“It’s your favorite, and it looks like you could use it.”

Her head startles as she looks at the glass and then back to me. “How’d you know it’s my favorite?”

“You spend enough time behind this bar”—I wink— “and you get to know people.”

“Oh, really.”

“Yep.” I start a long pour of Guinness for Vix’s order.

“Then what do you know about me?”

Challenge accepted.

I take another long look at her, lips pursed, head cocked to the side. “You’re not into hard liquor because that’s too serious, because you’re too serious, and losing control isn’t your thing. At the same time, you’re restless, that much I can tell.” I set the beer on the serving station and grab a towel to wipe my hands on as I take the few steps back toward Harley. “You have an inherent dislike for the holidays, as is evident with your last name.”

“Clearly,” she says wryly above the rim of the glass.

“You’ve either been dumped recently or are getting over a breakup,” I add out of selfish curiosity to see if she has a boyfriend, and the little grimace she gives in response tells me I hit the nail on the head.

No boyfriend, then. I file it away for thought.

“And you’re escaping—” She lifts an eyebrow. “Yes, you’re escaping whatever it is that troubles you . . . perhaps that's why you can’t seem to finish that novel of yours.”

Her head whips up, and she’s on the defensive immediately, as she should be. “What? How? Why? You looked me up!”

I hold up my hands in defense, a chuckle falling from my lips. “I’m letting a strange woman stay in a part of my house. I’m sure as shit going to look them up and make sure they aren’t a serial killer. It’s only prudent on my part to check out the person I’m giving keys to.” She opens her mouth to speak and then shuts it just as quickly. “I didn’t mean any harm by it. Honestly. You mentioned on social media you were struggling with your book. I put two and two together and . . .”

“And you assumed. You know what they say about people who assume.”

My smile is quick. So is my shrug. “As a woman who uses her words for a living, I’m sure you’re more than willing to let me know.”