His Reason to Stay

m a dying fire. The transmission whined in protest every time I shifted, but I knew better than to p

here the coffee was strong, the gossip was stronger, and you

olite nods, then went back to their meals. It was always the same crowd, ranch hands, re

m C

in a small notebook. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing a wristwatch tha

t turne

ast him and found a

behind the bar. "You look like you'v

aid with a faint smi

oured me a fresh

eas

s. Liam was still looking in my directio

ted

walked over, casual as yo

e," I sai

he'd done it a thousand times. "Didn't

"We don't exactly have

"That's kind

eem nervous or out of place. If anything, he looked like he wanted to ble

ng about yet?" I asked, no

," he said. "

fr

up his hands in mock surrender. "I haven't se

"What exactly are

trying to. Inspiration's been a

im. But I didn't c

h and fries, giving Liam a once-o

ong?" she aske

more," he said.

before heading off to re

letters in Dad's drawer, the weight pressing agai

iam said after a minute. "About

't pay the bil

ly, "but sometimes

, surprised. "W

mbers. Some places carry weight, history, memory. P

was... not the a

real estat

een around long enough to

no. It was a dance

I said. "But you know a

orked in different spaces. Corporate. Legal. A

to choose my town," I s

he said,

t once and sur

ke I was a riddle he was enjoy

with smooth lines and expensive watc

with a shovel and a death g

Oakridge," I

again. "I l

hing behind the charm, a flicker of tension in his jaw, a flash of something

sk more, the bel

e wal

Liam sitting beside me. Her eyebrows shot up, and I

ned in

ng onto the stool on my oth

am," I said

hly, offering his hand. "

, eyes narrowin

rk. "It tells time. And apparently

're funny. That's da

eyes. "He'

hing flickered in his express

dn't b

I fe

sn't sure if I bel