My phone went off again with another text, but this time, from Mickey. ‘Hey Liz, the bar’s pretty dead right now, are you still coming over?’

I smiled, tapping out my reply. ‘On my way!’

Gently putting Teresa on the floor, I packed up my laptop and notebook and made a dash for the door. As I walked the short distance to The Beast, I thought back to the drastic turn my life had taken over the last few weeks. Beyond finding out the truth about the dark spot in my family tree and rescuing Addie and Zoey, my personal life had morphed into something I wouldn’t have expected just a few months ago.

When Andie had first dragged me to The Beast upon my return, I couldn’t take my eyes off Mickey. Sure, we’d bonded over our family dramas recently, but now, with the weight of my family secret lifted from my shoulders, I noticed the way his eyes crinkled as he laughed. The way he truly listened to every word I spoke. The way the room felt electric every time I got close to him. At first, I’d chalked it up to a crush on the guy who I’d opened up to, figuring he didn’t feel the same. As a skilled bartender, being attentive to anyone who walked in the door was a part of the trade. But then I went back to the bar a few times while Andie was at work, and before I knew it, I leaned across the bar and kissed him. I still don’t know what came over me that night. The old Liz would never have been so bold. But this new Liz? I guess she is. And that was that. I’d somehow stumbled into a relationship. Of course, my mother was ecstatic.

I entered the empty bar, a smile lighting up my face when I saw him standing there, polishing a glass. Butterflies still fluttered around my stomach when I saw him. He returned my smile, coming out from around the bar to greet me with a kiss.

‘Hey, you,’ he said, enveloping me in a warm embrace. ‘Bring your article to work on today?’

‘Yes,’ I replied as I pulled back, patting my bag with my hand. ‘I’m close to finishing, just double checking some things before I send it to Beccah.’

‘Here, grab a seat and I’ll make you a drink. What are you feeling today?’

‘Something smokey,’ I said, and he laughed. Whenever I came to the bar now, he would ask what kind of mood I was in and then concoct a craft cocktail to match it.

Settling myself into my usual seat at the bar, I set up my laptop and grabbed my notebook. I pulled the taped photo off the inside front cover, attaching it to the top corner of my laptop screen. My extra motivation.