“I have to.”
Samantha recognized the answer.
Not the words.
The desperation underneath them.
She came around the bar.
“What’s your name?”
“Rachel.”
Samantha held out her hand.
“Sam.”
Rachel looked at the hand before taking it.
Samantha noticed.
The hesitation.
The assessment.
Is this safe?
She remembered doing the same thing.
“Come on.”
she said.
“I’ll show you the kitchen.”
Grizzly watched them disappear through the rear doorway.
Wyatt sat two stools away.
He looked at Grizzly.
“You going to complain she hired somebody without asking?”
Grizzly lifted his drink.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because apparently she runs the place now.”
From the kitchen Samantha called:
“I heard that.”
Grizzly shouted back:
“Good.”
Laughter filled the room.
Samantha smiled.