Unfortunately, Marta Rodash entered the room. She and her boyfriend had been trying to buy up all the businesses on the street. They want to build another soulless retail complex here, but the Bad Penny is my legacy. I couldn’t just give it up for money.
“Hello, Claire,” she greeted with yet another contract in her hand. “I’d like to come at you with a new offer.”
“Come at me with a new offer?” I repeated. “Even your delivery annoys me, Marta. Could you please just leave? I’m in the middle of a lunch rush here.”
“Fine, I’ll order lunch. I’ll take a Caesar Salad and a diet cola,” she said sitting down at the bar.
I immediately grabbed a napkin, popped an empty glass down, filled it with ice and then used the soda gun to fill it with soda. The whole time, Marta just waited. She liked me to serve her. I was wondering if she was actually going to pay, but she put a twenty down on the counter.
“Look, Caleb and I are prepared to offer---“
“The Bad Penny is not for sale,” I said for the umpteenth time. “I hope you enjoy your salad once it’s ready.”
“We’re prepared to offer you 30% over it’s current value,” she said clearly over the noise.
That was a lot of money for me. I could basically open another bar wherever I wanted with that kind of cash. Hell, I could probably almost retire. I could get a job and use that money to retire or start a new business. But how could I do that knowing I sold my legacy away. I looked at the picture of my parents behind the bar. They looked so happy. I could be that happy here.
“No,” I finally said. “Not interested.”
Marta seemed to get really frustrated this time. She had a bit of a temper and snapped at a community meeting once. It was back when this block was full of businesses. She and her boyfriend had called a meeting for a buy out. Most of the businesses either caved or got driven out of their spot by their landlords who caved. Back then, there was a head shop that also held out. Marta snapped during the meeting and started screaming at the old hippie that owned it. He would’ve never sold, but he passed away six months ago and Marta bought it up for a song.
“Dammit, what the Hell is wrong with you?!” she snapped. “We offer you this kind of money and you just walk away without even considering it?! God damn! You stubborn Irish bitch! You could open a new place with that money!”
“This is my family’s legacy, bitch,” I countered. “You can’t buy a legacy with money!”
“Look at this place! It’s small! It’s falling apart! You barely have any customers!” insisted Marta. “And are you kidding me with this Saint Patty Day decorations?! They looked like they came out of a drug store!”
“Hey,” said McCleary, a little hurt by that last comment.
“Listen,” I said getting in her face. “Why don’t you just leave, huh? The soda’s on the house.”
I started to move away, but she grabbed me by the wrist to get my attention.
“Hey!” I objected.
“We have ways of dealing with people like you,” she whispered intently.
I pulled out of her grip just as Brax entered the bar. He immediately noticed something was up and walked over.
“Marta, I didn’t realize you knew this place,” said Brax in his charming manner. “You do realize that if you want to eat the heart of a small child for sustenance, small children don’t come in here, right?”
“Hilarious, Brax,” she said coyly. “I always said, your wit’s dry enough to be kindling for a fire.”
“Hmm, that joke doesn’t really work for me,” said Brax grimacing. “Why don’t you go home and work on it? It’ll give you a chance to redo that make up on your face too.”
Marta glowered at him and started to storm out of the bar. Brax wasn’t done.
“Remember, you don’t have to use all the make up at once! Only circus clowns use the whole container of foundation,” he said cattily.
He laughed, reached over the bar and poured himself a beer.
“Oh, my,” he said. “Sometimes I amuse even myself.”
“Help yourself,” I said. “How do you know Marta Rodash?”
Brax took a sip of his beer and looked off into the horizon.
“Many years ago, I was in love with her,” he said in a disappointed tone. “I know. Terrible taste in women I had back then. I guess I admired her tenacity, but it’s become rather dark over the years, I’m afraid.”
“Are you kidding me?” I said astonished. “Her and her bastard boyfriend have been trying to buy me out for months!”
“It gets worse,” explained Brax. “Caleb is the one that stole Marta away from me in college. Guess he did me a favor when you get right down to it. Broke my heart at the time.”
“I’m sorry you got your heart broke,” I said, putting my hand on his. “They want to tear down this entire block and build a retail complex.”
“That’s ridiculous,” said Brax. “Online shopping’s the future. Retail stores have too much overhead now.”
“I don’t think either one of us is worried about Marta’s investment,” I said trying to focus him. “Can you give me any insight into her? A way I could beat her?”
“For that, I’m going to need a very dry martini,” he explained, finishing his beer. “Marta is at least a three martini problem.”
I’m not the world’s greatest bartender, but martinis are one of the drinks I know how to do pretty well. I knocked it out of the park for my poor, wounded soldier.
“Here you go,” I said, hoping for a compliment.
“Oh, my, excellent,” he said.
Brax downed the entire drink.
“Jesus,” I gasped.
“Please, another,” he requested.
“Better tell me what you know before you’re unconscious,” I suggested.
“Marta was a good person at one time, but she could be a beast,” he admitted. “Once, we were walking across campus. Hand in hand. There was a girl from one of my classes. She approached and said hello. She asked me about an assignment we had and I told her what I knew. Then she went on her way. Marta became furious.”
“Why?” I asked.
“I hadn’t introduced her,” I explained. “We were on campus, most people knew each other. It happened fast and I didn’t think to do it. I wasn’t trying to slight her in any way.”
“Well, that is kind of a mistake,” I said. “Not that I’m trying to defend that bitch.”
“Of course and I honestly felt bad,” he explained. “I apologized, but an apology wasn’t good enough. She was raving and as we walked through a parking lot of cars she got so furious she start kicking off people’s side view mirrors.”
“Oh, my God!”
“I know. I should’ve red flagged her right there and broke up with her, but I was in love--- I was young,” said Brax. “I didn’t know how to handle it quite frankly. So I would say soothing things, calm her down. Eventually, she would apologize.”
“Sounds like an abusive relationship in a way,” I said mixing the second martini. “Look at how you’re acting. What it’s doing to you just talking about it.”
“I never really did talk about it,” admitted Brax. “Not even with Jax. I mean, I would give him the broad picture to some extent. You know, when you’re young and you’re in a relationship, you think it’s going to last forever.”
“Yeah,” I said relating. “I don’t think anyone’s ready for the complexities of an actual long term relationship when you’re in college.”
“Yes and they often don’t work. Or they work for a while and then fall apart. Or people’s lives change, the move, they get new jobs, new perspective--- In some ways, the Marta I was in love with doesn’t exist anymore. It’s like there’s a demon possessing her body now and the real Marta is gone. I’m sorry to be so maudlin about it.”
“Oh, no, it’s fine,” I assured him. “Hey, I’m a bartender, I hear stuff like this all the time. And Caleb stole her from you, huh?”
“Ye
s. Starting seeing each other behind my back,” he explained. “For weeks, I denied it. The evidence was right there, but I wouldn’t see it. Even some of my friends tried to tell me, but I stubbornly wouldn’t listen. No, not my Marta! I’d say. They were right though. So right.”
“They have a ton of money,” I said. “Probably enough to keep the rest of the block closed indefinitely.”
“Oh, yes, quite enough,” Brax assured. “We run in the same circles financially, although theirs is more from real estate. But make no bones about it, when Marta wants something, she’ll stop at nothing to get it. She wouldn’t sell out to me even if I offered. In fact, it would probably be less likely if I offered.”
“She’ll wait me out, huh?” I said. “No chance she’ll just give up and go away.”
“None,” said Brax. “If she drops dead, then maybe and even then, only maybe.”
“Jeez, what the Hell am I going to do, Brax?” I asked. “She just came in her and offered me 30% over the bar’s value.”
“That’s a very generous offer,” he admitted. “But don’t believe it.”
“What? Why?”
“Once she gets you to the negotiating table, she’ll realize she has you,” said Brax. “Then she’ll lowball you. I could negotiate in your stead. She wouldn’t do that with me at the helm, I assure you.”
“I don’t want to sell,” I insisted. “Three generations here! My legacy. I can’t just throw that all away.”
“Then we shan’t,” declared Brax. “I will stay here until they burn this place down around us if need be.”
Brax toasted with his martini. I clinked his glass with his empty beer glass.
“Thanks, Brax,” I smiled.
I gave him a kiss on the lips just as the other boys came into the bar.
“Are you guys stalking me?” I teased.
“Nice try, but I saw you kiss my brother,” said Jax.
“He needed a little pick me up,” I assured him.
“You said you wouldn’t leave here early,” said Kenner to Brax.
“No, I said you shouldn’t leave early because you have work to do,” corrected Brax. “Honestly, we have a seriously lax of discipline at the office these days.”
“Not fair, bro,” noted Travis. “Not that I blame you. Would’ve done the same thing in your position.”
“I wasn’t trying to jockey for position, lads,” explained Brax. “I was merely opening my heart to our lady friend here.”
“Oh, you have a heart now? Whose did you buy?” joked Jax.
“I was telling her about Marta,” said Brax looking into his drink.
“Oh,” said Jax. “Ooooh! Oh, man, sorry. Why’d she come up?”
“She’s trying to buy my bar,” I explained.
“What? No!” said Jax. “Where the Hell did this come from?”
“Oh, no,” said Kenner. “And that means my brother is in involved.”
“Your brother?” I said in shock. “Caleb’s your brother?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so,” he admitted. “I hope that doesn’t change your opinion of me.”
“No, of course not,” I said. “It’s just a shock is all. You’re so sweet and Caleb.”
“He’s a bastard, we know,” said Kenner sadly. “I think I would like a stiff drink now.”
“Yeah, stiff drinks all around,” said Jax a little somberly.
“Jesus, it’s like college all over again,” said Travis. “You ever think we’re going to out grow this drama?”
“If you had asked me yesterday, I would’ve laughed,” said Brax. “Today, I feel like I’m trapped in my own past.”
“I remember you running into Marta in the Student Union that day,” recalled Travis. “She seemed okay back then. People change I guess.”
“No,” said Brax. “The hostility was always there. Simmering. I saw the signs, but I chose to ignore them.”
“Don’t beat yourself up, Brax,” said Jax. “It could’ve happened to any of us. At least you didn’t marry her. Imagine how much worse that would be? Then I’d be like Kenner, here.”
“Thanks,” said Kenner dryly. “Thanks for that. You don’t even know how uncomfortable Christmas with the family has become.”
“It’s not your fault what happened,” I said. “It’s not like you were ever involved, right?”
Kenner looked away with some guilt in his eyes.
“You didn’t tell her that part?” asked Jax.
“No, I was going to spare her that detail,” said Brax.
“Uh, oh,” said Travis.
“What? What detail?” I asked, naturally curious.
“When Marta started cheating on Brax with Caleb, Kenner is the one that spilled the beans,” explained Travis. “It was pretty epic at the time.”
“I couldn’t bear to see my friend hurt,” said Kenner. “And my brother, well, I never thought he’d end up marrying her. He was always a womanizer like Jax.”
“Hey, don’t drag me into this,” said Jax. “I was an innocent bystander…that time.”
I poured everyone tequila shots. I was saving all the Irish whiskey for Saint Patty’s Day and this was a perfect time to finish off a bottle of the good stuff. Besides, the drink seemed appropriate for the somber mood the boys were in.
“I betrayed my own brother,” said Kenner taking his shot without salt or lime. “What kind of person am I?”
“You were concerned about your friend,” I defended. “Besides, you were in college. We all do crazy things during that time.”
“So it was crazy,” he confirmed.
“No, I’m not saying that. It’s just a lot to deal with in your early 20’s. I mean, you’re an adult, but you’re new at being an adult,” I tried to explained. “Relationships are hard at any age, but that early. C’mon.”
“Would you have done it to your brother?” asked Kenner mournfully.
“Look, I’m not you and my brothers aren’t Caleb, so that question doesn’t matter. The only thing that does matter is that you tried to do right. I don’t know if it was right, but what Caleb and Marta did were wrong,” I assured him. “They should’ve been honest with Brax and they weren’t. That much, we know.”
“My brother can’t be trusted in business dealings either,” Kenner said sadly. “You should not sell to him.”
“Way ahead of you on that,” I explained. “I can’t sell the bar. The ghost of my ancestors would haunt me. And if you think I’m going to put up with a bunch of drunken Irish ghosts chasing after me, you’re crazy.”
“Thanks Claire,” said Kenner. “You know how to cheer me up.”
I gave Kenner a kiss.
“Is that what have you do to get a kiss around here?” said Jax frustrated. “I had a terrible day at work, ya know. My boss left early and I tried to sneak out, but ran into him at a bar.”
“Honestly, I don’t have time to mess around today,” I explained. “Too many people in the lunch rush. Plus I have a new line cook and he requires attention.”
Fernando came out with his latest creation.
“Look, Ms. Claire,” he presented. “Shamrock Jalapeno Poppers!”
Fernando had made jalapeno poppers that were green and in the shape of shamrocks. However, they looked like they were full of too much cheese and I wondered if he had bother to figure out an appropriate price point.
“I love these!” I said. “Put them on the special menu!”
The boys all reached over to try one. They agreed, they were pretty good. I tried to signal them not to be too enthusiastic, but they were too fast in their compliments.
“Thank you, customers!” said Fernando. “I prep more for tonight, huh?”
And with that, Fernando ran back into the kitchen.
“I have to deal with lunch, why don’t you guys come back tonight and we’ll have some fun like before?”
“Okay,” said Jax, kind of dejected.
I gave Jax a big open mouth kiss.
“Happy?” I asked.
“Ecstatic,” he replied.
Chapter 13
Jax
We went back to work, but promised Claire we’d be back to dance at the bar. Work suddenly became very boring. I couldn’t concentrate. I kept tasting Claire’s lips. The crew made and agreement that we’d all take the limo back to the Bad Penny, so it was unlikely one of us would jet out early. Still, I had to check. I called Travis.
“Yeah, what’s up bro?” he answered.
“You got that file for the Pinksy thing?”
“Pinsky? We took care of that clients months ago, remember?” said Travis. “What did you really want?”
“Nothing,” I said.
“You wanted to make sure I’m still here.”
“Nah! You’re nuts. I gotta another call,” I said abruptly hanging up.
Kenner’s office was down the row and at the end of the hall. I got up and peeked down the hall. His door was open and he was at his desk looking annoyed. He spotted me and I ducked back into my office.
“All right, that’s two,” I said to myself. “Just have to call Brax.”
I went to grab the phone to call him and the phone rang. It was Brax.
“Brother,” he greeted. “Do you have the file on the, uh, Pinksy thing?”
“That client was months ago. What do you really want?”
“I actually want that file, but I was also making sure you’re all here,” he admitted. “It’s only 3:30. Do something constructive and take your mind off things.”
“I can’t. I’m totally distracted,” I admitted.
“Then go get a coffee or something,” suggested Jax. “Just don’t leave the building to do it. Don’t want to start a stampede.”
As always, I did the exact opposite of what my brother suggested. I needed to relax, so I did something I hadn’t tried in years. Back when I was still an artist and had to work, I’d work boring office jobs. To hide from my boss, I would sometimes crawl under my desk, pull the chair in, put my head on the chair and take a nap.
This time, I went one better. The carpet underneath my desk was very plush and the space underneath was big enough to stretch out. I took a sleeping pill and a couple of shots from my flask. A few minutes later, I was out like a light.
Four Billionaires for St. Patrick's Day Page 7