Page 28 of Taking a King

“Hey man,” he says. “Sorry I’m late. My afternoon bartender has classes on Mondays and usually runs a little late.” He shrugs like it’s just one of those things. As if the owner of a restaurant covering for a late employee is the norm.

“You’re okay with them being late?” I ask.

Van shrugs again. “She’s a good bartender. She hasn’t always had it easy, but she’s taking business classes and raising a kid by herself. She shows up and works hard. She’s trustworthy. That’s hard to find. So, I cut her some slack. I figure things are hard enough out there. Why should I make them harder if I can help?”

I nod. “I happen to agree with you. But you know most bosses aren’t like that.”

He grins. “Well, I dropped out of business school in the last semester. That was probably the one where they taught us to be assholes. Good thing it didn’t take.”

I laugh. “Good thing,” I agree. “Hey, can I get a beer while we wait?” I point a thumb toward the door where Ronan disappeared. “Ronan’s out back on a work call, so it’s probably going to be a little while anyway.”

Van smiles. “You got it.”

I order one of the beers that caught my eye on the menu and Van goes to pour it. I look around the bar, seeing it with fresh eyes in the light of day and without the crowd. It’s a nice place. There’s lots of natural light from the many windows facing out toward the water. There are plenty of tables, but it doesn’t feel claustrophobic or cramped. Even when it had been packed with people Saturday night, I hadn’t felt closed in. That’s probably due to the high ceilings and large windows. There’s lots of polished wood and brass, adding to the sea theme that’s present in the décor.

Van returns with my beer and I thank him. “This is a great place you’ve got here,” I say. “You guys must be proud.”

His face seems to light up as he looks around the room. He nods. “We love this place. It’s the first thing that really felt like it was ours. We chose it. We made the plans. We gutted the building ourselves and did as much of the work inside as we could. We picked out the barstools and the tile. There wasn’t a decision made about this place that Wyatt and I didn’t have a hand in. It’s like our baby.” He laughs.

I nod. “Well, you should be proud. It’s a big accomplishment. Owning a restaurant can’t be easy.”

“The first couple years were hard,” he admits. “We weren’t sure if we’d make it. But we had some loyal staff who stuck with us. Plus, a great menu and chef to go with it. The seafood stew became such a hit that people come from all over to try it.” He nods toward the stage. “But I think it was Claire who really put this place on the map for Oak Hill.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

He smiles. “Her first summer home from college, she needed a job. She worked part time here and part time at The Jester with Finn. One weekend, she asked if she could bring her guitar and a microphone and sing a few songs for tips. Wyatt and I eventually agreed to let her so long as she didn’t piss off the few paying customers we had.” He shakes his head.

“Turns out, the customers loved her. They stayed longer to drink and order appetizers. A lot of them asked when she’d be back to sing again because they wanted to bring their friends. We begged her to sing again the next night and she agreed. That night someone from the local paper was there. He wrote a little story that made her; and this place; semi-famous. At least in this county. People flocked here every Friday and Saturday night that summer to hear Claire sing.” He shrugs. “They kept coming back because they liked everything else. So, I think Claire saved this place. Who knows what Mack’s would have been if she hadn’t started singing that night?”

I think back to the night before and how I couldn’t take my eyes off her while she’d sung for her family. I’d thought maybe it was just me. But now, hearing Van talk about her, I think I’d been right. She’s just that good. I smile and sip my beer.

“Last night is the first time I’ve heard her sing,” I say. “She blew me away.”

Van nods with a low laugh. “I know we’re biased, but I keep telling her she should try to make it big with her singing.” He shrugs. “But she doesn’t want that life. She says she likes it here just fine. Giving piano and guitar lessons to neighborhood kids, selling her art down at the boardwalk. She likes the freedom of it, I think. She likes being close to the family too.” He shrugs again. “It drives Finn crazy because I think he’d like for her to be more ambitious, but it doesn’t bother me. As long as she’s happy, I’m happy.”

I nod, considering his words. “You’re a good brother. You all are, from what I can tell.”

“Even if we try to arrest her boyfriend?” Ronan’s voice comes from behind me, making me turn. I’m not sure when he came back inside or how long he’s been standing there.

I laugh. “Even then.”

He nods toward the table where we’d been sitting. “Come on. Before I get another damned call.”

We make our way over and sit. “Everything okay?” I ask. “With work, I mean.”

Ronan rolls his eyes but nods. “Yeah, I guess.” He sighs. “We’re shorthanded lately. We had one guy retire and one deputy moved out of state for her husband’s job. I need about 3 more cops on my staff.”

I wince. “That sucks, man. So, it falls to you to pick up the slack?”

He nods. “Basically. I’m the most senior cop we have. Technically, I should be spending more time behind a desk than in a patrol car, but we just don’t have the manpower. Until we hire more officers, I’m stuck doing the work of 3 people.”

I take another sip of my beer and shake my head. “And you don’t have any applicants?”

Ronan looks pained. “One who’s barely out of high school and bombed the test on the application. One who might be promising but can’t start for another 6 months.” He narrows his eyes at me. “You need a job?”

I laugh. “The US Marine Corps might object to that.”

He shrugs and waves a hand. “So, what? I need you more than they do.”

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