Page 31 of Legacy

“Not at all. Honestly, that makes me feel better. You have no idea how many people would come up to me in college just to try to be my friend so they could get to know Atlas. Atlas doesn’t even live in the same state. Or the same time zone, for that matter.”

“Well, they’re just rude. I may not have any famous siblings, but I do know how not to be a jerk. At least, I hope so.” Her cheeks pinked, and I grinned.

“Same here, at least, not to be the jerk part.”

“Well, that sounds like a perfect way to begin a friendship. I’m so glad that you weren’t scared away from when I first said hello that first day. I’m so awkward sometimes when I’m nervous, and I still can’t believe I moved to a small town in the middle of nowhere.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here. I may have been born here, but most of my friends ended up not coming back after college. Which sucks.”

“And making friends as adults is so hard. When you don’t have kids, and when you work in an isolated place, sometimes you don’t have time to make friends.”

“Exactly.”

“Exactly what?”

I blinked and looked up at Bodhi Ashford and grinned. A couple of years younger than Callum, he looked just like his brother. But his beard was a little bit darker, his eyes a little more jaded. And considering everything he had gone through, I didn’t blame him.

A couple of regulars glared at Bodhi’s back, stood up from the bar, and walked out. I narrowed my gaze, opened my mouth to say something, and he held up his hand.

“They weren’t that quiet. Don’t worry about it,” he whispered.

Keely frowned at me, but I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to say. It wasn’t my story, and frankly, Bodhi had to deal with enough as it was in this small town. No wonder the man preferred to stay up in his cabin.

I cleared my throat and put on a bright smile that I knew didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Bodhi, Thatcher, this is Keely. She’s new to town.”

Bodhi lifted his chin, and Thatcher smiled.

Thatcher was around Callum’s age, if I remembered correctly, and the fire captain for the entire town. I still couldn’t quite believe that he had gone up the ladder, pun intended, so quickly, but he was damn good at his job. He also was raising three kids on his own, so the fact that he was out here at lunch, even in his uniform, surprised me. Though the kids were at school at the moment and for all I knew, he was done with his shift.

“Keely. Welcome. I hear you’re working with Promise?”

Keely’s eyes widened. “I am. I guess the small-town rules really do apply here.”

Bodhi just snorted, but Thatcher continued to grin.

“Yes, and you’ve just been featured in the Ashford Gazette.”

I cursed under my breath as Keely paled. “What does that mean?”

“It means that our lovely small town wanted to announce that you’re here,” Bodhi growled. “They do love their gossip.” Bodhi tilted his chin at me. “It’s good to see you, Squirt.”

I narrowed my gaze. “You only call me Squirt when you’re trying to annoy me.”

“Is it working?”

My lips twitched, but Bodhi just smiled, and I would take him making fun of me until the end of my days for that smile. Considering those smiles were few and far between.

Thatcher grinned, his eyes dancing, as he looked between Keely and me. “It’s good to meet you, Keely, and good to have you home, Felicity. I know you’re an adult now with actual money and a full-time job, but if you ever find yourself in the mood to deal with two fifteen-year-olds and a seven-year-old for an overnight, we’d love to have you back.”

“I can probably make it work in an emergency. I do love your kids.”

“And they’ve missed you. Welcome to town, Keely.”

And with that Thatcher went to the corner to have lunch with Bodhi, and Keely just shook her head. “I’m never going to remember everybody’s names.”

“It’s really okay.”

“Thatcher has three kids? And two of them are fifteen? He doesn’t look old enough to have a fifteen-year-old, let alone two.”