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Doesn’t help when you have a waitress taking advantage of you, he grumbled to himself

Riley shts “Boss, you do what you need to do,” she said pointedly as she took the drinks

He shot a brooding look over at Lil She was s as she jotted down a drinks order

She was a nice girl, good at the job when she actually turned up on ti people

The door to the bar opened and in stepped the distraction Cooper needed

The doc

His whole being beca into the bar with Bailey and Tom

It had been a week since he had seen her and he had to ad she’d co her, the o in search of her himself

“Coop” Bailey grinned as she approached the bar with To?” She slid onto a stool Tom took the stool on her left while Jessica took the one on her right

As always he was happy to see Bailey She was like a little sister to him Sweetest, funniest, most outspoken wouy worked for a small Web-based couys so they didn’t spend a lot of tiether, but he seemed to make Bailey happy, and that was all that mattered

He nodded at Torinned back

Then Cooper’s gaze slid to the doc His eyes drifted over her pretty face and that fantastic hair of hers, and then down

His blood heated

She earing a dark red shirt and the top few buttons were undone, showing off her cleavage He instantly iined what lay underneath the shirt

Lust stirred within hiaze to hers “Evening, Doc Nice to see you again”

“You, too,” she said in that soft, sultry voice

Daotten how much he liked the sound of her voice

“What’s your poison tonight?”

“I’ll have a Long Island”

Bailey shot the doc an envious look “Ooh, that sounds good But I shouldn’t I’ Island I’ll just have a white wine”

“You need hed “You need your life back” He turned to Cooper “I’ll have my usual”

He got to work getting their drinks, all the while listening in on the conversation Mostly to hear Jessica talk

“The inn is my life,” Bailey said

“A building is not your life”

Cooper would have to disagree with Tom on that The bar was his life He knew exactly where Bailey was co from

“Since , then yes, it ispart of it”

“Look at Jessica,” Toed to find time to live her life”

“Uh, what do youwhat I do for a living?”

“And I should say that I take one vacation a yearthe rest of the time I worka lot” Jessica added

“No, I wasn’t belittling you, sweetheart,” To the doc “What you’ve done with the inn is a I just worry about you”

Cooper turned back with the Long Island as Bailey gave Tom a small kiss on the lips

“I’m fine,” she promised

As they gazed into each other’s eyes, see to share some private communication, Cooper looked at the doc and was instantly arrested by what he saw on her face

Not only was there a hint of longing there, but also a strange mix of curiosity and sadness

She glanced over at hi her, and immediately wiped her expression

Interesting

“Your Long Island, Doc” He put it on the counter in front of her

“Thanks” She refused to meet his eyes

“Boss,” Lily called from down the bar

Riley was busyup another drinks order so Cooper reluctantly moved away from Jessica to take Lily’s order

All the ti he shot surreptitious looks Jessica’s way From his viewpoint it would appear as if she and Bailey had known each other their whole lives They sat close and chatted with ease and fa to them

Finally he got a break to move back up the bar to them

“So, Doc,” he interrupted “You enjoying Hartwell?”

The Long Island ave hiiven hied Bailey with her shoulder and Bailey chuckled “Good views Good restaurants Good atmosphere I’ve never been somewhere that is such a close-knit co fa for each other I’rinned “And quite frankly this is the best Long Island I’ve ever had”

He nodded at the co it You want another?”

He was glad she was enjoying all of it It felt good that Jessica liked all the things he liked about his town But more than that, he liked that she saw beyond what the tourists saw She sahat made this place special—the solid connection between everyone orked on the boardwalk, whichhoe of you, he grumbled to himself