Running On Empty (Fleur de Lis Book 2)

by A. L. Vincent

  Grace smiled. “I’m sure we can.”

  Daniel turned the conversation to small talk, and they conversed lightly until Carly’s shift ended. Carly turned the bar over to Amanda, the evening bartender, and soon was headed home to shower, change, and drag Joey out. They would all meet here, except for Ryder, who was driving in from New Orleans, then head out.

  Emily and Noah showed up together, followed by Gabriel. As he walked in, Grace was struck again by what a good-looking man he had turned out to be. He had a new confidence that was intriguing.

  Hellos and hugs were exchanged, drinks ordered. Emily sat next to Grace, and Grace was grateful for the female’s company. She never asked too many questions, didn’t pry, didn’t try to fix you up with someone. No stress with Em, and Grace liked it.

  Gabe took the other seat next to Grace. “How you feeling?”

  Grace laughed. “Much better.”

  “You looked pretty rough this morning.”

  She punched him in the arm. “Thanks. I felt it too.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Thanks also for bringing me the food and the Sprite. I think it saved my life. That walk home was rough though.”

  “I told you I would have taken you home.”

  “I know. I’m stubborn sometimes.”

  “Sometimes?” He raised one eyebrow.

  She punched him in the arm again. “Hush ya mouth. On another note, I scheduled some gigs with Carly for next month. You want to sit in with me? Like old times?”

  He smiled again. “Of course.”

  “Good.”

  Carly arrived with Joey in tow. He was already frowning. Grace shook her head. Some things never changed.

  Carly teetered, rather than walked, over to the group.

  “Heels, Carly?” Noah asked.

  “Yes. And don’t roll those faceballs at me.”

  “Faceballs?”

  “I read it on Facebook. It’s another way to say eyes. And the heels? A girl needs to wear heels every now and then,” Carly said.

  “Fine,” he said. Grace thought again how nice it was to see him smile so much. When she had come in for Ben’s memorial and to get Snapper’s going, he didn’t smile much at all. Life had been good to him, and Grace felt a slight twinge in her stomach. Jealousy or hope? She didn’t know.

  “Everyone ready?” Carly asked. “We may need another driver. Anyone game?”

  Gabe volunteered. “I’m in Gram’s truck, so I can only fit two or three.”

  “That’s fine. Grace, why don’t you ride with Gabe? I think the rest of us can fit in Emily’s SUV.”

  Grace shot Carly a look. Grace couldn’t get out of it now without making the situation awkward. She did not need Carly matchmaking for her. Not now.

  Arrangements made, they all headed out to the cars. Carly was last, wobbling on her high heels.

  “Wait!” Carly called, her heels beating an uneven rhythm across the bar’s wooden floor and outside. Grace watched as she grabbed onto the porch’s railing to keep from plummeting down to the ground.

  Grace looked over to see Joey’s grim face. There would be an argument tonight between the two. She could already tell.

  The ride to the Wild Wahoo wasn’t a long one, and soon they were pulling into the parking lot. Grace was always amused by the big pink fish sign on the roof.

  They all bounded into the bar at the same time. Carly and Emily went to get drinks as the rest of them secured a table near the jukebox and pool tables.

  “Damnit,” Joey said, pulling up a barstool and surveying the crowd. “Cecily is here.”

  A collective groan came from the men. Grace smiled. If you looked up the word cougar in the dictionary, there would be a picture of Cecily seductively stretched out in leopard print spandex.

  Joey elbowed Grace. “Don’t make eye contact. She’ll take that as an invite. Last time we ran into her, I left here violated.”

  “Violated?” Grace asked, raising an eyebrow.

  Ryder laughed. “She grabbed him under the table. And licked his arm.”

  “You laugh. I’m siccing her on you this time,” Joey said.

  “I’m not scared of her,” Ryder said. “Besides, she has a thing for you, not me.”

  “You will be before she’s done with you.”

  Emily and Carly returned with the drinks and took seats. The guys put quarters on the pool table and grabbed cue sticks.

  “Dollar for the jukebox?” Carly asked, and everyone dug into their pockets for music money.

  “No cheesy crap,” Joey said.

  Grace shook her head, she didn’t know why Joey even said it. Carly was sure to play some godawful ’80s or ’90s tune just to aggravate him now. Would it be “Macarena?” “Baby Got Back?” Or something worse?

  “Play something slow,” Noah said as he gave her his money. “I’d like to dance with my beautiful woman tonight.” Noah wrapped an arm around Emily and hugged her close. Emily responded by smiling and resting her head on his shoulder for just a moment.

  “I don’t know why y’all tell me what you want to hear, I already know,” Carly said smiling. “Y’all should just trust me.”

  Carly turned her attention to the jukebox, and the guys started their pool game. Grace went to talk to the bartender to find out about setting up some gigs. Soon, the manager came out, and Grace walked back to the table with a smile, having set up two gigs at the Wahoo. With the two she’d scheduled at Snapper’s, she now had something planned for every weekend. Things were definitely looking up.

  The last few notes of the slow rock song Carly had played wound down, and Carly giggled. Here we go, Grace thought. Carly always giggled when she played a truly horrendous song.

  “Ice, Ice Baby?” Joey asked. “I’m not giving you any more money.”

  Carly laughed. “I’ve got my own money. And I have a whole list of horrible eighties songs, just to torment you.”

  Grace resisted the urge to stab herself in the ear. She sipped her drink while watching the crowd and her friends. It felt good to be home and to be away from the craziness of the Quarter. To not have to be on guard all the time. She loved New Orleans and the Quarter, but it was good to relax too. Maybe this was what she needed. Maybe she had just been too wound up for too long. Maybe this had nothing to do with Brent.

  A slow Cajun song started to play, and Noah reached out for Emily. She smiled and took his hand and let him lead her to the dance floor.

  Gabe, who had been with the guys playing pool, walked up to Grace. “Dance?”

  “Sure,” Grace said, never one to turn down a trip around a dance floor.

  Grace took his hand, his other rested on her hip, and they rocked to the slow beat of the music. Grace’s hand settled on his arm, and she was surprised again by the muscle she felt underneath the soft fabric of his t-shirt.

  They didn’t talk as they circled the dance floor, soon to be joined by Carly and Joey. Awkward was the best word to describe the stiff shuffling those two were doing. As if neither wanted to get too close. Carly’s heels didn’t help.

  Gabe nudged her then, and tilted his head to see Ryder dancing with Cecily. Or rather, Ryder trying to dance as Cecily groped him. In the dim light, you could clearly see her bright red nails splayed across Ryder’s dark jean clad backside.

  Cecily leaned in close to Ryder’s ear and whispered something, and Ryder looked at Joey and laughed. Grace could only imagine what she had said. That woman was actually more shameless than Ryder.

  The song ended, and Grace grimaced again as another cheesy ’80s song played. Ryder and Noah returned to the pool tables. Gabe, instead of joining the rest of the guys, took a seat next to Grace.

  “No more pool?” Grace asked.

  “Nah, not really my thing,” he said.

  “Me either. I’ve tried to play a couple of times, and I just don’t have the patience for it. Have you ever watched Carly play?” Grace asked.

  “Yes.” He smiled. “That girl can’
t even hit the white ball.”

  “She gives it a good try though.”

  “Yes, she does.”

  Grace looked out at the guys playing pool, absently playing with the charm bracelet she’d had since high school.

  “You still have that bracelet?” Gabe asked.

  Grace smiled. “Yeah.”

  “Can I see?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” she said, holding her arm out so he could get a better look.

  He held her hand gently in his as he flipped through the charms. “Angel wings?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  She laughed. “Zombie hunter.”

  He laughed. “Now that makes sense.”

  “You haven’t seen The Walking Dead?”

  “Nah, I’m not big on zombies. Give me a good action show or some sci-fi.”

  “You have to see it. It’s so good. The characters alone are awesome.”

  “The zombies? I can’t see how.”

  Grace broke the contact to point to the pool table where Joey and Ryder were trying to play a game of pool. It appeared Cecily had other plans. She was busy trying to drape herself over Joey, and he was busy trying to extricate himself from her grasp.

  Carly intervened then. “Let me go save Joey.”

  “We gotta watch this!” Grace said to Gabe as Carly walked away.

  Carly wobbled slowly to the pool table.

  “Shit!” she exclaimed as her ankle turned and she fell forward toward the pool table.

  Joey lunged to catch her, but was too late. The smack as she hit the ledge of the pool table could be heard throughout the bar.

  “Damnit, Carly!” Joey said as he reached out to her.

  Carly turned to him, cradling her arm to her chest.

  “Let me see,” he said.

  Carly held out her arm where there was already an angry red bruise.

  “I told you to not wear those shoes,” Joey scolded her as he turned her arm gently to look at it.

  She yanked her arm back and grimaced. “Shut up, Joey.”

  Joey looked up at the rest of them. “Are you guys ready to go? We should probably get her back and get some ice on that. I have a pack of peas in the freezer I keep just for her.”

  They nodded and filed out the door.

  Chapter Seven

  Grace walked up the wide front porch of the Redbird Inn. She stomped soggy feet on the welcome mat and hung her soaked hoodie on the rack by the door. The weather was terrible, rainy and stormy, but she had promised Gabe and Glinda that she would make it for breakfast. She didn’t knock on the door. No one did in the morning. It was well known that Glinda’s door was open for breakfast every morning during the season.

  “Grace!” Glinda exclaimed when she saw her come through the dining room door. She went to Grace and hugged her tight.

  “How are you, girl? We’ve missed you. Haven’t we missed her?” she said, nodding at Gabe and Daniel, who were already sitting at the table.

  “C’mon, girl. Have a seat,” she said before they could answer, and pushed Grace toward the empty seat near Gabe. “Let’s look at you.”

  She looked Grace up and down. “Pretty as a picture, as always,” she said. “But you need some meat on those bones. You are way too skinny. Haven’t you been eatin’ in N’awlins? I know they have good places to eat. Why, I was just telling Daniel the other day that we needed to go up there soon and go eat at one of those restaurants. I’ve been closed up in this place long enough. I need some Bourbon Street and Garden District in my life.”

  Grace looked at Gabe and smiled. When Glinda got started, you just kind of went with the flow. Eventually, she would wind down and you could chit chat.

  “What do you want to eat? I’ll fix it for you.”

  Grace started to say, “Surprise me,” but knew she’d better not. Glinda would put a lot of everything on her plate, and Grace did not feel like leaving this morning feeling like Godzilla after a New York City buffet.

  “I’ll fix it,” Grace said, getting up. “You sit down and have some coffee.”

  “Okay, dear. If you’re sure.”

  “I am. Thank you though.”

  Grace fixed a plate and had a seat beside Gabe.

  “Mornin’,” he said.

  “Mornin’.” She nodded to Daniel.

  Grace began to dig into the plate she had made. Cheese grits had always been a favorite of hers, and she had piled on a good portion of those. Bacon, scrambled eggs, and a biscuit with a side of Glinda’s homemade strawberry jelly rounded out the plate.

  “Mornin’, pretty lady,” he replied, rustling the newspaper. “Seems like a teacher in Pointe Shade was found wandering in the city park last night.”

  “Really?” Glinda asked. “Well, that’s bizarre.”

  Daniel began to read aloud from the paper. “Last night in St. Andrew Parish, Pointe Shade officers found Andre Thibodeaux in Huey Long Municipal Park at approximately ten o’clock. According to reports, Mr. Thibodeaux was found wearing only ladies underclothes and red lipstick.”

  “Well, that’s interesting,” Gabe said. “Aren’t you looking for a job, Grace? You did get a degree in education.”

  “I am not teaching,” Grace said.

  “It would be steady work,” Glinda said.

  “I am not teaching. I don’t want to teach. That internship experience in New Orleans was bad enough.”

  “Okay,” Gabe said, “but I think you would be good at it.”

  “What would I teach?” Grace said. “Look at me and do the exact opposite? No.”

  “Well, just keep it in mind. They’ll need someone pretty quick. I doubt Mr. Thibideaux will be coming back,” Daniel said.

  Grace sipped her coffee. “I’ll think about it,” she said. When hell freezes over, she thought. She had the gigs coming up. She could do those and hopefully schedule some more. She would get by somehow. Without stepping into a classroom.

  “You going to Snapper’s tomorrow night? We can do some karaoke,” Gabe said.

  Grace was grateful for the change of subject. “Probably,” she said, “but we’re not doing any cheesy “I Got You Babe” songs. I’m no Cher, no.”

  “I can deal with that.” If Ryder was the dancer, Gabriel was the singer. He had a voice as smooth as cane syrup. They often sang karaoke when she was in, or if she was playing, Gabe would often sit in for a few songs. A favorite of theirs was “Broken” by Amy Lee and Seether. A song she still performed.

  They had never been ones to do “Summer Lovin’,” “I’ve Had the Time of My Life,” or any other song they would consider to be a cheesy duet. They left that to the tourists.

  Grace finished her coffee and went to the kitchen to put her dishes in the sink. “I’d better get going. I need to call some places Carly told me about for some gigs. Thank you so much for breakfast, Aunt Glinda.”

  “You’re very welcome, girl. Come back anytime,” she said.

  She hugged Glinda, then Daniel and Gabe before she left.

  She hoped she could find some more jobs soon. Her funds were not going to last forever.

  ***

  Gabe

  Flipping through the selections on the streaming video channel, Gabe lay on the couch in his cabin. He passed all the versions of Star Trek, serial killer shows, motorcycle gang shows, but nothing caught his attention. He’d either seen them all or just wasn’t in the mood. Must be the weather, he thought. He wasn’t one to watch a lot of TV. He preferred to be outside or busy, but the torrential rain kept him from doing much of anything.

  The zombie show Grace loved so much caught his attention. He read the summary again. He thought again of cradling Grace’s slender wrist in his hand, of that charm bracelet. Why not? He clicked on the first episode. Within minutes, he was hooked. Without taking his eyes off the TV, he grabbed the phone to text Grace.

  Gabe: Watching ur zombie show.

  Grace: Oh really?

  Gabe: Yep.

  Grace: Whatcha think?

  Ga
be: It’s good. What u doin?

  Grace: Not a damn thing.

  Gabe: Wanna come watch?

  Grace: I could.

  Gabe: Awesome. Will pause it.

  Grace: Just know. This is no Netflix and chill.

  Gabe laughed and replied,

  Of course not.

  Grace: LOL. C ya soon.

  Gabe paused the show and shot up off the couch. He needed to put on pants and straighten up before Grace arrived. Not that it was messy, but he needed to toss dirty clothes in the washing machine. He should do a few other minor masculine touch ups, like put the toilet seat down and rinse the sink. He had just finished everything when Grace knocked.

  He opened the door, and his heart beat a little faster. Her dark hair was in a sloppy ponytail, wet tendrils escaping the elastic and framing her slim, pale face. She wore simple yoga pants and what looked to be one of Joey’s old Saints t-shirts. Her demeanor was still tough and rugged, though, and the dark smudges under her smoky eyes testified to a lack of sleep. He found the temptation to touch her, if only for comfort, almost impossible to resist.

  “Come on in out of the rain,” he said, holding the door open wide.

  “’Kay.”

  She ducked through the door, took her shoes off, and padded across the living room area. She settled into the brown, overstuffed armchair, the only place to sit in the living room other than the couch. She pulled her feet underneath her and put a pillow in her lap, holding it like a shield.

  The TV was still paused where he had left it. One of the main characters was on the screen, fending off the attack of a half-decomposed zombie.

  “You’re still early in the show!” she exclaimed.

  “Yes, and you are right. It’s definitely catchy.”

  “You haven’t even met Shaggy,” she said.

  “Shaggy?”

  “The squirrel hunting redneck. He’s my favorite,” she said, and held up her wrist to point to the dangling angel wings. “Shaggy wears a leather vest with angel wings. You’ll see.”