“Yes, I do. I have tips from last night.” I pass the cash over to the cashier and accept my bags from her. When we’re outside, I glance up at him. “I appreciate you wanting to help. I really do. But you’ve already gone above and beyond. I can pay for my own shampoo and Goldfish.”

“Understood.”

“You’re done for the day,” Keegan says at around seven in the evening. “You can grab some dinner here, if you like.”

“I’ve been eyeing more of that stew all day,” I say as I untie my apron. “I feel like such an idiot.”

“Because you like stew?”

“No.” I lean on the bar and smile at him. “Because this is just so hard. I feel so clumsy and slow. Maggie breezes around here like some kind of Irish faerie, taking orders and making people smile. She even sang earlier while she delivered drinks. And I can barely carry the tray with a food order without making a fool of myself.”

“You’re being too hard on yourself, lass,” he says. “Now, go get yourself a bowl of stew and come have a seat.”

I nod and walk through the swinging door to where Keegan’s brother, Shawn, mans the kitchen. His wife, Lexi, fills a basket full of fries.

“Whenever you have a moment, I’d love a bowl of stew,” I say when Lexi looks over with a smile.

“Of course.” She reaches for a bowl to ladle a scoop into and then adds a crusty piece of bread to the side. “How was your shift today, Izzy?”

“Oh, just fine, thanks. I’m going to take this to the bar.”

Lexi nods and then gets back to filling orders with Shawn.

I’ve just taken a bite of my stew when Keegan approaches and sets a glass of wine on the bar for me. I take a sip and then stare at him in surprise.

“This is the wine I showed you today.”

“It is, yes.”

“You didn’t have to go back out and get it.”

“It’s not a big deal.” He wipes the bar with his white towel. “You look knackered.”

“If that means exhausted, you’d be right. Maybe the past couple of days finally caught up with me.”

He nods and watches as I eat my dinner. “Well, go on up when you’ve finished here and make yourself at home.”

“Thank you. Really, Keegan.”

“You’re welcome.”

And with that, he wanders away to fill drink orders and chat with the customers. Keegan is an attentive bartender. His patrons enjoy sitting at the bar rather than the high-top tables so they can sit and chat with him as they drink a pint of beer or eat their dinner.