The next evening as I walked into the bar, Jess was standing behind the counter, his fingers tucked into a glass, drying the interior with a cloth. At the sound of my boot heels clattering on the hardwood floor, he looked up, calling, “Hey, Kiddo.”
“Hey, Jess,” I returned.
His eyes lingered on my face as he asked, “All okay?”
A small smile played at the corners of my lips, and I nodded. “Yeah, actually, it is. To be honest, things are better than they have been in a long time,” I told him.
A knowing look came into his eyes. “Got some action, I take it?” he teased.
“Umm... Maybe?” I hedged, knowing that the cherry-red coloring was a dead-give-away as warmth crept up my neck and spread to my cheeks.
Jess snorted. “Don't try to fool a fooler, girl. It's written all over you. So, who’s
