As Decker looked around at the expensive trappings he said, “Your tips must bereallygood.”
“It’s not just tips. I actually own the Mercury.”
“Yeah, I heard that. Inherited from your old man?”
“That’s right.”
He watched as she took off the jean jacket she had put on and hung it on a metal coat rack parked next to the front door.
“What are you, twenty-two?”
“I’m flattered. I’m actually almost thirty.”
“About the same age as my partner. Still pretty young to own your own bar.”
“Well, like you pointed out, I inherited.”
“But you’ve obviously beensuccessful on your own. I take it you’re a good businesswoman.”
“My dad was a good teacher.”
“What happened to him?”
“He died.”
“Yeah, that I get. I mean how?”
“Heart attack.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
“You want a drink?’
“I think I hit my limit. You got a soda?”
She slid open a refrigerated drawer and tossedhim a bottle of water. “It’s better for you.”
She poured out three fingers of Bombay Sapphire, cut it with tonic, and added a slice of lemon, a wedge of lime, and three chunky ice cubes taken from an under-the-counter icemaker.
She tapped her glass against his plastic bottle.
“And isthatbetter for you?” he asked, indicating her cocktail.
“I don’t drinkon the job, bar owner 101. But I do like one drink before I go to bed. And I’m a blue bottle gin lady.”
She took off her shoes and curled up on the couch in front of the kitchen area, motioning Decker to sit down in the chair across from her.
He did so and drank some of his water while he eyed her.
“I take it you were born here?”
“You take it wrong. I wasborn in Philly.”
“And yet your father came here and owned a bar? And by the time you came along the bloom was well off Baronville. So why exchange the City of Brotherly Love for this place?”
She shrugged. “I was only one year old and just came along for the ride, apparently.” She added, “Okay, full disclosure, my momwasfrom here. They met in college. He always wanted to runa bar. The opportunity came up here, and presto, there you go. Sometimes that’s all you need for a major life change: a dream.”
“Where’s your mom?”