by Mika Lane
Dalt shook his head in disbelief. “Have dinner with me. There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What?” Stay strong. Do not cave.
“Just have dinner with me. Don’t say no.” He pushed an errant lock of hair off her face.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea—“
“I think I could help you with your tavern,” he blurted.
Her heart pounded as her resolve wobbled. For just a moment.
“No.” She shook her head. “I appreciate that, but this is my dream. And it will be my tavern.”
She avoided his eyes. She should never have shared it with him.
What makes him think his help is needed?
“I have friends looking for a restaurant to invest in. Work with me on this. It’ll help you open a tavern so much sooner.”
“No. I can’t do that.” All she needed was to let some do-gooder guy who wanted to save her and her brother in on her dream business. No, when the time was right for the tavern, it would be hers and hers only.
“Then let me help you raise the money. I know you can do it on your own, but my support could help you realize the plan a little sooner.”
She sighed. “That’s not what I want.” She wriggled out of his embrace and slipped off the massage table, picking her robe up off the floor.
“Jesus. What the hell. Did someone die on you?”
She glanced in his direction. “Well, yes.”
His eyes widened. “Oh, shit.”
“We need to wrap it up.” She looked to the clock on the wall.
“Wait. Tell me what happened.” He took her hand to stop her cleaning.
“I don’t talk about it,” she said with a shaking voice. She wriggled out of his hold, gathering up sheets and towels.
“God, you’re frustrating.” He pulled on jeans and a polo shirt then ran his hands through his hair. “But you’re also amazing.”
Her breath hitched and her face flushed hot. He had to make this difficult, didn’t he?
“Have dinner with me. Don’t say no.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I won’t leave until you agree to.”
She eyed the clock, nervous. They had to clear out. The room would be needed for another client in minutes.
Dammit.
His arms remained crossed. What a stubborn ass.
“Okay, yes. Dinner is fine.”
“You really are very amazing, you know.”
Yeah, yeah.
Chapter 3
The next few days crept by. Noelle kept busy, but Dalt was occupying her thoughts and the distraction pissed her off. She needed to focus on work, her brother, and her plans for the tavern. But every moment she let her mind drift, there he was along with that dreamy sensation that’d been following her around since the day of her nap at the studio.
As she finished an evening’s shift at the spa, she ran into Dakini in the staff room.
“Want to get a little dinner after work?” Dakini asked, staggering under a stack of freshly washed and folded sheets.
“Let’s do it. I’m dying to talk about...ya know. Stuff.” No need to make a big deal out of it.
Dakini put the clean sheets away in a carved teak cabinet and said, “Okay. Back to The Left Bank?”
“Daki, you just like going there for Cute Bartender. Why don’t you give him your number and get it over with?”
Dakini turned toward Noelle and put her hands on her hips. “I do not go there just for him. I go there to spend time with you. But I don’t mind if he’s there. Geez,” she said. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Forget it. Look, I’m ready to split. I’ll wait for you up front.”
“All right, be out in a bit. I still have to shower.”
Noelle left the staff room and approached the front desk where Devi was on the computer. Craning her neck, she snooped to see how next week’s schedule was being finalized.
Devi, never a fan of being interrupted, sighed and raised her head from her work. She pushed her black-framed reading glasses up her forehead. “Yes? May I help you, Ms. Berry?” she asked, using a voice oozing with frustration.
It tickled Noelle when Devi played Mean Gruff Lady. “Just saying hi. You have a good day?” she asked, smiling brightly to further goad her boss. Everyone knew deep down inside Devi loved the affection—in spite of pretending the contrary.
“Yes, it was good. It would be even better if you let me finish my work.”
Instead of being deterred, Noelle walked behind the desk to look over Devi’s shoulder. “Let me help you.”
“You don’t know anything about our scheduling program. Now shoo. Go clean or something.” Devi waved her away.
But the front door blew open, and they both looked up.
Devi’s expression softened.
Noelle broke out in a massive grin.
“Ruth!” Noelle hollered, throwing her arms around a visitor in blue hospital scrubs.
Ruth stepped back and, with a huge smile, exclaimed, “I haven’t seen you in ages. Let’s look at you.” Ruth held Noelle’s hands and ran her approving gaze over her. “Beautiful as ever, my sweet young friend.”
Devi popped up and greeted Ruth, her partner of twenty-two years, with a kiss. “Hey, now, don’t be fresh with my girls,” Devi teased Ruth.
“Love seeing you two together. It would be nice to have something like that one day.”
Theoretically.
“You mean you want to be a wrinkled old dyke?” Ruth laughed.
“You know what I mean. Everyone wants a love like you two have.”
“It never would have worked this long if Ruth hadn’t been the most tolerant person in the world.” Devi looked with adoration at the love of her life.
“You’ve put up with a lot, too, darling,” Ruth added.
“Hey, how come no one told me about the party,” Dakini exclaimed as she bounded to the front of the spa and embraced Ruth in a bear hug. “How are you? How is the hospital?”
Devi grumbled, “This might be a party to you, but someone here is trying to work. And that someone is me.” Devi returned to her position behind the reception desk.
“Oh, Devi, take it easy,” Ruth said, and turned to Dakini and Noelle. “Thank you for asking, the hospital is great.”
“Don’t be modest, Ruth,” Devi said from her desk. “You ought to know that my darling wife here is up for Head of Surgery at Marin General. And,” she beamed at Ruth, “it’s looking very good.”
“Oh my god,” Noelle and Dakini screamed in unison.
Ruth looked down, modest as ever and embarrassed by the attention and outburst. “Thank you, Devi, for deeply embarrassing me.” She leaned over the desk to kiss her partner. “You girls have a good rest of the evening. I’m keeping Devi company while she closes up.”
“Wow, Ruth, that is massively exciting. When you get it, we’ll go out and celebrate,” Dakini said.
“Well, I haven’t gotten it yet. But I’ll keep you posted.” Ruth blushed.
Kissing Ruth good-bye, Noelle waved at Devi, not daring to further annoy her. Thank god for these women. They were the family she’d never had. And always needed.
Noelle and Dakini arrived at The Left Bank and beelined for their usual corner seats at the bar. This location allowed them to face each other and more importantly, see everything going on—including Cute Bartender’s every movement.
Noelle caught Dakini gaping at him. “For god’s sake, you don’t even know his name.” She tossed up her hands. “Oh, never mind, I’ll find out what it is myself.”
Noelle attempted to wave him over, but Dakini yanked her arm back down. “Stop it,” she hissed. “Don’t push things.”
“Don’t push? By the time you two finally manage to say more than hello to each other, you’ll be pushing up daisies.”
“Right, make fun all you want. You won’t even go on a date with a guy, and you have the nerve to give me crap?” Dakini continued to stare at the bartender
with no concern for discretion. “So what was it you wanted to talk about, anyway? Is something going on?”
“Sort of. I mean that client, Mr. R, has been asking me out.”
“Ooooh. I see. Hmmm.” Dakini studied Noelle’s face.
“You know, dating is not my thing. I’ve got other stuff to focus on, like planning my tavern.” She looked around the busy restaurant.
“I wouldn’t mind something like this, The Left Bank, but a little more comfy-cozy. You know, with a fireplace and warm stew for chilly evenings.” A cross between hope and sadness washed over Noelle.
Dakini nodded. “I had a client a couple years ago who kept asking me out.” She ran her finger down her beer bottle’s drippy condensation and watched it puddle on the bar. “He was a good guy. Sometimes I wonder what I missed by turning him down. You know, what might have been. He stopped coming to see me after a while. I’ve no idea what happened to him.”
“Okay, so he got away. What’s the big deal?” Noelle asked. “There are tons of guys out there, and when you’re ready for a boyfriend, you’ll find one.” She attempted a cavalier tone, but the catch in her voice betrayed her.
“You know, you say naive things like that because you have no idea how to date or be in a relationship. It’s not that easy. If it were, you’d be in a relationship.” Dakini stared down her friend.
Noelle took a gulp of her beer. Her eyes watered like she’d been slapped.
She’s right.
“Oh shit. I’m sorry. Stuck my foot right in it, didn’t I?” Dakini said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“It’s okay,” Noelle said, wiping her cocktail napkin over moist eyes. “You know how I am about this stuff. Ever since my mom…”
Dakini squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. “I know. I know.”
Noelle cleared her throat and continued. “Daki, Mr. R says he might be able to help me open my tavern.” She picked at the corner of her beer bottle’s label, both wanting and fearing Dakini’s opinion.
“Wait. Are you kidding? What? How?” She raised her palm to the “stop” position.
“He knows people here in Marin who want to invest in a restaurant. He knows how to find commercial space to rent.”
Dakini’s hands flew to her face. “Whoa. Oh my god. You need to think this through. A smart girl would not just run away from something like this.” Her voice was giddy.
“I know, I know. I’ve dreamed my whole life of having a little business to call my own. He could help me get there faster. But on the other hand, if I let him get involved, what will he expect in return? And more importantly, what will become of my independence? Ugh.”
The bartender brought over two more beers. Before he could walk away, Noelle grabbed his attention. “Hey, excuse me.”
He turned back around, leaning his muscled arms on the bar. Dakini squirmed in her chair. .
Whoa.
Noelle watched Dakini swallow hard. Up close, he looked even better than from across the bar. His square jaw, mussed hair, and the perfect amount of five o’clock shadow dusting the lower half of his beautiful face left Dakini shredding her bar napkin into a little mountain of fuzzy white paper.
“Ladies. What can I do for you?”
“Hi. We see you here all the time, but we don’t know your name. I’m Noelle, and this is Dakini. We work close by.”
“Well, then. The name’s Jake.” He extended his hand to each of them. “You two are always so deep in conversation, I never wanted to interrupt.”
“Oh wow, I guess we seem rude and self-involved.” Dakini giggled a bit too loud.
“No worries, ladies. Very nice to meet you.” He flashed each of them a smile and returned to the other end of the bar.
As he did so, Noelle watched her friend stare slack jawed at Jake’s retreating ass. He glanced back over his shoulder, caught her staring, and winked. Even in the dim light of the bar, Noelle could see a bright pink flush spread across her friend’s face. She looked like she might faint.
“That’s what I call progress,” Noelle teased.
“Oh, be quiet, you.” Dakini rolled her eyes.
Noelle’s cell phone rang, and she excused herself to step outside. The evening was beautiful as she looked up at a pink-streaked, navy-blue sky. The early, twinkling stars gave her a head start on a sudden jolt of happiness. She looked at her caller ID and swiped right on her touchscreen.
“Hi.”
“Hi, yourself.” Dalt’s deep voice answered. “Confirming for dinner. Eight p.m. Meet at The Depot in Mill Valley, and we’ll walk from there. Sound good?”
Noelle squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. Am I really doing this?
“That sounds nice,” she said.
“And at some point, I’d like to continue work on the painting, if you’re still up for it.”
“We need to get back to that, don’t we? Will you let me see it this time?”
“If you’re nice to me, maybe. Depends on my mood,” he teased. “What are you up to?”
“Having a drink with my friend, Daki. She’s trying to flirt with the bartender.” Noelle peered through the restaurant’s front window and saw the two leaning toward each other, deep in conversation. “I think she may be making progress.”
“Ha, have fun with that. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Sure thing.”
She hesitated before returning to the bar. Dakini and Jake needed more time to do their thing. But that wasn’t the only reason for her reflection.
What the hell was she doing? One minute she was in, the next she was out.
Her stomach roiled.
Accepting there would be no escape from her muddled state anytime soon, she returned to the bar where Jake and Dakini remained engrossed. When they saw Noelle coming they parted like naughty teenagers. To give them more time, she excused herself for the ladies’ room, where she dialed her brother.
“Hey, sis.”
“Hey yourself,” she responded. “You being good?”
“As good as someone on probation can be,” he joked.
“I may have some good news for you. I have a client with connections at the Maserati dealership on Redwood Highway. They need a porter, and it looks like he’s willing to make an introduction for you.”
“Sweet!” Mikey screamed into the phone.
She couldn’t yank her cell away from her ear fast enough. “Good god, are you trying to make me deaf?”
“You gotta help me make this happen. I’d give anything to work at that place. I don’t care if they ask me to clean toilets.”
“I hope you’re serious, because cleaning toilets might just be part of the porter’s responsibilities. Get your driver’s license straightened out ASAP, because they may need you to drive.”
“Holy shit, I’ll call my probation officer tomorrow. He can help me; he wants me to get a job. Who do I call? When do I show up? Can I borrow your bike again?” he asked.
“Hold on a sec. I’ll get a name and number for you, and we’ll go from there.”
“Okay, sis. Thank you so much! Oh, and sis?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
“Love you, too, goofball.” She swallowed the growing lump in her throat. Her heart broke for the opportunities he’d been denied when he was younger—including a loving home and having enough to eat every day. She’d emerged in one piece from that world determined to make sure he did, too, but with an easier slog out than she’d had.
Noelle returned to the bar where Dakini and Jake were typing into their cell phones.
“Guys, I’m pooped. Long day. I’m thinking of splitting.” She looked from one to the other. “Dakini, you okay here?”
“I’ll keep an eye out for her. That work for you, Dakini?” Jake asked her.
“’Course.” She turned and hugged Noelle good night, whispering, “You are the best friend ever.”
From the street up to her front door, Noelle climbed the ninety-nine steps to what she
called her beloved “tree house” where she and Mikey had lived for the last year. Long ago, the tiny building had been a logger’s cabin, built up a steep hill where the land was cheap. By the time she bought it for not much more than a song, it was ramshackle with holes in the roof and floorboards, broken plumbing, and the occasional field mouse.
Thanks to her earnings, a small loan from Devi, and help from some contractor friends, she’d fixed the place up in a quick few months. She’d fallen in love with her first home where her bedroom was on the main floor, and Mikey’s was in the attic-turned-loft. The plumbing had been replaced to support a new bathroom and kitchen, and the mice had long been chased off.
But the best thing about the house was the expansive view of San Francisco, the surrounding bay, and the picturesque bridges connecting it all. The joke was on the old speculators who couldn’t wait to dump the land they’d acquired on what they thought were uninhabitable slopes. Little had they known, they’d all but given away some of the world’s most priceless vistas.
She was glad to see Mikey’s sneakers by the front door, and she entered the house on tiptoe. After a little puttering and tidying up, she slid into her canopied bed with thick white pillows and a fluffy down comforter, where she fell into a deep sleep.
Again, she was visited by what she now thought of as her “happiness dream.” Mystified by its origin and meaning, she had no complaints. After all, who wouldn’t want to spend part of their sleeping hours feeling adored, secure, and satisfied? It was like a visit to an alternative universe—but only during REM sleep—and it sure was better than the nightmares that used to plague her sleeping hours.
A ringing phone jolted her entire body awake and out of her dream. Her heart thumped as she fumbled through the dark for her cell. After dropping it twice, she managed to swipe the answer function. As she pressed the speaker button, she saw the time—four a.m.
“Hello.” Her voice was filled with sleep and congestion. She groped for a light switch.