Tall Tales and Wedding Veils Read Free

bottle of Scotch out of his desk drawer, poured each of them a drink, and toasted Tony’s future success.

    God, that had felt good.

    Tracy came to the table and slid his usual Sam Adams in front of him. She’d started working there about a month ago, and she was just his kind of woman—quick with a beer, out for a good time, and
very
nice to look at, with long blond hair and legs to die for. Someday soon, he intended to do more than just look.

    “You’re sure in a good mood,” she said. “Could it be because you’re getting ready to buy a certain bar and grill?”

    He smiled and took a sip of his beer, which tasted even better than usual. “You bet it is. Monday’s gonna be a red-letter day.”

    “Everybody around here is thrilled that you’re going to be the new owner.” She leaned in and spoke confidentially. “Frank is such a tight-ass.”

    She was right. Frank was a tight-ass, and that was the last kind of person Tony intended to be. There was no need to be a slave driver. A happy employee was a productive employee. That was going to be his motto from now on.

    He couldn’t believe how everything had fallen perfectly into place. He’d put in an offer, and after a week of negotiation, Frank had finally agreed to finance the majority of the sales price, only to have their negotiations hit a stalemate when Tony was twenty thousand short of what Frank insisted on for a down payment. That was when he asked his friend Dave to loan him the twenty thousand, and in return, he would become a silent partner.

    Tony performed the necessary due diligence. He checked out the current demographic trends and the projected business growth in the area. Hired somebody to do a projected profit/loss statement. Ordered inspections of the building and the facilities. Everything had looked good, and they were set to close escrow on Monday morning.

    He couldn’t wait.

    As Tracy walked away, Tony turned and looked out over the room. Even though the crowd was light at five o’clock, he knew it would pick up considerably in the next hour. Right now, two guys were drinking beer and playing pool. A young couple was deep in conversation at a table near the door. And Tracy had just set a couple of martinis in front of two women sitting in a booth against the wall.

    The women weren’t exactly his type—a little too ordinary-looking—but anyone who came through the door with money in his pocket and looking for a good time was going to be his new favorite customer. He intended to become Mr. Hospitality, courting every one of them with great food, drink specials, and a big, welcoming smile. A neighborhood bar was all about making people feel right at home, and that was exactly what he intended to do.

    He turned to see Dave come through the door. Tony had arranged to meet him here to get a check for the twenty thousand, which he was going to deposit this afternoon, which meant he’d be right on track for the Monday morning closing. Tony waved at him, and Dave made his way over to the table and sat down.

    “Beer?” Tony said. “I’m buying.”

    “No, thanks.”

    “Aw, come on. Have one with me. I feel like celebrating.”

    Dave shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah? Well, you’re not going to feel like it in a minute.”

    Tony froze, dread creeping through him. “Dave? What are you talking about?”

    Dave blew out a breath. “Bad news, man.”

    “What?”

    “I can’t give you the twenty thousand.”
    Chapter 2

    B ridesmaid dresses are supposed to be ugly,” Alison said as she twirled the spear of olives in her martini glass. “It’s the law.”

    Heather took a healthy sip of her own martini, hoping by the time she reached the bottom of the glass, the memory of those dresses would be obliterated.

    Oh, hell. Who was she kidding? She could chug an entire bottle of gin and still wouldn’t be able to forget.

    Alison tucked a strand of her straight brown hair behind her ear, then put her elbow on the table and