Page 20 of Lucifer's Hounds

Morning rolls around and I stir lightly, returning to reality. It’s time to talk to my landlord today because eviction is on the verge. With the two hundred dollars I have on me, I only owe another nine to catch up last month and cover this month, which is now overdue. The more I think about it, the more I don’t want to face it…so I do what I always do; I run from it and don’t make the call.

I spend the day packing and loading my car with bags of clothes that I have every intention of leaving right there in my trunk, and I pack boxes that I’ll bring to Mindy’s for storage before work this evening. Something’s got to give.

After spending an hour loading the car down, I call Mindy.

“Hello?”

“Hey, love. I have a few boxes to bring by your house. I just wanted to let you know I’m coming over. Do you need anything while I’m out today?” I ask, picking at a dry piece of skin on my lip.

"No ma'am, I don't. But when you get in to work tonight, you're not going to believe what is going on. I just met with thenew owner and the contractor that is remodeling the interior of the bar. You're going to love it and hate it at the same time."

"Seriously? Why? What's he doing with the place, making it a strip joint?" I laugh at the thought.

"Not exactly. You'll see when you get here. They've already started working on it."

"Great. I'll see you tonight. Have a good day!"

"You too!"

I have too much on my mind to let the thought of what the new owner plans for the bar to take up any real estate in my brain as I unload my things into Mindy’s attic. Yet with each box I carry up the stairs, my mind runs wild with possibilities of what can be different. By the time I set the last box down, I nearly run to my car, anxious to get home and get ready for work. Curiosity is eating at me, and I have to know what it is that’s happening that Mindy was being so vague about. What’s being changed and who’s the new owner?

The short drive to work somehow feels like an hour-long session of watching paint dry, but I know it’s only because I’m anxious. I hope he’s there so I can talk to him and discuss some of the changes he intends on making. I have a few good ideas of my own that I’d like to share with him, if he will give a bottom-of-the-barrel bartender the opportunity to give him a pitch. Kevin’s description of the man alone makes me nervous and I’m not sure how I feel about him. I take a breath and try to steady my nerves. He’s just a human.Breathe.

Pulling into the driveway of Creek’s, I notice the old sign is gone and there’s only a little bit of work left before the driveway and parking lot are good as new, completely redone. It’s a foreign feeling; to drive down a smooth blacktop driveway and I smile at the thought of this place getting the business I know it’s capable of and being a regular bar room for once.

I try to get out of my car slowly, at a normal, pace but I can hardly contain my excitement. As soon as my feet touch the porch, it takes everything in me not to sprint to the door. I pummel through the doors, garnering me a raised brow stare from Mindy.

"Are you in a hurry? Good lord, woman. Slow your roll."

As I’m about to respond, I look around at the bar. The back bar that holds the liquor is set up in a display case in the shape of a Harley. There are brand new mirrors behind the bar, along with brand new coolers that all have Harley Davidson symbols on them. The ceiling has been painted black and there’s a Harley Davidson symbol painted there as well. Sitting in the center of the bar that wasn’t quite finished yet is a draft beer setup. It has different motorcycle engine parts on it for each beer. Purple and gold colors are everywhere, and I wonder first why the new owner is trying to merge football and biker into one space.

The floor in the bar is no longer plywood, but laminate wood flooring that isn’t complete yet. The bathrooms have been painted, and the stalls have been redone. The women’s bathroom went from a dull green to a lavender purple with Marilyn Monroe pictures hung decoratively. The men’s bathroom went from the same dull green to bright orange and white. This guy is making sure everything in the bar is brand new. He’s redoing everything. Hopefully everything but the staff.

"Now I know why you said I would love it and hate it at the same time. I love it, you're right, but I absolutely hate it. It's a heavy reminder of that mystery biker of mine," I draw in a breath and sigh, exhaling slowly.

He already consumes my thoughts majority of the time I’m awake and all of the time that I’m asleep. Now, everything in this place will be a reminder of him. I’m most confused by my own feelings. I never wanted to be with him in Houston. Notbewithhim, be with him. At least that’s what I tell myself. But the more I think about it, the more unsure I am of how true that really is.

How did I end up here, like this, wanting a man I said I didn’t and missing him so terribly after only spending two days with him?

"Girl, if you think you were crazy over that guy in Houston, wait until you meet the boss. He didn't have the shiny shoes that Kevin talked about, but he did look like he had just come from his house in jeans and a T-shirt. But oh my god, he was sexy, and his voice was mesmerizing." Mindy’s nearly drooling.

"Really?" I ask, intrigued.

"Yes! And he had this demeanor about him that was just as sexy as his looks. He talked with such a finality, and he demanded respect without ever speaking a word. He wasn't an asshole, so don't take it like that, but he just had such a powerful way of getting his point across. He was intense and intimidating but welcoming and stunning at the same time. It was insane.”

"Well, what's his name?" I ask.

"Caine Sonnier."

"Hmm. I've never heard of him. How is he some big shot who's loaded and owns all this property and different companies with a name that locals don't even really recognize?"

"Local? How areyoulocal? Ain't you from Livingston?" Mindy laughs.

"Hey now, I'm just sayin'. Have you ever heard of him? I think Kevin lied about his credentials.”

"No. No, he didn't. The man is definitely a businessman and he is definitely the boss in anything he does. Trust me."

"Whatever you say love. Whatever you say," I say, dismissing the conversation.

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