Where the Heart Is Read Online Free PDF Page A

ten taps. “He and his wife, Emily.”
    Oh. Emily really was just a friend. Or an employer who was a friend? “And she’s taking care of Ashley?”
    Derek pulled a second pint. “Yeah, she’s great. She’ll mother you too, if you let her.”
    â€œShould I?”
    He grinned at her. “Most definitely. Be right back.” He took off to deliver the beer to the two men.
    The door to the pub opened then and a fifty-something-year-old man with glasses and buzzed gray hair came in. He strode directly toward the bar, then stopped short when he saw Chloe standing behind it. “What’re you doing behind my bar?”
    â€œGeorge, it’s not your bar,” Derek said, returning, but there was zero heat to his words. “This is our new server, Chloe. Chloe, this is George, our daytime bartender. He’s a bit of an OF—that’s old fart—so don’t take him seriously.”
    â€œShow me some respect, young man. I was an officer in the United States Marine Corps!” He pushed past Derek and went to a corner of the bar, pulled an apron from beneath it, and tied it around his waist. “Where’s your apron, Chloe? Hasn’t Derek shown you a darned thing?”
    Derek rolled his eyes, but the smile on his lips indicated this was a friendly ribbing between two men who’d likely spent a lot of time working together. “She just got here, and we have customers. I was about to tell her about the beer.”
    â€œLucky I showed up.” George’s brown eyes twinkled behind wire-rimmed bifocals. “No one pulls a more perfect pint than I do. Let me show you.”
    George spent the next ten minutes telling her about all the varieties and showing her how to pull a pint with just the right amount of head. He was so into his tutorial and his delivery was so engaging that Chloe didn’t bother telling him she’d learned all of this from Mike, the pub manager, the day before.
    â€œHave you had any beer, then?” George asked.
    â€œI tried them all.” She’d sampled one or two sips of everything, and maybe a little more of a few of them.
    George leaned against the bar. “Which one’s your favorite?”
    â€œI like the Nock.” The winter seasonal was a dark stout with a smooth, chocolate finish.
    â€œGood choice. Derek here’s a Crossbow lad through and through.”
    Chloe had learned that Crossbow was their signature ale. “I liked that one too, but I’m a beer girl and I liked them all. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I chose to move to Oregon. Great microbreweries.” She turned her gaze to Derek.
    His lips spread in a toe-curling grin. “And ours is the best.”
    â€œSo far, yes.” And as she took in his movie-star good looks, she realized she wasn’t just talking about the beer. She hoped he didn’t realize that too. The last thing she needed was a workplace flirtation on top of everything else. This job was more important than ever.
    The day flew by as Chloe worked to stay on her toes. She welcomed the busy atmosphere of the pub, and chatting with the customers took her mind almost completely off her woes. By quitting time, she was too bone-tired to care that she didn’t have pajamas to sleep in. Though maybe she could swipe another shirt from the pub’s stock.
    Derek approached her as she wiped down a table. “You should go. Here,” he handed her a slip of paper, “these are directions to the Archers’.”
    Crud, she’d forgotten to call and cancel her reservation at the Blackbird, and she didn’t feel right about doing it this late in the day—it was past 7:00. “You know, I think I’m going to stay at the B and B tonight. I’m exhausted, it’s close. Win-win.”
    â€œI could drive you to the Archers,” he offered, “but I’m not quite ready to leave.”
    â€œIt’s okay.” She