For You (The 'Burg #1)(152)

The minute he walked in, Feb’s eyes came to the door and he got the impression her eyes went to the door every time it opened that night, waiting for him. When she caught sight of him, he saw it, even in the dim light, her face got soft, her eyes especially, her lips tipped up at the ends and she did the jaw tilt.

That was new, her face getting soft like that. He liked it so he smiled at her, even though he would have smiled at her anyway.

Her eyes slid away and she smiled at the floor before she turned to the cash register.

He headed to his seat which was, as ever, empty and saw Lore sitting on the stool next to it.

He slid on his, Lore turned his head to him and asked, “We good?”

“You apologize to Feb?” Colt asked back.

“Yeah, and I bought her a shot.”

“She drink it?”

“She gave it to Joe-Bob, but said, ‘No offense, Lore, I’m workin’.’ So I’m thinkin’ she’s good.”

Colt’s eyes found February and saw she was giving someone change.

“She’s learnin’ the art of forgiveness,” Colt muttered to Lore.

“Lucky me,” Lore muttered back as Feb headed their way.

“Hey babe, off duty?” she asked when she arrived.

“Yeah, honey, beer tonight.”

“Gotcha.”

She got him a beer, opened it and instead of putting it on the bar in front of him, she handed it to him. He took it and then drew in a long pull.

“Ruthie’s holdin’ on you gettin’ here to put our orders into Shanghai Salon,” she told him when he put the bottle on the bar.

“We practicin’ for when we move to China?” he asked, she smiled and he allowed himself a moment to enjoy sharing an inside joke with Feb. It’d been a long f**king time.

“You’re movin’ to China?” Lore asked and Feb burst out laughing.

Neither Feb nor Colt answered but they didn’t have to. Tina Blackstone sidled by, eyes darting from Lore to Colt, opening herself to either one of them had a mind to slip in.

Colt looked away.

Lore muttered, “Catch ya later,” and slid away.

“Honest to God, she’s a nerve, comin’ into my bar,” Feb said and Colt looked at her to see her eyes following Tina.

“She pay for her drinks?” Colt asked and Feb’s eyes moved to him.

“Yeah.”

“Good, then you can buy yourself more heels.”

She grinned at him then said, “Find Ruthie, tell her your order, we’re all hungry.”

She started to move away but stopped and turned back at his call.

“You’re hungry, baby, don’t wait for me,” Colt told her.

She tipped her head to the side and replied, “You said you’d be in.”

“Yeah, but my schedule’s always uncertain. You’re hungry, get food, I’ll sort myself out.”

She leaned into her forearms on the bar and got close. “But, you’re Colt. That means we’ll wait, or at least I will.” Then she leaned in further and touched her mouth to his before she pushed back and walked away.

Colt watched, his vision filled with the movement of Feb’s ass, his mind filled with memories of her standing in his bathroom in nothing but his t-shirt, solving the mystery of how she smoothed out her hair. Both made him smile.

He found Ruthie and as he had Shanghai Salon’s menu memorized much like practically every citizen in town, he gave her his order.

“You got it, Colt,” Ruthie said and headed to the office to call in the order.

Colt returned to his beer and his stool and watched his family work their bar and the way they did it. You have a few drinks, you got the money to pay for them, you enjoy yourself but keep yourself in line, it was like you were at a party at their home; welcome and they hoped you’d stay awhile. Dee being there would make life complete. Colt was pleased she’d made that choice, taken that chance and he hoped it worked out for her and Morrie.

On that thought, his phone rang, he pulled it out of the pocket of his suit jacket and looked at the display. A number came up he didn’t recognize but he flipped it open and put it to his ear, covering his other ear with his hand.

“Colton.”

There was a pause and then, “Um… Colt?”

Colt turned toward the wall to focus and he felt his gut get heavy. “Cheryl?”

“Yeah.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I just…” she hesitated, “I don’t know if you want to know this.”

“Know what?”

“Just that…” another hesitation, “me and Ethan made it to Ohio okay. We’re here. Ethan’s sleepin’. He was excited all day. Thinks were on vacation.”

Colt closed his eyes taking in a breath and opened them on an exhale, feeling that weight lighten.

“That’s good,” he said. “Feds know where you are?”

“Called ‘em before I called you.”

“You hangin’ in there?” Colt asked.

“Could be better, seein’ as my boss didn’t take me hightailin’ outta town with no notice too good and fired my ass.”

“Cheryl –”

“It’s okay, I hated that job anyway and hated my boss worse. I still got a shitload of that ass**le’s money and sold all that f**kin’ silver he gave me, which, by the way, wasn’t worth much. At least it was somethin’ so I got a nest egg that’ll last me and Ethan for awhile.”