That night Nora dreamed of her grandfather. When she awoke, his gentle voice lingered in her consciousness. Things happen for a reason.

Drawing in a breath of resolve, she tossed back the covers. She would apply for the waitress job today. Even if it wasn’t the career of her dreams, it would pay for food and rent until she found something better. Besides, her grandfather had made his way back to Earth to suggest that she apply for that job. She didn’t understand the reasons, but she wasn’t going to question it either. Her Pap had never steered her wrong.

She took a quick shower, made Ben scrambled eggs and toast, then dropped him off at school.

Back at home, she meticulously applied make-up and put her hair in an updo, then changed into a floral dress with a denim jacket. She glanced at herself in the mirror. Her nose was a little too big, her forehead too long. At least her eyes were pretty—a deep sparkling green, the one good feature she had inherited from her mother. Stepping back, she took in the full view. She supposed she had a decent body now, other than a too big butt and too big boobs. She worked hard to stay fit—jogging, playing soccer with Ben, and exercising to apps on her phone. She’d been chunky as a child and it had been a constant source of teasing from the other children. Her own mother had ridiculed her too.

She smoothed a hand down the front of her loose-fitted dress. She looked fresh, clean, and respectable. Grabbing the newspaper and her purse, she took one last look in the mirror. “Go get ‘em,” she told herself.

Ten minutes later, she crossed over the railroad tracks and pulled into the parking lot of On The Rocks Bar & Grill. Hopping out of her car, she studied the building. The structure was old, but there were homey touches, like gnomes peeking around the shrubs and a large welcome wreath on the front door.

Squaring her shoulders, Nora marched up the walkway and into the restaurant.

Inside, the place wasn’t at all what she had expected. To the right were plentiful tables and booths, to the left, a long wooden bar and a smaller section with tall tables. A large game room occupied the back. The place was clean, well-lit, and filled with people.

She headed toward the bar. As she passed a wall of NASCAR pictures, she shook her head. People spent hours and hours watching grown men drive cars around in circles until one of them crossed the finish line milliseconds before the rest. She didn’t get it, but she knew she was in the minority, at least in this part of the country.

As she approached the bar, the platinum blonde bartender glanced over. “What can I get you?”

Nora drew in a deep breath. “Actually, I’m here to apply for the job.” She lifted the newspaper ad. “That is if it’s still open.”

“It’s still open.” The bartender smiled at Nora. “I’m Jenna.”

“Nora Williams.”

A middle-aged woman with gorgeous copper hair made her way toward them from the other end of the bar.

“This is Nora.” Jenna waved a hand toward her. “She’s here to apply for the waitress job.”

“Hi, Nora.” The other woman extended a hand. “Steph Daley.” She gave Nora a warm smile. “Let’s go back to my office to talk.”

Steph escorted Nora down a hallway and into her office. Inside, there were two cushy chairs and a beige loveseat positioned in front of a large desk. The loveseat and chairs were accented with pillows in various shades of blue. The walls were lined with framed pictures of stunning landscapes. The sun setting over a field of lavender, a waterfall cascading into a pool of turquoise, sunlight filtering through a dense green forest. The pictures were warm and inspiring, and made Nora feel at ease.

“Please have a seat,” Steph said, waving at the chairs in front of her cluttered desk.

Papers were strewn across the desk and folders were scattered across the file cabinets on the far end of the wall. The office was a fascinating combination of warmth and disorder, and Nora itched to organize the space.

Nora lowered onto a chair. Steph surprised Nora by slightly turning the adjacent chair and sitting next to her instead of behind the desk.

“Do you have any waitressing experience?” Steph asked her.

Nora clutched her hands together. She’d expected the question, but even so, it made her feel underqualified. But she was smart and resourceful and she could figure it out. “No, but I’m a quick learner.”

Steph asked about her last job and Nora enthusiastically described her responsibilities as the office manager at Cummings Construction.

“I could use some organization around here,” Steph said. “I’m digressing, but do you know anything about payroll and invoicing?”

A glint of excitement rushed through Nora. Maybe she could waitress and do some office work. She shared how she had automated Matt’s payroll, invoicing, and scheduling. “I’d love to help you with that.”

“That would be nice.” Steph angled her head. “Why did you leave Cummings?”

Nora twisted the ring on her right hand. She’d anticipated this question too, but she still didn’t have a good answer so she went with the truth. “I made the mistake of dating my boss.” Nora clasped her hands together and put them on her lap. “Things didn’t work out between us.”

“Ah.” Steph’s eyes turned empathetic.

Nora also told Steph about Lynn’s passing and her taking custody of Ben. “I’ll have to work mostly daytime hours.”

Steph smiled. “Any reason why I shouldn’t hire you?”

Nora gave her a smile back. “Absolutely none.”

“When can you start?”

One of the waitresses popped her head in the door. “Hey Steph, who’s covering my shift this afternoon?”

Steph gave the waitress a blank look. “Where are you going?”

“Doctor’s appointment, remember?”

“I really need to get organized,” Steph mumbled. Shaking her head, she let out a tight laugh. “Go on to your appointment, we’ll figure it out.”

“I could put in some time before I have to get my nephew,” Nora offered. She could get her feet wet and pick up a few hours of pay.

“Welcome to On The Rocks,” Steph said, extending her hand.

An hour and a half later, Nora had memorized the full menu and was holding her own with the other waitresses. She liked the employees at OTR. They called themselves misfits, but they seemed to be a tightknit group who had each other’s backs. She was also enjoying chitchatting with the customers. The only drawback, she thought, as she placed another order for a cheeseburger and fries, was that she had to serve meat. And the place sold a lot of burgers.

Everyone has the right to make their own choice, she reminded herself. Just because she was a vegan, it didn’t mean everyone else had to be. She mentally walked through the Zen stuff she listened to while she jogged. Allow others to be that which they are. Practice acceptance. And her favorite Dalai Lama quote: “Don’t let the behaviors of others destroy your inner peace.”

But the reminders did little to lessen her growing agitation.

She was open-minded about most things, but not animals. She was passionate in her conviction that animals were beautiful souls who had the right to live their lives in peace.

Annoyance flared again when she took the next order for a Philly cheesesteak. She tamped down her irritation, even knowing it was a bad idea. She should take a break instead, maybe jog around the building. Inevitably, after she’d buried enough negative emotion, it would simmer, heat, and rise until it eventually erupted like a vengeful volcano.

But this was her job, and her and Ben’s livelihood, so she wouldn’t let it happen here.

She told herself that through the next two food deliveries, even as irritation spiked and gurgled in her stomach. When she picked up the next order—a double-cheeseburger with fries—she glowered at the plate, thinking about the poor cow who had been killed so the yahoo at Table 5 could gorge on beef. Had it been a mama cow who had been tragically taken from her family and sent to slaughter? Or perhaps the cow had been born and lived his entire life in a factory, in conditions so grim that an icy chill ran up her spine.

Snatching the plate, she told herself she could do it.

Only she couldn’t.

She wasn’t a fraud, nor was she a good actress. As she marched toward Table 5, her blood boiled and the lava inside her could no longer be suppressed. By the time she reached the table, a red hot burning sensation churned in her gut. She slammed the plate down in front of the bearded man and slapped a hand on her hip. “You know a cow was murdered so you could eat this burger.”

The man gaped at her wide-eyed.

“Enjoy,” she barked. “If you can.”

All eyes were on her as she stalked back to the bar. Along the way, an unwelcome heat crept into her cheeks as embarrassment coursed through her. She allowed herself a slight sense of satisfaction for letting her authentic self shine through and for being the voice for poor, innocent creatures. But in her zeal to defend the cow, she hadn’t taken time to think through the consequences. She would either have to quit or she’d be fired. And, damn it, she needed this job.

When she reached the bar, she removed her apron and handed it to Steph. “I’m sorry. I really wanted this job, but I’m not sure I can do it.”

Steph gave her a look that was more understanding than she deserved. “Don’t go anywhere,” Steph said, patting a bar stool, then she waved Jenna over. “Pour Nora a Coke, okay? She’s on break.”

On break? What was going on, Nora wondered, as Steph made her way to Table 5. Why hadn’t Steph fired her? Maybe Steph wanted to chastise her in private after she conversed with the man Nora had just accosted.

As Steph chatted with the man at Table 5, reality poked at Nora. She pressed two fingers to her temple. What was wrong with her? She’d seen people eat meat. Ella sometimes ate fish, and Ben’s best friend ate all kinds of meat.

She glanced up when Jenna delivered her soda. “Thanks,” she managed, then put her head in her hands. She really needed this job.

Jenna pulled her hands away from her face and made eye contact with her. “Hang in there,” she said with a smile. “Steph’s understanding.”

Nora returned Jenna’s smile, even though disappointment swam in her veins. “Thanks.” Throughout the day, Nora had watched Steph nurture and encourage her employees like a loving mother. It was a foreign concept, but one she could quickly get used to. Except now she wouldn’t have the opportunity. Frustration whipped around in her belly as she took a gulp of her Coke. The fizzy drink settled her insides and gave her a slight lift.

An elderly woman shuffled up to the bar and sat next to her.

“Hi, Maggie.” Jenna greeted. “What can I get you?”

“How about an El Presidente?” The older woman looked as though the sand in her hourglass was almost gone with her heavily wrinkled face and frail body. But her voice was spirited and the gleam in her eye indicated she still had plenty of spunk left.

Jenna huffed. “Do you look stuff up just to give me a hard time?”

The elderly woman grinned. “I just need a change of pace.” She brushed back a strand of silver hair. “You gonna make it or not?”

“Bartending sucks,” Jenna muttered. She grabbed her cell phone and tapped the screen, presumably looking up the ingredients of an El Presidente.

Nora rose and slipped behind the bar. “May I?”

Jenna gawked at her, then gestured toward the glasses. “Be my guest.”

Nora searched for the right ingredients, then poured just the right amount of rum, lime juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine into a tumbler. She mixed it up, transferred it to a tall glass, and garnished it with pineapple, lime, and orange. After adding a straw and an umbrella, she slid it across the bar.

Maggie took a sip, then lifted her glass. “Now this is a real drink.”

Jenna pointed a finger at Nora. “You have bartending experience!”

Nora laughed at the accusatory tone in Jenna’s statement. “I bartended my way through community college.”

Steph returned and sat on a bar stool next to Maggie.

“Can Nora and I trade jobs?” Jenna asked, leaning across the bar toward Steph. “I wanna go back to waitressing more than I want a hot date.” She flashed a grin, then waved a hand toward Nora. “And she’s a bartender.”

Maggie took a noisy slurp of her drink. “Amen to that!”

It was nice of Jenna to make the suggestion, but surely Steph would decline considering Nora had just waylaid one of the customers.

“Why didn’t you tell me you had bartending experience?” Steph asked her. Nora had expected Steph to be mad, but her tone was nothing but kind.

“You advertised for a waitress.” Nora lifted a shoulder. “I didn’t think it was applicable.”

Steph let out a dry laugh. “I advertised for a waitress ‘cause I thought it would be easier to find a waitress than a bartender.”

“Yeah, so she stuck me back here.” Jenna theatrically lifted her hands in the air. “With no bartending experience.”

Steph turned to Nora. “How about we make you the bartender slash office helper and we’ll let Jenna go back to waitressing?”

Nora had fully expected to get fired. Instead, Steph was offering her the chance to bartend, which she enjoyed, and to do office work, which she loved. Relieved, she nodded in agreement. “Deal. Thanks for being so kind.” She glanced to her right at Jenna, then behind the kitchen counter at Hud. All of the OTR employees had supported her today.

“Kindness is a choice,” Steph said. “We choose to practice it here.”

Nora had never thought about it like that, but it made sense. She made a vow to choose kindness too, so she could contribute to the positive energy.

“Besides, I understand your outlook.” Steph put a hand over Nora’s. “I’m a vegetarian.”

Nothing Steph could have said would have surprised Nora more. She’d felt inexplicably drawn to Steph from the moment she had met her. This explained some of it. But if Steph was a vegetarian, why did she serve burgers and meat-based dishes? Perplexed, Nora lifted her gaze to Steph’s. “Really? But—”

“I serve meat and meatless dishes so I can cater to all of my customer’s requests.” Steph ran a hand down her wavy, shoulder length hair. “I understand your perspective even though I became a vegetarian for different reasons.” An intense emotion flashed through Steph’s bright blue eyes, but it came and went so quickly that Nora couldn’t decipher it.

Steph rose. “Let me show you around before you have to leave.” Moving behind the bar, she called out to the tall, dark-haired cook. “Hud, you’re on food delivery at the bar, at least for meat orders.”

Hud winked at Nora and gave Steph a thumbs-up.

Steph started at the far end of the bar and worked down the long expanse, showing Nora where they kept glasses, supplies, and the beer, wine, and liquor. When they reached the other end of the bar where the wait staff placed their drink orders, Steph turned to her. “There you have it. Tomorrow I’ll show you around my office.”

“Thanks.” Nora smiled at Steph. “I appreciate you giving me a second chance. I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t.” Steph smiled easily. “I have a good sense about people.” She filled a drink order as Nora gathered her things. “By the way, do you know anyone who’s looking for a place to rent?” Steph asked. “I live in the duplex next door and half of it’s been empty since our last bartender moved to California.”

Nora could hardly believe her ears. A job in a warm and loving environment that included office work, and now the potential for a place for her and Ben to live. It would be ideal if she could afford it. Not only was it next door to her new job, but it was also close to Ben’s school and his best friend’s house.

Before she could respond, a thud sounded, followed by shattering glass.

Steph sprinted toward the other side of the bar. Nora followed her to the NASCAR wall. It appeared that Maggie had bumped into the wall and knocked down two pictures.

As Maggie stooped over, Steph called out to her.

“Maggie, no!” Steph rushed to the older woman’s side and took her arm. “We’ll get that.”

Maggie straightened.

“Are you okay?” Steph asked.

Maggie smoothed down her short cap of silver hair. “Of course,” she snapped, snatching her arm back. “But I gotta run,” she said, and then hustled out of the bar.

Hud appeared with a broom and swept up the broken glass.

As Steph thanked Hud, Nora bent down and picked up the pictures. Carrying them to the bar, she stole a glance at the top photo. She registered a handsome young man holding a trophy aloft and grinning, then her gaze was drawn to the thin, brunette standing just behind him. “Oh. My. God.” Nora’s heart raced as she did a double-take. It was Lynn standing next to the man holding the trophy.

Steph rushed to her side. “You’re shaking.” She took the pictures and placed them on the bar. “What’s wrong?”

Nora leaned against a stool. “My sister,” she said, her voice a rough whisper.

“What about your sister?” Steph asked, gently rubbing her arm.

Mind reeling, Nora picked up the picture again. Her sister looked to be about sixteen, the age when she had gotten pregnant. Lynn had been so young, so full of life back then. Sighing wistfully, Nora took in every detail, only half aware of Steph waiting for more information.

As she studied the shirt her sister was wearing, Nora sucked in a sharp breath. It was a cute smiley-face T-shirt that Lynn had later turned into a sleeveless belly shirt. Nora remembered it well, because she’d taken the shirt away from Lynn when she’d been six months pregnant and still wearing it. Could this man be Ben’s father, she wondered, and how could she find out who he was? An eager anticipation fluttered inside her.

Moving her index finger to the girl in the picture, Nora caught Steph’s gaze. “This is my sister.”

Steph’s eyes widened as Nora slid her finger to the young man. “Do you know who he is?”

“Davey Johnson.” Steph pressed a hand to her chest. “My son.”