Page 38 of No Going Back
“Is that how you met Troy and Marcus?”
His face brightened. “Sure is, along with Oz, Slick, and Scooby. The six of us worked together for almost a decade. They’re the best men I know.”
She patted his chest. “They’re in very good company.”
His eyes flared at her comment, and her body reacted to the desire swimming in his gaze.
“Hey, lovebirds, we need your help with this wall demo.” Graham’s voice interrupted their moment.
Sean grinned and leaned down to brush his lips lightly over hers. “Another moment to be continued. We’re going to be busy later.”
Branna shivered with anticipation as they moved back up the stairs to help open up the space for new bathrooms.
She’d done a ton of repairs on the building that housed the pub over the years, but she’d never taken down a wall and reconfigured a space before. Not that she was doing it herself, but she was part of this little team and that felt amazing.
By the end of the day, they’d ordered a ton of supplies through Aisling’s connections. Wood, drywall, bathroom fixtures, and lights. Branna didn’t want to even think about the cost of the order.
At one point, she asked where she could order some pizzas to feed the group.
The locals turned to stare at her for a moment, then burst out laughing.
Graham grinned. “There’s some proof that you’re not a local. Phail has a grand total of two places to eat. The No Fail Diner closes at three. Jim and Carl at the B&B are experimenting with a supper service, but they do it once or twice a week. Tonight’s not one of those nights.”
Branna’s mouth dropped open as she stared at Graham and then at the others. They all nodded. “No pizza? No takeout?”
Piper grinned. “When I brought the tacos over the other night, I’d had Manuel make them up in advance for us. So, we have a great Mexican option, but no pizza.”
Sean dramatically put his hand on his heart. “You’re killing my Italian soul. If you want to grow this town, you need to get someone who makes a kick-ass pizza.”
Troy grinned. “How about you?”
Sean laughed. “If I had the ingredients, I’m your guy, but I don’t love it enough to open a restaurant.”
Troy looked at Branna. “When you open the Saloon, you can have him do pizza nights once a week. That’s a sure way to bring people in.”
Branna’s heart stuttered. He was serious about her running the saloon and having her own pub?
This time, it was a whole different kind of anticipation filling her. She knew how to run a pub. Knew how to make it work and what she would need to make it successful.
The idea of doing it in this wacky little town was more than intriguing. It was exciting. She’d loved O’Dea’s and had wanted nothing more than to run it for the rest of her life. Now, she had an opportunity to do exactly that, but in a new way.
She nodded at Troy. “I think I can talk him into it.”
Troy grinned and then turned to Piper. “Told you we’d find a way to keep them here. Pretty soon, you’ll be adding another page to the town’s website.”
Troy’s phone rang, and he moved to the hallway to answer it. “What’s up, Marcus?” Before he got far, he stopped and turned back to the group. “They’re here, along with Aisling and Graham. I’m putting you on speaker.”
Marcus didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Police have spotted Prince Hawley in Jacksonville, Florida. He was a passenger in a car pulled over for speeding. The driver received a ticket, but the police later discovered the plates had been switched with a stolen car. Hawley and the other man were smart enough to steal the same make and model, so it didn’t arouse immediate suspicion. The car has since been found abandoned, and we can assume he’ll steal another one when he needs one.”
Branna’s knees weakened, and Sean’s arms shot out to hold her steady. Was Prince moving north because he knew where she was?
Marcus continued, seeming to echo her thoughts. “I’m not sure this means anything. He might have family or friends in the Jacksonville area. He might be lying low because of the warrant out for him. Or he could be choosing a new place to take over because Miami is no longer a viable place for him.”
Or it might mean he was heading north because he knew exactly where she was hiding.
CHAPTER 13
Bounce Back