1. Chapter One

Chapter One

Nate

"Pints ‘n Pool," I answered the phone like always. Hell, I'd done it so much throughout the long days and numerous years that I'd caught myself answering the same way on my personal cell.

"Nate, it's Brock over at Books and Beans."

"Hey, yeah. How's it going?" Kinda odd he'd call instead of just running over. Must've been busy.

"Oh, well, good, mostly, but I had a, well, I don't know what to call him…a customer, I guess. But he didn't buy anything."

"You're rambling, dude."

"Sorry." Brock's nervous tone put me a bit on edge. He's generally a calm, there's a reason for everything kind of person. "So, this guy, Eddy, came into my store and needed help but then he took off."

"So?"

"So, I want to see if, uh, like, check if he's staying there."

He knew better than to ask that. "Oh, gotcha. Well, sorry, but I can't give out any information on guests who are or are not staying here. It's a problem of confidentiality. You understand."

"Can you tell me if he's not staying there?"

Seriously? "Uh, no."

"That's not helpful, dude."

"I know. Sorry. Maybe come get a drink and hang out and see who comes and goes. That's all I got." And that's all he was gonna get. He knew the rules and he'd appreciate them if he were on the other side of it.

"Sure. See ya."

"Who was that?" Merle asked from the bar stool he'd long ago claimed as his as soon as I hung up. Never missing a beat, that one. Might be old as dirt but Merle remained sharp as a tack.

"Nosey much? "

The glint in eye said I'd soon lose this tired ass argument. "Well, either you tell me, or I park my old ass on the bench in front of the post office and find out that way."

Merle had a point. Bunch of nosey fuckers in this town.

"Brock."

"Books and Beans Brock?"

"Is there another?"

"Huh." Merle obviously found this query as strange as I did.

"It's odd. It's not like him to ask about our guests." I dried the glass in hand as my mind whirled through potential scenarios that triggered this inquiry. Had this Eddy guy stolen something from him? Couldn't see Brock having anything worth worrying over. High-dollar items he kept behind glass and books were, well, books.

"You don't have any guests right now."

I growled, but Merle ignored me. Everyone knew my bark was worse than my bite unless you crossed me. "Don't remind me." Summer was our busy season and given it was still mid spring, it was dead as fuck around here. Foggy Basin was a virtual ghost town until those wishing to abuse our local lake arrived.

"Not like you need them. Your granddad left you this building free and clear. "

And back to that being in everyone's business shit. Sometimes living in a small town was a pain in the ass, especially when others took far too many liberties with the knowledge they had.

When the bell over the door chimed, both our heads turned that way. "Welcome to Pints ‘n Pool," Merle recited, having heard me say it a thousand times. I shook my head and groaned.

"How can I help you?" I asked the young stranger and wondered if this was Eddy himself.

"Howdy. I'm Kit," his hand shot out toward me, and I shook it. Eyes so blue I could smell the salt of the sea and immediately craved the freedom of the beach. The sand beneath my toes, the wind whipping through my hair. "Sir, are you okay?"

I cleared my throat and gathered my wayward thoughts. "Um, yes. Sorry about that. I'm Nate. What can I do for you?"

"I'm just passing through town, looking for a bit of work during my stay and a place to lay my head before I move on. Know anywhere with any openings?" His curious gaze roamed the room, taking the place in.

I didn't even need to turn my head to see Merle's smirk. Know it all bastard.

But we both thought it. Another drifter…

"You could use the help, Nate." Merle and his damn matchmaking two cents. Didn't he hear the kid? He was just passing through and I was well past the quick fix stage in life.

The glare I flashed at the old man could've melted steel, yet it did nothing but strengthen his cockiness.

"How long?" I wasn't known for my sweet personality or ability to carry on long conversations. I was a grouchy, no-nonsense man and cut right to the chase. No time to dilly-dally around as my granddad used to say.

"Excuse me?"

"How long do you plan on staying in Foggy Basin for?" Should I break out with the ABC blocks and spell the words for him? Maybe he was a more visual learner than intellectual.

Down, boy, what's got your undies in a bunch?

The hard fucking dick this kid gave me did. I had to tamp that shit down. Wayward fucking tool. Why were men gifted these things? Please, someone remind me.

Kit nervously shifted from foot to foot, and I wondered what his story was.

"Long enough to save up some cash. I'm clean, a hard worder, don't do drugs or drink and earned what little I have." He patted his backpack. "I don't take what's not mine if that's what's got you worried?" Ah, pride. Now that I could respect, though my go-to growl beat me to the actual words.

"That's just Nate," Merle stepped in. "He growls at everyone. Don't take it personally. He's just a big, hairy pussycat."

Jesus fucking Christ.

Just shoot me now.

I tugged at my beard, a not so gentle reminder to slow my roll. The people in this town were friends, not foe, whether by default or not they meant well. For the most part.

"Could use an extra set of hands to help prep before the summer rush. Few weeks tops. Do you have a driver's license?" He shook his head no. "Food handlers' card?" Another no. Kit was batting a thousand here. "All right, rental rooms housekeeping it is."

"Not sure what that is but as long as it doesn't require a license I can do it."

Confident.

Cute.

Young as hell.

A dangerous combination in this town and even more so in this bar.

Fuck, I needed to get laid but not in Foggy. Been there, done that and tried to get a refund on the free t-shirt .

A weekend in Sacramento was what this called for.

"What's your last name, Kit?" I dried off my hands and hung up the towel.

"I don't have one."

I swear, the jukebox skipped at the same time Merle's stool squeaked. He'd swiveled so hard and fast he's lucky he didn't fall off. "What do you mean you don't have a last name? Everyone has a last name," Merle sputtered, offended by something he had no right to be bothered by.

"Slow your roll, old man. Different day and age than the stone one you came from." He flipped me the bird and Kit nearly busted a gut laughing. "Yeah, he's real funny."

"I was raised in a commune. My parents are free-spirts who claim a surname doesn't define you but your actions do."

Couldn't argue with that logic, but lineage was what a surname held, and it sounded like his may be all over the place given what little I knew of communes such as Kit mentioned. Merle, on the other hand, had a completely different opinion as he muttered curse words and something about damn hippies to his near empty beer bottle.

"He'll be all right," I assured Kit. "Come on, let's get you settled in. Time to go, girl." My old boxer, Belle, aka Jelly Belly, rose from the dog bed I kept behind the bar and stretched her weary bones. I felt for her, waking stiff and sore. I hated that our time together was nearing the end. She'd been my best friend since her mama brought her into this world.

Kit and I walked out the back door and behind the bar to the modest childhood home I bought from my parents when they retired. They in turn bought a big fancy RV to travel in and were currently somewhere in South America seeing the world as my dad dubbed their new adventure. I didn't have the heart to tell him North and South America didn't equate to the world.

"You don't lock your door?" Kit asked as we stepped inside.

"Are you telling me I should?"

"Just odd. I mean, where I grew up we didn't. But I guess it's probably the same here and everybody watches out for each other. Sorry, traveled through some shady places that were not the best."

My mind wandered to a traveling Kit, out there on his own. The urge to growl, never far beneath the surface though unusual in this circumstance, was tamped down. Protect. That thought nearly knocked me on my ass. I'd never been one to meddle in anyone's business. Never had I been one to take charge of another's life. Hell, it took all I had to keep mine in order some days and without that order came chaos, and chaos wasn't something I operated well under.

I opened the door and Kit followed me inside. "I bet it's nice living and working in close proximity. You're probably never late."

"I don't think I've ever been late to anything in my life. My mother used to joke about my being born exactly on time." Kit smiled, and I did the same. Could've sworn I heard my skin crunch as it forced the underused muscle into place. "Come on, I'll show you where to drop your bags." I led him to the spare room that once served as my childhood bedroom. When my parents decided to retire and travel I took over the main bedroom after I remodeled it, the en suite bathroom, and the guest bath. Set this one up as a spare room for the guests that I never had. Until now. How odd would it be to have another in my personal space?

"Bathroom is across the hall. After you get yourself situated, come back to the bar and I'll show you what I need you to do. Quick question, are you at least twenty-one?" I couldn't have him operating the bar side for anything more than dishes and if he wasn't. Would be nice to have an extra set of hands around that I could just point and shoot and off they went without worry of age appropriation .

"I am. I turned twenty-two last week. No birth certificate, though, hope you don't need it. Being born on a commune none were given. Midwives delivered us and we were all homeschooled." Kit stared at me wide-eyed, preparing for the inevitable decline and being sent on his way from what I could gather.

I was too flabbergasted to even think that far ahead. "How will you ever be able to leave the United States without a birth certificate?" How did people operate that way? I couldn't imagine not having mine. You needed it to get a driver's license and for so many other things throughout life.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Guess I never thought about it with as much of the United States as there was to see. I honestly don't know." Kit got a faraway look in his eyes, clearly having never pondered the question before now.

"Well, it is what it is, and we'll do our best to make do. I just won't send you on any errands that require a vehicle. Either way, it'll be nice to have help. Not that we ever truly get packed, but sometimes there's a bit of a rush and folks gotta wait longer than normal for their food and drinks. In the summer months we do get a fair crowd that pass through town and the rooms above the bar fill up. Not saying that you'll be here that long." Rambling, not my usual MO. I shook my head and gathered my thoughts. "Get settled in then meet me at the bar." I whistled for Belle and the old girl met me at the front door.

Merle leaned back in his chair like he was looking around me as I walked back in. "No Kit?"

"Nosey old man. He'll be here in a bit."

"You left him alone? What if he robs you?"

"Robs me of what?" I laughed. "The only things I have of value are my dog and my truck."

"You sound like a lame ass country song." His comment had us both chuckling until the door opened. I expected to see Kit but was met with a rather disheveled man.

"Welcome to Pints ‘n Pool," I said as the newcomer's eyes scanned the bar.

"Thank you. I was told you have rooms for rent here?" This guy was a bit of a nervous Nellie. Barely able to stand still and I almost told him we were full up.

"We do. How long are you looking to stay?" He didn't need to say a word, I knew this was the Eddy that Brock asked about.

"Not sure yet. Can I pay cash?"

Yup, a man on the lam.

"Yes. I'm Nate, this is my place." Before I launched into the usual spiel, in walked Kit. "Kit and I will show you to your room. "

Kit and Eddy followed me up the stairwell inside the bar, there was an exterior set as well. I loved the location of these, it allowed me to see guests as they came and went. Best way to keep an eye on things. When the bar was closed, the gate at the base of the stairs was locked and patrons had to use the rear set. "Not our busy season so the room's forty bucks a night. Small kitchenette with a mini-fridge and a microwave in each but it's a shared bathroom at the end of the hall. You're in room four, here's the key. Extra towels and supplies are in the bathroom. Rooms are well insulated to block out the noise from below. If you need anything I'll be downstairs."

As I reached the door I remembered one last thing. "Food is made to order, pay as you do, and the bar is open ten to ten. A copy of the menu is in the folder in your room along with the wi-fi information and a list of places and things to do while in Foggy Basin. Enjoy your stay."

"Are the guests locked out if they leave when the bar is closed?" Kit asked as we stepped back behind the bar.

"The room key gets them in the emergency exit door at the rear stairs. There's an information packet in each room that tells them that along with a list of other things." I grabbed a towel and slung it over my shoulder. "Let me show you how the three-compartment wash sink works. "

"Do you do everything? Make drinks, clean the rooms, cook?" Kit asked as he washed the handful of glasses we had.

"Most days. I've got a couple locals on standby for the summer months when we're busier. The lake tends to draw a bigger crowd come warmer temps. Friday and Saturday nights, Vonda usually waitresses and Stevie works the grill. They're married so it works well for them to have the extra hours together."

Merle was still perched, as he had been every day since his wife Emma Jean passed away nearly a decade ago. Merle and Emma were close friends of my grandparents, all having attended the same elementary and high school together. He absorbed every word as it passed between Kit and me. I could see his wheels turning, though he'd held back his questions, thus far.

"So, Kit with no last name," he began. I knew it was too much to hope he'd keep quiet and was surprised he'd held back this long. "Where on God's green earth is this commune you hail from?" Hail from? What was he, Caesar?

Kit smiled. "Tucked away on a dusty mountain on the border of Arizona and New Mexico."

"Whoa, you traveled a long way. Where are you headed?" I couldn't help myself. He'd piqued my interest and my mind scoured the path it presumed he'd taken, imagining his stops along the way. Not that I'd ever been that far into the desert southwest. But still...

"Nowhere in particular yet everywhere just the same. There's so much of this great country to see, though I've run into some shady humans along the way."

"Wha…"

Merle cut me off, probably for the best given my thoughts went a bit dark from Kit's comment. "Ever give any thought to settling down somewhere? Building a life?"

"Nah, not really. I mean, I'm only twenty-two, but who knows? I go with the flow and follow the wind and if the wind says stay put then I just might do so." Kit got a faraway look in his eyes, likely dreaming of what the road ahead held for him. I didn't blame him, not in the least.

In my younger years I'd been keen to get out and see the sights, but the paths always led me back home. When Granddad passed away and left me the bar, my future was set. Even though I was lonely, I'd never once regretted following in his footsteps.

"You all right over there, Nate?" Merle asked.

"Yeah, just thinking of Granddad."

"He was a good man." Merle held his beer up as if to toast him .

"The best." I truly was blessed to have grown up with such a loving family that accepted me for me. Faults and all.