Katelyn sat quietly for a moment, biting her lip, Gareth’s warning ringing in her ears. And his confession. Deflated, she said, “Okay, I hear you loud and clear.” Glancing at her watch, she said, “I need to get to the pub.”

“No, wait,” he hurried, anxious for her not to leave. Seeing her eyebrows shoot skyward, he glanced down at her cup and added, “You haven’t finished your coffee.”

A chuckle erupted from her chest as she cocked her head to the side. “Is that the best excuse that you can come up with to keep me here?”

Clearing his throat, he ducked his head. “Okay, I get it. You work in a diner and a pub, so you probably don’t really care about the coffee.” Capturing her gaze again, he said, “But, I’d like it if you’d stay and talk for a while. We never really get to talk.” Inwardly wincing at the ridiculous excuse, he was pleased when it appeared she was taking him up on his offer.

Curious, she leaned back in her chair and picked up the coffee. Taking a sip, she said, “The coffee is surprisingly good.”

“Hey, don’t knock my Keurig.”

They sat in silence for a moment before she set her cup back on the corner of the desk. “You know, your office is kind of…um…not neat.”

“You trying to say it’s a mess?”

Smirking, she replied, “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Looking at his smiling face was dangerous, she realized, as she stared at his narrowed eyes, pinning her. Glancing back down at the piles of folders, she said, “Why don’t you have a secretary?”

Shrugging, Gareth answered, “To be honest, when I first came to town, I had so many other expenses that paying a helper of any kind was out of the question.”

“And now?”

“Now? Business has picked up. The local police use me occasionally, both here and in the surrounding counties. And I think people are more used to having a PI in town now, so I’ve got enough business to stay busy.”

Biting her lip as she smoothed her hair back over her shoulder, she added, “Are you looking for someone?”

He wanted to shout, Yes, you, but managed to maintain a casual expression. “Yeah, I’d like to find someone.”

“You could hang a Help Wanted sign out front,” she offered.

“Well…I don’t want just anyone in here.”

Cocking her head to the side, she asked, “What qualifications do they need?”

Gareth stared at the beautiful woman in front of him, wanting her to be interested and, yet, afraid at the same time. “Well, for starters, I need someone who understands the word confidentiality. I need someone who can answer the phones, help with the paperwork, handle invoices, and…”

“And?” she prompted, leaning forward, her gaze never leaving his.

“And someone who wouldn’t mind getting to know the private investigation business.” Silence arched between them. Finally caving, he asked, “Do you know anyone who might be interested?”

Katelyn’s heart skipped a beat, the idea of doing something besides being a waitress calling to her. This is just what I’ve been wanting, but with Gareth? Secretly wondering what it would be like to work day in and day out with him, now that she was right in front of him, she hesitated. “I might…but let me…uh…talk to the…person first and then I’ll get back with you.”

Gareth leaned back, his eyes still piercing hers. Nodding slowly, he agreed. “Okay, but let me know…or rather, have the person get in touch with me soon.”

“They’ll talk to you tomorrow,” she proclaimed and promptly stood, sticking her hand out. “I’ve got to get to the bar, but thanks for the coffee.” Just as she was about to leave, she turned and said, “And thanks for keeping my secret about last night.”

With that, she was gone and Gareth stared after her. Sucking in a deep breath, he could still smell her fresh scent. Closing his eyes for a moment, he wondered if she were talking about herself for the job or if someone else would walk through his door tomorrow. Giving a mental shake, he turned his attention back to the files.

* * *

“Katelyn!”

Katelyn lifted her eyes to the heavens for the hundredth time that afternoon, the sound of her brother’s deep voice booming across the bar. Walking behind the polished, wooden bar, she tossed her tray down. “Aiden, for crying out loud—I’m right here. You don’t have to yell.”

The pub had been established by their grandfather and retained the original look and appeal of bygone days. Never changing, the entrance held a dartboard to the right and an old fireplace and sofa on the left. The original building had been one of the early structures in the town. While renovated, it retained much of the original brick walls and floor from years gone by. The bar ran the length of the right side with tall, mismatched, padded bar chairs up against the counter. The left contained tables already full of patrons and the kitchens were in the back.

Aiden’s long, dark hair was pulled into a ponytail and, paired with the tats on his arms, he kept the female population of Baytown coming in just to talk to him. “Aw, sis,” he grinned. “Now why would I want to spend ten minutes trying to get your attention when a good yell gets it right away?”

Brogan walked over to the two of them and cuffed Aiden on the back of the head. “Shut the hell up, asshole. You ain’t gotta be yelling across the place.”

With her hands on her hips, Katelyn looked at her two brothers. So alike in looks, people always thought they were twins when, in fact, Brogan was a full year older than Aiden. At one time, they both had the same Irish charm but the war had changed them. Aiden hides behind jokes and Brogan…sighing heavily, Katelyn knew Brogan’s surly attitude hid something. He poured the drinks at the bar, but rarely touched the alcohol himself. The snapping of fingers in front of her face jerked Katelyn back to the present.

“See? That’s why I gotta yell,” Aiden grinned.

Eyes narrowed, leaning forward, Katelyn said, “Snap your fingers at me one more time and you’ll lose them!”

“Come on, you two. Get back to work,” Brogan growled, as he pulled the next beer for the men at the bar.

Rounding the corner toward the kitchen, Katelyn detoured into the ladies’ room. Standing at the beaten copper sink, she looked into the mirror. It was easy to see the three as siblings, their Irish heritage shining through in the dark hair and light eyes. As children, they had bickered as siblings would, but Aiden and Brogan always considered themselves to be her protectors, even when she did not need that or want it. A close family in a small town could be as much a curse as a blessing and right now, she was feeling the curse. Dropping her chin to her chest, she sighed. She loved her brothers, but…I need something for me. Just for me.

* * *

All girls meeting. Tonight.

The text went out to Tori, Jillian, Belle, and Jade. That evening, Katelyn opened her door to her four closest friends and welcomed them inside. “Come on in, girls. The wine is already on the coffee table.”

“Wow, this must be serious,” Tori laughed, settling down on the sofa and pouring a drink, followed by Belle and Jade.

Jillian hesitated in the foyer, peering closely at Katelyn. “Should I be worried?” she asked softly.

Squeezing the hand of her best friend since birth, Katelyn shook her head slightly. “No…come on in and we’ll talk.”

Thirty minutes later, the four women had decimated the chips and dip, the cheese and crackers, and were on their second glasses of wine. Tori, Belle, and Jade sat on the sofa while Jillian slouched in the comfortable chair sideways, her legs dangling over one arm. Katelyn lounged on the carpet, her back resting against Jillian’s chair, and gazed lovingly at her friends.

Belle grew up in Baytown but was a couple of years younger. Looking at the others expectantly, the dark-haired, petite, shy woman had slowly allowed herself to become part of the group. Jade was a new teacher at the elementary school and new to Baytown. Katelyn always thought she looked like her name with dark hair and green eyes. Tori had grown up in Virginia Beach but spent every summer with her grandmother, helping to run the Sea Glass Inn. When her grandmother passed away, Tori moved to Baytown and ran the inn herself. The natural beauty and Mitch had been childhood sweethearts who met again and now were engaged.

And then there was Jillian—best friend extraordinaire. Inseparable since birth, the two women shared confidences, heartaches, and joys. As different in appearance as they could be, with Jillian’s blonde hair and slender, athletic frame, they could not be closer. She owned Jillian’s Coffee Shop and Galleria and had recently gotten back together with her high school boyfriend, Grant. If anyone gave her the right advice, it would be Jillian.

Tori looked over at Katelyn and said, “Okay, girl, spill.”

Katelyn replied, “I’m not sure where to start.”

Belle smiled shyly, “Why not start at the beginning? Especially since Jade and I are kinda new to you all.”

Chuckling, Katelyn nodded. “That’s probably a good idea.” Shooting a glance toward Jillian, she started, “I always wanted to go to college but had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. Graduating two years after Aiden, I watched my parents’ fear when he left for the Marines just one year after Brogan joined. By the time I graduated high school, they were both in Afghanistan.” Sighing heavily, she shook her head as she twisted up to look at Jillian. “Remember our plans? We were going to go to Old Dominion University.”

Jillian’s lips curved slightly at the memory. “Yeah, I do.”

Heaving a sigh, Katelyn continued, “But that didn’t happen. No way could I leave mom and dad at that time. I took a few business classes at the community college, but mostly I filled in at the pub and kept my morning job at the diner.”

Sitting up straighter, she pierced them with her blue eyes. “Ladies, I’m now twenty-eight and I’m still at the diner and pub. Sure, I’m part owner of the pub, but that’s just ‘cause granddad left it to me and my brothers.” Huffing, she repeated, “Twenty-eight. Still waitressing.”

“Oh, honey—” Tori started but was interrupted by Katelyn.

“No, no, don’t feel sorry for me,” she said. “I made my own choices and, honestly, I would have wasted my parents’ college money if I had gone ten years ago because I had no idea what I wanted to do. It’s just that these past ten years have passed and I realize I’m still here…stuck in the same place, doing the same thing.”

The silence was broken by Jillian’s soft words. “You thought your life was going to be different.”

Swallowing deeply, Katelyn nodded as a sad smile crossed her face. “Yeah…I thought I was going to be Philip’s wife.” Looking at Belle and Jade, she said, “You guys have heard of Philip Bayles and know about him. But, you see, before Philip left for the Army with Mitch, he asked me to marry him. I was only seventeen, but we’d been together all during high school. Looking back, I know I was too young to have made those kinds of decisions but, at the time, all I could think of was how much I loved him. I would have been twenty-one when he finished his tour and had never considered that I might not be his wife.”

With a rueful chuckle, Katelyn said, “I never gave much thought to my future because I was sure that I’d be a wife, mom, and working at the pub and diner would be enough for me.”

Belle’s eyes teared as she breathed, “Oh, Katelyn.”

“He was close to finishing his tour and when he visited on his last leave, we talked about our wedding. But then…he was killed…and with him, all my hopes, plans, and dreams.”