Shelter Me Home Read Online Free Page A

thaw out at least once more before winter hits for good,” he said. “It’s too early for the snow to hold straight through. It sure put a stop to preparing for winter, though.”
    She leaned comfortably on her elbows and clasped her hands. “Is that why you guys are out in the weather? Work stopped?”
    “Yes, ma’am. No one is able to do much when the weather comes in fast like this. We’ll just wait it out and get back to work when it passes.”
    “Can I get a cranberry vodka?” the dark haired girl at the end asked.
    “Sure thing. What about you?” she asked the blonde who was watching Aanon like a predator.
    “Same,” she said.
    Two cranberry vodkas, and three beers later, Aanon did, in fact, saunter in through the front door. Drat.
    She plastered on a smile as he took a seat by the guys, but it wasn’t necessary. He didn’t notice her among all of the greetings for his friends. They acted like they hadn’t seen him in a while, but she was at a loss at how they could miss him. If he lived here, he was one of a couple hundred. They might as well live in a commune together.
    “Hey, can we get another beer for my buddy here?” Ben asked.
    “Yep. You sure you don’t want shots? It seems like you guys haven’t seen each other in a while.” Upselling never hurt her tips.
    “Ew lady, you’re dangerous. I appreciate that. Yeah, shots for all of us. You can put all this on my ticket, okay?”
    Oh, she loved when tickets weren’t split up. Made life so much easier. Ben had earned himself one sincere smile from her before she started to work on filling shot glasses. Aanon sat with his back to the bar, but when she placed the shots in front of Ben to hand out, he turned a startled look on her.
    “Have a shot with us,” Ben said to her. “I’ll buy.”
    She laughed and opened her mouth to decline, but Aanon spoke for her. “She can’t. What are you doing here?”
    The bar went eerily quiet.
    “Do you know her?” the blond-haired woman asked.
    “Um, I work here,” Farrah answered.
    “Since when?” he asked.
    “To Hot New Bartender!” Ben said, lifting his miniature glass high.
    Aanon growled, downed his whiskey with everyone else, and turned an impatient glare on her.
    “Since just now,” she answered. “Briney hired me a few minutes ago.”
    “Geez, dude,” Ben said, gripping Aanon’s shoulder playfully. “Tone it down, will you? You’re going to scare Hot New Bartender off.”
    “Don’t call her that,” Aanon murmured, never taking his eyes from her.
    Okay, this was leading nowhere good, and she needed this job. She shimmied down the counter to check on a couple of patrons nursing scotches on the rocks, changed the television channel for them, and then gave the bar a thorough cleaning with a new rag while the others talked and laughed.
    Ben waved her back and ordered another round. They were going to get rowdy all right. “So,” he asked while she was preparing their drinks. “Where are you staying? I haven’t seen you around here before.”
    “Nowhere at the moment. In fact, if any of you know of any cheap rentals, I’d appreciate the information. I don’t really know my way around here yet.”
    “Have you tried Ava yet?” one of the other guys asked.
    Rinsing out a glass, she asked, “Is she in charge of real estate for The Landing?”
    “Yep.”
    “Then yes, I tried her earlier. All too rich for my blood. I’m a simple girl with simple tastes. Fancy doesn’t suit me.”
    “Well, you’re in luck,” Ben said with a slight slur to his words. “Aanon here has been looking for a renter for the broad side of a year.”
    The Aanon he spoke of was shaking his head vigorously back and forth trying to shut his friend up, and one glance down the bar told her the blond-haired woman was shooting poisoned arrows at her through narrowed eyes.
    “Uh, no that’s okay. I’m sure I’m not the type of renter he’s looking for.” God, could this get any more awkward?
    “Good,