Rory: Hope City, Book 7 by Maryann Jordan (uplifting books for women txt) 📕

vibe that everyone was welcome and strangers would soon find new friends. Run by Torin and Maeve Flanigan, the siblings had inherited the pub from their grandfather, improving it while staying true to its history. Far enough off the beaten tourist path near the Inner Harbor, it was one of the favorite haunts of the local police and firefighters.

There were plenty of familiar faces considering not only were his two older brothers detectives for the Hope City Police Department but most of his friends worked for the force or fire and rescue. He remembered hearing his father talk about stopping off at the Celtic Cock after work, and it felt good to continue the tradition.

“Rory!”

Hearing his name, he turned toward the voice and spied a familiar grin. “Blay,” he greeted the firefighter and one of his best friends. He still had trouble remembering to call him Blay. His name was Blayze, but since he’d become a firefighter, he went by Blay, figuring the last thing he needed was to have to deal with constant jokes about his name.

Blay was standing with Bill Norton, another firefighter in their battalion. Walking over, they shook hands, making small talk as he grabbed a beer, offering a chin lift to Maeve.

“Heard you were at the fire on Bridgewater,” Bill said.

Nodding, Rory replied, “Fuckin’ disaster. Took out two townhomes and damaged the third.”

“Families get out?” Blay asked, his brow lowered.

Rory nodded before taking a long swig of beer. “Yeah. One of the moms couldn’t find her youngest. Two-year-old. Unit Three was in, and Mackowski came out holding him. Don’t mind telling you that’s the worst feeling, knowing a kid was inside.”

“Fire, families, confusion—worst combination,” Bill commented, taking a large swig from his beer before sweeping his gaze over the room.

The bar was crowded with first responders, many from his battalion. Having only been back in town for a month since leaving the Army, there were still many he hadn’t met. But the camaraderie was much like what he’d felt in the military. His shift had ended in the early evening, and the bar was beginning to fill with others coming in as their day’s work was completed.

Bill lifted his hand and waved toward the other end of the bar. Turning, Rory glanced toward the door, seeing two women enter, one waving back toward Bill. Both women were attractive, but only one snagged his complete attention. Her hair was pale blonde and thick as it waved over her shoulders. She was petite, on the verge of being tiny, and as the two women pushed their way through the crowd toward them, he lost sight of her.

Craning around, he finally caught sight of her blonde hair as she popped between two people, leading her friend to the bar. Up close, he realized just how petite she was. He and his siblings gained their height from their dad. The boys were all over six feet tall, and his three sisters were tall as well. Their mom was known as the short one in the family even though she was five and a half feet tall. But looking at this woman, even in her heels, she’d be much shorter than his mom.

The blonde moved directly to the bar, and he could see her hair was even longer and thicker than he imagined, pulled back away from her face and held with a clip with waves cascading far down her back. Big blue eyes, heart-shaped face, and pink-slicked lips. A fitted blue, silky blouse set off her eyes as well as showcased her breasts. It tucked into a tight black skirt that clutched her narrow waist, perfect ass, and thighs. It came to just above her knees, and while he had little knowledge of women’s clothing, he had no doubt hers was expensive. Small diamond stud earrings graced her ears, and the only other jewelry she wore was a thin gold-and-diamond bracelet around her small wrist.

He and Blay immediately slid from their stools, offering them to the women. She placed one hand on the top of the bar and a heeled shoe on the rung of the bar stool. He threw out his hand to assist. She was still looking down as she reached out, placed her hand in his, and he gave her a little boost into the seat. She crossed her shapely legs at her ankles then looked toward Torin and ordered a Lemon Drop Martini. As soon as her friend ordered a non-alcoholic drink, the blonde turned toward him. She wore makeup, but instead of looking like warpaint or attention-grabbing, it seemed to make her eyes pop and give her whole face a glow.

Her gaze held his and her eyes widened as a smile spread across her face. Not a little, polite smile, but a wide grin that beamed toward him. If ever there was a cheerleader smile, he was faced with it right now. And yet it was slightly crooked. And he loved that… a tiny imperfection in an absolutely perfect face made her all the more interesting.

Hating to stare, he forced his gaze to shift to her friend, noting her wrist was in a splint. She was beautiful as well, and yet there was something about her that gave off a sisterly vibe. Looking toward the blonde again, he knew his immediate reaction to her was anything but sisterly.

Before he had a chance to speak, she said, “Obviously, I know Bill and Blay, but you’re new.”

Her voice was soft, which struck him as incongruent. He expected a louder, more rambunctious tone or perhaps a cat-like purr. She stared straight into his eyes, something else that caught his attention. No downcast or side glances. Just straight-up interest. Strangely thrilled that she recognized he was new, he flashed his version of a white-toothed grin. “I’m Rory. Blay and I grew up together.”

“So, why am I just now meeting you?” Her blue eyes seemed to light with what he hoped was interest.

“I just got out of the Army.”

She