“Thanks, sis,” Luke said, barely sparing Sophie a glance while he sank down on the empty stool next to Harper’s.
Harper blushed under his stare and grabbed the beer like a lifeline. “Thanks.”
Sophie winked at her before hurrying away.
“Nice job out there, Luke.” A beanpole of a man in a red baseball hat smacked him soundly on the back. “That was one hell of a shot you gave Glenn. They teach you that in the army?”
“Thanks, Carl.”
“Down and out in one,” Carl hooted, miming a right hook. “Remind me not to piss you off.”
“Just remember that next time you don’t give me a discount at the lumber yard,” Luke said dryly.
Carl laughed again and turned to Harper. “It’s nice to see Luke here in such pretty company. I didn’t catch your name, Blondie.”
Luke made the perfunctory introduction. “Carl, this is Harper. Harper, this is Carl.”
“Well, Harper, if there is anything you need while you’re in town, you don’t hesitate to ask me. I’ll be happy to do anything, anything at all for you.”
“Yeah, I bet you would,” Luke said. “How is your wife these days?”
“Big as a house. Baby Number Three is due next week.” He puffed out his chest with pride. “This one’s gotta be a boy. A man can’t have three daughters.”
“He can if he’s getting paid back for raising hell in high school,” Luke said. “Maybe you should go home and rub Carol Ann’s feet to try and make up for it.”
“Oh, I’m doing better than that. I’m picking up a cheeses-teak for her.”
Right on cue, Sophie reappeared with a large paper bag. “Three steaks, all the fixings.” She slid it across the bar to Carl.
“Give Carol Ann my best,” Luke told him.
“Will do. Will do. It was nice to meet you, Harper. If you get sick of hanging out with this soldier, just give me a call.”
“Will do, Carl.” Harper laughed.
“Don’t encourage him,” Luke said as Carl weaved his way past them.
“So, soldier?” Harper turned back to Luke.
“Captain in the Army National Guard,” Sophie said, plopping down an overflowing plate of nachos and a pile of napkins.
Luke eyed his sister and said nothing.
Hmm. Military. That ranked right up there with firefighters and cowboys in the noble and sexy profession category. Was there anything that wasn’t scorching hot about this man?
Harper glanced around the bar that was getting more crowded by the minute. It seemed like everyone was talking to everyone else at the same time. No one was alone, even if they arrived that way. Greetings and hands rose up from all corners of the room.
“I’m getting the feeling that this is a very small town and I’m the only stranger here,” Harper ventured.
“Don’t bother feeling like a stranger. It won’t last,” Luke warned. “See that woman over there in the Easter Bunny sweatshirt?”
Harper spotted her gabbing it up by the jukebox.
“That’s Georgia Rae. She’s probably already plotting on how to corner you and extract your life story.”
Harper laughed and sampled a cheesy nacho.
“And that,” Luke said, gesturing at a gray mustached man by the pool table, “is my Uncle Stu. I guarantee he already called my dad to tell him that I’m at the bar with the girl who took down Glenn Diller. And see how Sophie keeps checking her phone? That’s my mom texting her to find out what you look like.”
“Wow. I should probably get out of here before they invite me to Sunday dinner,” Harper laughed.
Luke’s phone on the bar buzzed. He glanced at the screen and grimaced. “Too late.”
“Very funny.” Harper rolled her eyes and took a sip of beer.
He held up his phone for her to see.
Luke’s Mom: Ask your friend if she can bring a pie to dinner Sunday.
She choked, slapping a hand over her mouth. “This can’t be real. I’m still in the parking lot unconscious, aren’t I?”
Luke laughed and put a solid, warm hand on her back. “You wish.”
Click.
Harper glanced up to see Sophie holding her phone extended towards them.
“Soph.” Luke’s voice held the sharp edge of a warning.
Sophie smiled innocently. “What? Oops, gotta go. Order’s up.”
“Did she just take a picture of us?”
Luke grabbed his beer. The spot on her back where he had touched her still felt tingly.