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Chapter One

Lia the Black Mountain Tavern It was early May, and the last weekend before the resort closed down for the season It had been a good year for skiing, but they wouldn’t stay open er Even if the snow stuck around, the skiers usually didn’t

This ht be one of the last weekends when he stood to ht now, the bar was packed with the edgiest of winter-sports types, all of thelory Ice cli their last adrenaline shots until rock-clian Hell, some of the people on the dance floor even jusuits

Maniacs, all

But maniacs who liked to tip any bartender who could supply them with an obscure craft brew or the most lethal moscow mule Liam was their arded the packed dance floor with a brief flash of nostalgia He’d uys when he shook the dust of Antero from his heels in another month or so Of course, he had a lot of work to do before that happened

He’d spent the previous night helping his sister, Bec, bottle a particularly nice red ale at the brewery they owned, a task that had taken theottenhi he’dthat would make people sit up and take notice But the red ale was Bec’s beer—he was just helping out In fact, most of what they put out noas Bec’s beer His own stuff was prettyof the past

He’d , too, but maybe not as much as he once would have

He didn’t begrudge Bec her success She was a genius brewetting After he left, she’d hire so noithout losing s they’d been able to do, but he didn’t have much of a role to play there anymore

He’d miss Black Mountain Tavern more, to tell the truth He’d tended bar there for over a year, and he liked the place Or he’d liked it until he’d started seeing telltale signs that the bar was headed for the skids after the nener took over—forgotten repairs, reducedaround about bartender openings a couple of weeks ago Lucky for him, he’d found a place in Park City that needed not just a bartender, but aon in another month or so when the new bar opened Quick and painless

Landing on your feet Always leave the more

A couple of woet his attention He headed their way after delivering the drinks he’d just uys ere either boarders, or weirdly dressed skiers

The women were probably over twenty-one, but he carded thehteen was never a bad idea They leaned over the bar in low-cut, Spandex tops that gave hie

“What can I bring you ladies?” He switched on his bartender smile

One of theave hiood?”

“We’re known for our craft beer The list of drafts is on the blackboard, and we’ve got more by the bottle If you’ll tell me what kind you like, I can e on the sreat tips

The hennaed redhead pushed out her lower lip in a pout, leaning forward a little more to show him her rack “I don’t like beer All those carbs”

Lia out that the carb level of beer could be balanced by the vitaested it lowered cholesterol But he suspected that would be irrelevant to his current audience

“We also have a set you a bar menu”