Excerpt From Chapter 2 of Raising AboveThe Bar
#4 of Raising Above The Bar
She blinked and said softly "I need a job, and this is the only place in town that was hiring. I also heard from a few people in town that you were a good man who stood up for anyone you thought needed help." I blinked slightly taken aback then sighed and said "Yeah I'm the local vigilante I guess. Then again, without Dash or Vince it's a lot harder than it used to be." She blinked seeming surprised that was true and asked "Are you really a licensed attorney?" I nodded and she said "That's amazing. Why didn't you have to go to law school?" I shrugged and said "A friend of my mom's helped me get my degree passed through. However he's putting his ass on the line for me, so I can't screw up."
She stared at me surprised and said "Most guys don't think about it when people put themselves on the line for them. Why are you so worried about him?" I shrugged and glanced at the wall then said "I owe him a lot. My old man used to throw me out every couple of days and he'd let me stay there. When he put himself on the line by helping me get my license and start a practice, I decided I couldn't let him down. So here I am with a law practice no one goes to, a bar that lost it's only two workers, and a degree that's worth nothing. So I'll ask again, why do you want to work here?" She shrugged and said "I was looking for a new start. I thought maybe this would be a good place to get that start since everyone in town knew about it. From what they said, you've been doing rather poorly because you have no help."
I nodded then said "Mind if I eat while you talk? I only got up a little while ago, so I'm famished." She nodded and I motioned for her to continue as I dug into my eggs. She sighed and said "I know it sounds like I'm trying to say you need me more than I need you, but honestly that's not why I'm here. I really need a job, and I heard you were offering free room, board, and food to anyone who you hired." I nodded and motioned for her to continue with my left hand while shoveling more food in with my right. She blinked and said "When was the last time you ate?" I stopped and thought about it then said "About three days ago, it was just before I started remodeling. However on the second day one of the girls left." She nodded in understanding and motioned for me to finish, not seeming to mind that I was eating right in front of her.
I went back to eating as she continued her earlier comments "I also heard you were willing to fund a health insurance, and dental." I nodded and finished the eggs then started on my toast thinking. about how to keep the bar open. She sighed and said "You haven't said anything about me working here. Should I take that as a find somewhere else." I glanced up with my toast sticking out of my mouth slightly and turned my head to the side as if asking 'Did I ever say that?' She started laughing when she saw the combination of the toast, the angle my head was turned, and how big my eyes had gotten when she mentioned that. She smiled and said "Why'd that surprise you so much?" I set my toast down and explained "I never said anything like that. I wouldn't mind if you worked here, I was just thinking on how to expand customer base. I was also trying to eat, which is why I didn't say anything."
She nodded in understanding and I continued "If you want to work her, I'm all for it. I just have to warn you that I probably won't be able to pay you right away." She nodded in understanding and said "I just need the room, and food more than anything right now." I nodded and said "I figured as much. I'm guessing you ended up just getting to town this morning." She nodded and I said "Then why don't you go to bed in the back. There's a few open rooms that I don't plan on using anytime soon." She smiled and said "Thanks. I guess I'll head back and take a long nap." I nodded and said "Well, why don't you tell me, your name so I can place it on the door." She blinked surprised that I wasn't asking for an interview then she smiled and said "I'm Kristine. I think we'll do well together." I grinned and said "Welcome to the team Kris." She smiled slightly and said "Oh yeah Jake, you mispronounced the name of the bar. It's Jake's Playce not Place." I snickered and said "Just wanted to see if you noticed the difference."
She smiled then walked to the back as I finished my breakfast, and thought about the future of the bar. As soon as I finished, I walked back to the kitchen and washed my plate. Then I headed upstairs and gave myself a much needed shave, since I'd forgotten to do so earlier. As I started to shave I heard someone moving around down in the bar. I sighed and yelled down "HOLD ON A FEW MINUTES AND I'LL BE RIGHT WITH YOU. I'M KING OF HELD UP RIGHT THIS SECOND." They didn't respond but I heard the sound of one of the stools being pulled up next to the bar. I finished shaving and walked downstairs
I blinked as I saw it was a cheetah sitting at the bar. I couldn't tell if they were male or female, however I could see a few of their spots. The spots brought three people to mind, and all of them were in Dash's family. I sighed and sat down on the stairs trying to remember the difference between his, his sister's, and his father's spot patterns since they were all similar in some ways, but different in others. Finally I just decided I'd head down and find out who it was, because I couldn't tell anything from what little I'd seen. I walked the rest of the way downstairs with a slight yawn, then stood behind the bar counter, and, without taking my eyes off the counter top, said "How can I help you?" I heard a slight snicker then they said "What did I suddenly get ugly when I left town?" I grinned slightly and looked up into Dash's emerald green eyes and said "No, sadly you can't get any uglier than you were the last time I saw you. However your clothes do look a hell of a lot shabbier. Have you fallen on hard times, you old pervert you?"
Dash burst out laughing and said "Hell no, I just thought I'd wear my worst when I came to see a sleazy bar tender like you." I snickered and actually studied my old friend to see how much he'd changed since he'd left town. The first thing I noticed was that he sat straighter, his eyes showed he had more confidence, and he didn't seem to be trying to hide his 'You want to play hard, I'll throw it right back to you.' attitude, like he did when he lived with his old man. The next thing I noticed was that he'd gained about an inch or two of height so now he was almost six foot even. Then I studied his figure since I wanted to get a feeling of just how much this change in confidence had effected him. His figure was a bit more muscular, however he still had the same runner's build.
I grinned and said "Well it appears you've gotten stronger kitty boy. You hear anything from Ken and the others while you were off traveling the world on a quest for a cushy office job?" Dash glared at me with a slight indignant look that didn't reach his eyes and said "I'll have you know that while you sat here getting people drunk, I was off learning how to be the best computer technician in the world." The he grinned and said "Joking aside, it's great to see you Jake. How's everything going?" My grin died a little and I said "Most of the girls left the bar, however I got a new waitress. Her name is Kristine, however I've started calling her Kris." He nodded and yawned then I said "So how long have you been in town? I mean I just got your message this morning, which isn't saying much since I've been out of it the last two days."
He snickered and said "I know, I heard from old lady Jones that you seemed in a daze when you came in for your groceries. She seems to think someone broke your heart, so she's going to set you up with her niece." I blinked surprised and muttered "Wow it appears that everyone in town wants the bar to do good." He snickered as he heard that and said "No, most people in town want you to do good. Not the bar. Despite what your old man always said, they like you and know you're a good guy. Also I heard about you standing up for Marissa Lenix. Why didn't you call me and let me know the usual assholes were up to their old tricks?" I shrugged and said "Because I figured you had enough to worry about."
He blinked and said "Wow. I didn't know you cared so much about what I worried about. I'm touched. Now why don't you tell me all the reasons you didn't call me up." I sighed and said "1. I thought you had enough on your plate when your sister said you're aunt died. 2. I figured I could handle it, which I did. 3. I didn't feel like dragging you back here when you had nothing waiting for you. Finally 4. I didn't know feel like making you and the others worry about something I figured I could handle." He stared at me surprised and I shrugged then started wiping down the bar with a clean rag I kept under the counter for just such a need. He smiled slightly and said "Well then, why don't you give me a beer and tell me what all's been going on. I'm in town for my aunt's will reading, but I'm thinking about sticking around. So I guess it would be a good idea to know what all is going on."