“Oh, no. She’s a lightweight. She never drinks.”

Graham growled. “And you convinced her to start with a Growly Bear? Come on, L. I trusted you.”

“Hmm, I’m sure she’ll be fine. You always take such good care of us.”

“What did you give her?” Speaking slowly and making sure to enunciate through his gritted teeth, Graham tried to keep his temper. “Lana, this isn’t funny. She’s looped.”

“Zoey only took a couple baby aspirin for her headache. I’ll come back for her. In my defense, I thought she’d already gone back to the resort. She never stays out this late.”

And he was sure Lana looked her hardest too.

Graham cursed under his breath. “No thanks, I’ll handle it. You’re a terrible friend, you know that, right?”

Not bothering to listen to her answer, Graham hung up, focusing on the woman in front of him. He didn’t take a lot of things seriously, but Graham had a singular distaste for people bailing on each other.

“Your eyebrow is twitching. Up down up down.” Zoey tried to waggle her own eyebrows, glasses slipping.

“Yeah, well, Lana makes me twitchy.” Wrapping an arm around her waist, Graham helped her to her feet.

“Don’t be mad,” she slurred. “It’s not her fault. Money makes people crazy.”

Graham caught a hand in the jaw as she gestured exuberantly in demonstration. “Like, crazy. And she’s got so much. So. Much. Where’s my cab? Imma call another one.”

“Sorry, Zoey, I’m going to take you home. I’m not calling you a ride at this time of night, because the good drivers are already taken. Trust me, you don’t want the B-team of Moose Springs rideshare drivers.”

“What’s the mileage on your meter?” One drunken eyeball narrowed suspiciously. “Overcharging is wrong. Is wrong.” When she poked him in the chest with her finger, Graham’s grin widened. “I’m watching you, mister.”