Lori made her way through the crowd and bouncers letting them know she was expected as they each gave her the once-over. She flirted a little which brought her immediate courtesy. She was told that Carl was waiting outside by the Tiki bar, and as she entered through the dining room and passed the large set of double glass doors she heard the band begin another song. She smiled wide as she made her entrance to the sounds of “Hot Legs” by Rod Stewart.
* * * *
Carl watched as Lori entered through the doors. She was absolutely stunning and he noticed all heads turned as she came into view. She was a definite knockout which would draw in a lot of guys to the bar. The better-looking the bartender the more drinks were sold, and a good bartender knew how to keep those orders coming. He hoped Lori was capable and he had to admit, he was actually very attracted to her.
“Lori, you look lovely,” he told her as he took her hand and lightly kissed it.
“Thank you, Carl, I love your place. It’s great. Is it always this crowded?”
“Sometimes even more so, that’s why I wanted you to come down today. I’ll show you around. Then I would like to test you a little. Is that all right?”
“Sounds good to me,” she said with a smile as Carl started to introduce her to a few people. After the tour Carl asked her to go behind the bar so that he could have a few of the regulars order some drinks from her as well as some other people.
“Give me five minutes to check out where everything is?” she asked as she began to look through the bar locating the ice, the alcohol setup, the mixes, and everything she would need to make any drink they asked her for.
“Only five minutes, huh?” one of the other bartenders asked. Her name was Shelly and she seemed a little annoyed that Lori was invading her space. Lori knew how to handle Shelly as she made a joke then complimented her.
* * * *
“Okay, I’m ready,” Lori stated before her five minutes were up and the drink orders began. They started off simple. Then they tried to confuse her with complicated orders or asking how certain drinks were made, changing the ingredients. It was no problem and as Lori made the drinks she spoke to the men, making jokes, drawing their attention away from tricking her. Plus it gave her the extra few seconds she needed working with the wrist cast. It would come off in a few more weeks. Shelly watched as Lori took over and the bar became more crowded.
“Okay, Lori, I think I’ve seen enough. What do you think, guys?” Carl asked the men at the bar.
They all began to holler “yes” and whistle as Lori said good-bye to them and Shelly.
“What do you think about the uniform?” Carl asked her as Lori looked at Shelly and the other waitress staff. The skirt was pretty short and the shirt was very tight but the place was busy and she was sure she’d make good money.
“How do you work it with the tips, do I share what I make with whomever I’m working with at the bar? Do the waitresses share their tips with the bar since we’re making the drinks?” Lori asked.
Carl smiled, seemingly impressed that Lori knew the bar business and he felt hiring her would only be positive.
“You get your own tips at the bar, your own container to put them in or a drawer under the counter, whichever you prefer. Also the waitresses contribute ten percent of their nightly earnings to you. I also pay you a small salary on the books for tax purposes. Does that sound good to you?”
“Sounds fine, Carl, I appreciate the job. You won’t be sorry.”
“I know I won’t be. Now how about having a drink with me?” he asked.
Lori debated about the drink but she didn’t want to give him the wrong impression.
“Actually, Carl, don’t you think that may look a little unprofessional of us? I wouldn’t want the others to think you’re showing me favoritism. It will only lead to problems for me at the bar and working here. You understand, right?” Lori asked as she gently touched Carl’s arm.
She was in complete control and he fell for it as he agreed with her. Lori had dealt with men like Carl before, even worse than him, and she knew exactly how to handle them.
They said good-bye and she left for home knowing that she would start her new job Monday night at 5:00 p.m.
* * * *
It was a Wednesday evening, cooler than the past few nights. It was only fifty degrees. The town was quiet and the moon was dull with a light veil of clouds moving softly with the gentle breeze. He moved swiftly and carefully so as not to be noticed. Quietly and with precision he began placing the flammable substance around the shed. The animals were restless. Their instincts told them something was wrong as the horses whined, stomped their hoofs, and paced in the stable next door.
The boss said not to hurt anyone, just scare the Cantrells. He wanted to do more. He needed to inflict pain to satisfy his own desires. He watched the town for a week and had already planned out the next few moves.
He flicked on his trusty brass lighter, staring at the flame a moment, absorbing the power he held in his hand. He savored the moment, the feelings of adrenaline that radiated through his body. He laughed a little then placed the flame against the liquid. In an instant the flames made their way around the shed and close enough to the stables to inflict the fear it was meant to cause. The stables and animals would be safe, there was only a slight breeze tonight, he was sure of what he was doing. Quickly he disappeared into the darkness, escaping once again unnoticed, uncaught, and free to destroy again.
* * * *
Tom and Lynn Cantrell awoke to the sounds of horses whining and then a large explosion. They jumped from their beds and headed downstairs to the front porch. They were in shock at the sight and intensity of the flames.
“The horses, Tom, we have to release the horses!” yelled Lynn. Tom was already tying the laces of his boots. He had thrown on his jeans upstairs and now ran across the field to the stable with no shirt on. Lynn stayed in her nightgown, called the sheriff and fire department, then headed outside to help her husband. “Who would do something like this?” was all she said as she raced across the field.
* * * *
The sounds of sirens and fire trucks woke the Henleys and the Shays as everyone headed toward the Cantrells’ to help.
Lori ran over with her parents while Maggie stayed home with Ben.
Lori could see Matt, Charlie, Dante, Trevor, Jasper, Freddie, and the Cantrells trying to release the animals while the fire department was putting out the fire.
Lori grabbed the jet-black stallion following Jasper with another brown stallion over toward the holding corral.
Once the animals were all safe, everyone gathered around the front porch watching the firemen reduce the flames to smothered smoke and ash. The whole shed was destroyed.
Mrs. Cantrell was shivering and Lori ran inside to retrieve a jacket from the Cantrells’ front closet.
She emerged holding two jackets then placed a beige one around Mrs. Cantrell and a black one around Mr. Cantrell.
“Who would do something like this?” was all Mrs. Cantrell kept saying.
“I’m gonna find that out, Lynn, don’t you worry,” Sheriff Morgan said as he gave Lynn Cantrell a hug.
Charlie, Lou, Phil, and the others stood talking a few feet away from everyone.
* * * *
“I smell a rat. I can tell you that much,” Charlie stated and Phil told him to quiet down.
“Now we don’t know for sure, son,” Phil stated as he stuck his hands in his pockets trying to keep warm.
“Bullshit, Dad. You know as damn well as I do that men like Connor don’t care who they hurt to get what they want. He’s part of this I just know it,” Charlie stated, and Dante, Trevor and Matt agreed.
Phil walked toward Lou and Tom leaving Charlie, Matt, Jasper, Dante, Trevor, and Freddie.
Dante stared at the mess as smoke vanished into the darkness of the night.
“I was wondering what that woman wore to bed,” Matt whispered as he nodded his head toward Lori who stood shivering by
the front porch.
The men looked toward Lori noting the light hip hugger boxer shorts and short, tight-fitting raspberry T-shirt. Her tan, toned belly was showing and her long blonde hair was pulled back into two long braids.
She had a voluptuous figure, an amazing smile, and a mature, unselfish personality. Yet she wore her hair in a childish style. She was shy and refined.
Dante watched as she retrieved the two jackets for the Cantrells and helped gather the horses. Now she stood there shivering and he wished he had grabbed his sweatshirt before running from his house.
Some firemen were handing out blankets and immediately a few of them offered one to Lori.
“Fucking guys. They’re drooling,” Dante whispered then glanced at Charlie and Trevor who were in a dead stare at the firemen and Lori.
Dante was annoyed as he watched the way other men flirted with her. He didn’t want to admit it but he was jealous. By the expressions on Charlie’s and Trevor’s faces, they were, too.
It was as if his brother Matt was reading his mind as Matt whispered to his brothers, “If you’re gonna make a move, you’d better make it soon. She’s not going to be single long.”
Dante, Trevor, and Charlie didn’t say a word. Dante knew there was no use in denying the obvious. His brother Matt knew them well but he feared taking a chance on such an intense relationship. He didn’t trust women and Lori was too young. Plus Charlie wasn’t willing to admit his attraction to Lori just yet. They needed to tread carefully.
* * * *
The deputies returned with no leads or strangers in the area and the sheriff promised a full investigation.
The fire was completely out and the firemen continued their cleanup. Diana and Lynn made their way into the house planning on making some coffee.
“I’m gonna head home to grab a sweatshirt and let Maggie know what’s going on. I’ll get one for you, too, Mom,” Lori said, and Lynn stopped by the door.
“You’d better not walk through the dark alone. Boys, go with Lori, please. We don’t know who might be out there,” Lynn stated and the thought suddenly made everyone nervous.
“We’ll go with her, Mrs. Cantrell,” Trevor said as Charlie grabbed a flashlight and they headed toward the Shay house.
“You really don’t have to come with me, it’s not that far,” Lori told the three men. She wasn’t used to having escorts.
“We don’t know who may be out there, Lori. This is a serious situation,” Trevor told her as the four of them walked closely together across the field. They were trying to keep warm. It didn’t take much. The three Henley brothers were extra large and towered over her as they took a flanking position around her. She swallowed hard and all she kept thinking about was them as soldiers escorting her, protecting her through enemy lines. But that wasn’t the case here. They were older, thought she needed babysitting, and she wasn’t in any danger except maybe of having a heart attack. God, they’re so good looking and sexy.
“Yeah, kid, whoever is responsible for this isn’t dealing with a full deck,” Charlie stated, and once again Lori was annoyed at the way he called her kid.
“Who would want to do something like this to the Cantrells?”
“We’re not sure, Lori, but hopefully Sheriff Morgan will find out. In the meantime I don’t think there is anything wrong with taking extra precautions,” Dante said before Charlie made his opinion known. Lori’s impression of Charlie thus far was that he seemed hotheaded and didn’t care who he pissed off.
“So, Lori, how do you like working at Carl’s?” Trevor asked, and Charlie made a noise as if annoyed at the thought of her working there.
“It’s going well. I like it but I’ll be even happier once this cast is off, it kind of gets in the way. What do you think are the chances that your brother Andrew will remove it sooner?”
“Pretty slim. He’s a by-the-book kind of guy. You can’t mess around with broken bones and casts,” Trevor added.
Lori thought that Trevor and Dante were nice yet authoritative in a way and that Charlie continually came across as angry and impolite. They seemed on edge and abrupt and as if being nice to her was difficult. It was just a feeling she had, but it did bother her. She thought of herself as a well-rounded person who was always nice to people even if they weren’t so nice to her. For some reason she felt the lack of patience with these three men that she had with others. It was crazy.
They arrived at the house and Maggie was waiting downstairs in the kitchen.
“What happened? Is everyone all right?”
“There was a fire but no one got hurt,” Lori told her sister as she grabbed some sweatshirts. Charlie, Dante, and Trevor told Maggie what was going on and about keeping the Cantrells company.
“Well as soon as Ben gets up, we’ll head over. This is terrible. I wonder who would do something like this?” Maggie asked.
“J.R.’s involved now, so hopefully he’ll figure out who’s behind this,” Lori said.
She told the men she was ready to head back.
* * * *
Charlie noted that Lori was on a first-name basis with the sheriff already. J.R. was too old for Lori but some women found the whole lawman quality very attractive despite the age difference. The more he thought about her with another man the angrier he became. He had no right to have these feelings and he wanted to avoid them. He would refuse to give in to temptation no matter what happened.
He felt like hitting something. He was pissed that someone was trying to hurt or scare the Cantrells. He was annoyed at the talk around town about the hot new bartender at Carl’s place knowing it was Lori, and he hated the fact that he was turned on walking across the field with her and his brothers. He liked the idea of her flanked between the three of them. Trevor behind her, him on the right and Dante on the left. It brought some wild images to his mind and sexual ideas he hadn’t thought about since before the war. He knew a lot about sex and satisfying a woman as well as his own sexual needs. But when he walked with Lori, watched her converse with others, he felt something tug at his heart. The fucking organ was dead until she showed up. How the fuck could something like this happen? Who was she really? What did she want in a man, in life, and would she even consider a ménage relationship? She seemed so innocent and sweet, yet her body told a different story. Maybe that was his hope. A no-strings-attached sexual encounter with her and then be done. He shook his head. That wouldn’t work. There’s something about her that makes me feel. How can she do that? Who is she? I’m going to find out, no matter what it takes. Dante and Trevor need me to protect them. They’ve had enough heartache and pain in their lives. They don’t need any more and neither do I.
Chapter 8
Andrew showed up at his parents’ house with loads of questions and concerns. His brothers were there and they were talking about Jerry Connor.
“Is the sheriff going to question him?” Andrew asked.
“How can he accuse him without any evidence? There’s no legitimate reason for questioning Connor,” Dante stated as he took a seat on the back porch railing.
“It’s damn obvious he’s responsible. He’s been after that land for two years now and he’s threatened the Cantrells,” Charlie said as he sat in a rocking chair next to Jasper.
“Power and money, brother, that’s what this is all about. The best we can do is try and keep an ear opened around here and a lookout for anyone suspicious in the area,” Matt said as he rose from his chair.
“I’m worried about all the neighbors and our place,” Trevor said.
“Yeah, and what about the Henleys? We’re building that loft and apartment for Lori. There’s opportunity for this asshole to do something there on site,” Dante said.
“Shit. I didn’t think about that. Maybe we should ask the sheriff to patrol a bit more?” Andrew suggested.
The men talked for a while then had some lunch. Charlie was sitting outside on the porch again preparing to start the day’s work.
“You headed back
to the office?” Charlie asked.
“Yeah I have a patient coming in at 3:00 p.m. Then I’m busy for the rest of the day.
“That’s cool.”
* * * *
Trevor and Dante stood next to Andrew.
“The patient is Lori and I’m not looking forward to arguing with her. She’s one stubborn woman, let me tell you. She’s insisting that I take her cast off. I think it has to stay on another week.” Andrew leaned against the porch post. He knew his brother Charlie was attracted to Lori and he wondered why he hadn’t made a move. Then Matt mentioned that Trevor and Dante liked her, too. He was concerned, knowing Lori’s past and all the fears of everyone involved here. Not that Lori would say yes to dating Charlie, considering how rude he’d been to her. Perhaps the four people could help one another heal?
“Well you’re the doctor, you should know,” Charlie said dismissing the conversation.
“I don’t know how she’s bartending with that cast. So far I’ve heard she’s doing great. Carl was in the other day and said he swears the place has been busier because of her. You know Carl though, he’d love to get his hands on a fine woman like Lori,” Andrew said, testing his brother’s denial of caring about Lori.
The American Soldier Collection 4: Their Blue-Collar Girl (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7