On the way back, she took everyone's orders. The next hour flew by, and Lizzy started sending the servers on their breaks.
Dinah grabbed a washcloth and scrubbed down the counter while Peer put bottles back on the shelf and out of her way. She enjoyed the nights that kept her busy, and her mind focused.
Peer nudged her arm. "I'm going to take my smoke break and run over and check on Tyr."
"Go ahead. I've got things covered here." She put the rag away.
She'd come a long way since she began working at The Fire Ring. Her arsenal of drinks she could make from memory grew each week. She no longer had to ask where bottles were located or the bar's policies on how to deal with drunks, fights, and food complaints.
Somehow, while her life fell apart, she'd clung to her position at work. The boost of energy filling her came from being proud of herself. She'd powered through the devastating news that the family she thought she belonged to were actually criminals who'd stolen her from her birth family and had murdered her father.
Her reasons for adapting had come about because of Brage. He never wavered in his support. When he should've been disgusted and angry about her coming here for bad reasons, he'd taken care of her and listened.
She slipped her order pad in her pocket. Although his type of caring for her leaned toward the Neanderthal range...or she should say, the Norwegian way. He had kidnapped her.
"What are you smiling about?" asked Peer, having returned from his break.
"Am I?" She touched her cheek, unaware that thinking of Brage showed on her face. "Life is good, you know. Right now. This hour. I can't bet on anything beyond now, but I'm good. Real good."
"You stoned?" Peer narrowed his gaze, studying her.
She laughed. "I don't touch the stuff."
"I liked you better when you stuck to your heavy thoughts."
"What?" She gawked at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Peer shrugged. "It was nice to know someone was as miserable as I am."
"You're not happy?"
"I'm happy I'm alive. I'm happy to belong to Slag." He put two glasses on the counter and looked at her. "But I have an ex-girlfriend who walked out of my son's life, and I'm pissed."
"At her?" She stayed close to Peer, knowing he wouldn't want the conversation overheard.
Peer normally wasn't a talker. While he was nice and helped her learn what she needed to know at the bar, their talks always remained about the job at hand. Never personal.
"Kelli's...she's a good woman." He turned his back to the customers and lowered his voice. "I enjoyed her. I respected her. But our relationship was never based on love, and I knew how she felt about children during the times we were together."
She couldn't hide her confusion. "Are you saying Tyr's not your son?"
"I had that thought when she told me she was pregnant and wanted to come back to me." Peer rolled his lips over his teeth and inhaled deeply. "Tyr's mine. One look at him and—"
"He looks like you. Like, exactly like you," she said, hoping he understood that fact.
He nodded and looked into Dinah's eyes. "I failed my son."
"How?"
"I did not pick a woman worthy enough to be his mother," whispered Peer. "It's not the way we do things, separating a child from his mother, and now my son will hurt for the rest of his life because his mom wasn't strong enough to be in his life."
"Oh, Peer." She swallowed, taken aback by the conviction in his voice.
Peer poured a shot of whiskey and tipped it back. She watched him, making sure he was going to be okay. He'd dumped some heavy shit on her, and she found herself pulled in two different directions, seeing things through Tyr's eyes. Being the kid who grew up without a mom.
Knowing how he felt, and being able to tell another person, her respect for Peer grew to extraordinary levels. For that reason alone, Tyr would be perfectly fine being raised by his father. The man had enough love in him to give to his son.
"Fuck me," muttered Peer.
She rubbed his arm. There was nothing for her to say to help him through his struggles. She had only good thoughts that with time, he would find contentment. He was a wonderful father. So many men would've walked away from the idea of raising a child alone, and he'd only embraced the opportunity.
Peer's drive to give his son the best life possible boosted her acceptance that while she was handed one kind of life, she found herself thrust into a different one entirely. If Peer could figure out how to find contentment and acceptance, she could too.
Coco set two order forms on the counter. "Is it possible to get all of these fast?"
"Sure." She grabbed the first one and glanced at the list of several drinks.
As she poured, she took in Coco's harried expression and loud exhale of air. "Is everything okay?"
The smile Coco shot at her was fake. "Young fools and grabby hands do not make good customers."
"I can take them their orders." She started making the second drink.
"Girl, you're younger than me, and they're on the prowl tonight. I wouldn't do that to you." Coco leaned against the counter.
"Do you want me to call Roar for you?" She glanced over at the men. They were already deep in their drinks, and probably bar hopped before hitting The Fire Ring.
Coco tilted her head. "Why would you call him?"
"I thought it would make you feel better to have him here while you serve the customers." She finished the first order and started on the second one. "Though Elling is by the door. He's good about watching the room and keeping everyone in line."
"Wait." Coco lifted the first tray. "Go back a second to Roar. I heard a weird...something in your voice."
Lizzy approached the counter. "What about Roar?"
Put on the spot, Dinah could only be honest. She hadn't broached the
