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"Yeah."
He looked his friend in the eye. "I'd like to. I'm calmer here - bikers aside. It's a nice little town. I don't have anyone back home. I like the Garage, and if I wanted to, I'm sure Coop would hire me."
Jace nodded. "Here you have Quinn and me."
"Yep." He sipped his coffee again. "I wouldn't move here for you two old farts though."
Jace laughed. "Can't say I blame you."
Grace entered the kitchen looking fresh and beautiful as usual. Chiefy ran to her and she petted her pup, and gave her a kiss on the top of the head. "Good morning." She pointed to the cup of coffee on the counter and Sid nodded.
His attention was on Grace as she carried her coffee to the table. She'd pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She wore a clean pair of jeans and a clean t-shirt. She had tennis shoes on her feet and if he didn't know she was fifty he would easily have said forty. He pulled the chair out next to him and she sat down. She sipped her coffee and Sid watched her. He enjoyed watching her.
Jace chuckled and Sid turned to look at his friend, who had been watching him. Not much got by Jace.
"Jace, how is the bar doing? I mean, you have this magnificent house, but is the bar responsible or was this from money you had saved?"
"A little of both. The bar is going well. I sold my little bar in Missouri before I came down here. I had cash, and nothing to do, as it was. My plan wasn't to buy a bar, but to kick around for a while and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. My divorce was a killer."
Sid nodded. "I remember."
"But, as it turned out, the old man who owned the bar wanted to sell it and I found I sort of liked it here. As I keep renovating and expanding, the bar continues to grow, which is great. We're adding food choices all the time and the patrons are telling us they love what we're doing. Plus, the location is everything and then some. I just have to keep the place from getting run down, and that the location pulls people to it. Plus, I've met some musicians here. They work out of the barn at the end of Sunset Beach Road. Tony, the manager, lives in the bungalow next to you for the time being. I guess he's building a house of his own now, so he won't be there long. And the lead singer, Jami Hart, lives in the farmhouse in front of the barn. They have been coming down here when they're in town and playing gigs on the beach. That's becoming something I need to get more serious about. Having regular music."
Grace smiled sweetly. "I think live music on the beach would be wonderful."
Jace nodded. "I agree. So, before I begin to offer that on a regular basis, I need to make sure I can book the bands I want regularly. That's the next step I think, in the evolution of Sarge's Sandbar."
Grace laughed. "Why do you call it Sarge's?"
Jace shrugged and Sid chuckled. "We had a friend in the service who just couldn't seem to make it past the rank of sergeant. After he was passed up for a few promotions it became a joke. Then, he decided he liked being called Sarge, so that's what we all called him. He died two years ago and it sort of broke my heart a bit. I liked him. So, Sarge's Sandbar it is. Plus, most people don't know I'm not Sarge and that gives me a bit of anonymity."
Sid nodded and Grace turned to him. "Did you know Sarge too?"
He chuckled. "I did. He was a likable guy, but he was not ambitious in the least. Which is why he never rose in rank. He knew that too."
22
Listening to Sid and Jace chat about old times felt nice. Grace went upstairs and brought Chiefy's dishes down. Filling her food bowl and adding fresh water to her water bowl, she smiled as she watched her pup happily eat. She'd managed all this turmoil so well last night and she slept good.
For that matter, Grace slept good last night too. Sid made her feel safe and wanted. It had been years since she'd felt either of those things. It was weird how a person could miss something so much but not realize what it was they were missing.
Jace stood up. "I'm trying a new recipe today. You two can be my guinea pigs."
Grace laughed. "Oh, dear. Well, is there something I can do to help you?"
"Nope. I'm a solitary chef. You and Sid sit there and talk to me."
Sid put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. "He doesn't like anyone hovering about while he's cooking. But, I can tell you he's a great chef. All those recipes on the menu at the Sandbar are Jace's."
"Really?" Jace bowed and they both laughed at him.
Chiefy paced by the door so Grace walked her outside. She enjoyed the warmth of the sun as it rose. Today was supposed to be in the eighties here. She looked forward to that. One of the reasons she chose to move to Florida was for the weather. She could work all day in the sweltering heat and sweat like a pig and it didn't bother her. She just kept herself hydrated. But, she hated the cold.
Some birds began chirping loudly to each other, likely warning that she was out here and Chiefy too. Chiefy squatted and peed, then kept herself busy smelling all the shrubs and bushes in the landscaping. She scared a bird from a bush and ran across the yard as if she'd catch it. She found a frog near the base of a bush and barked at it. Grace laughed at her playfulness. She was nearly five years old and she still acted like a puppy. It was cute.
"Come on, girl. Let's go in."
Chiefy ran to her and she held the door open to let her inside. She immediately ran to her water dish and took a good healthy drink. Grace sat next to Sid at the table and he took her hand in his.
