Her Men (book 2)

Chapter 5

Teagan

I know the adult thing would have been to stop and talk with him, the second I saw him my body wanted to out of habit but my heart reminded me of the pain he once caused, almost 5 years go which felt like yesterday when I looked at him, I smiled softly but decided to leave anyway, now just wasn't the time talk, I'm sure eventually we would but not right now.

I told my aunt I had two interviews and she was happy that I found something this quick, small towns are different that way I didn't think it would take long at all, and happy It wasn't an office job and I'm sure both pay wouldn't be perfect but together I'm sure would be enough and thats what I needed most.

The drive to Stella's bar was calm and quick, it doesn't seem like it's a thirty- forty minute drive, school is still going so not a lot of traffic. I get back to the bar/diner around 330 and there's only one car parked in the bars parking lot and a couple on the other side in the diners. I park and pull down the mirror to check my face, I didn't have any makeup but I don't really use that much anyway so I didn't worry too much, I did borrow some mascara, eyeliner and some lip stick from my aunt. My old routine would have included some light coverage foundation maybe some eye shadow and contour and highlight, But I kept it simple, the pallet I used to use conveniently had all three together. I hated the caked on look, so it wasn't often I wore a full face.

I wore some high waisted skinny jeans that had a few holes in the thigh, and one on my knee with some black ankle boots and a simple matching flowy black top with a twist in the front, it's knot sitting right at my belly where it meets my jeans, it's a low cut but I was not too worried. It is a bar, after all, but it wasn't so low it would be distracting.

I get out, lock the doors and walk to the large wooden double doors and pull on one of the cold rusty iron handle. When I walk in I immediately see the bars counter top lining on whole wall to my left, it's a huge rectangular room, bright with all the lights on, the rest of the room is filled with a mix of high top tables and regular distributed perfectly so everyone can see the stage in the front, the other side lined with booths. I don't immediately see anyone and it gives me a chance to look around and it's smaller than I'm used to but that also brings relief this job should be a piece of cake. I walk to the bar and look around, for being such a small bar they had a great set up. they had classics, and not so popular ones like old whiskey and bourbons I remember the older clients preferred but hardly served. Here they were pretty low as if they were popular. I also spotted the hottest tequilas on the shelf just as low. I think they must have customers of all ages to have this wide a selection, I place my bag in a chair when I hear someone coming from the entrance at the end of the bar, I'm guessing that's where they wash and store glasses and extra things, I see Henry round the corner with a tray for clean glasses and I walk toward him.

"Hey Henry need a hand?" I ask

"Hey, Teagan right?" He asks and smiles

"Yes sir" I say and he laughs

"Oh no, Honey, I'm not that's old" he laughs.

"ok well I'm a little old but I'm not ready to be called sir just yet" he smiles

"And yea we can talk while i stock up" he motions over with his head

"Sounds good do you own this bar?" I ask

"No, the woman that owns the bar is Stella, we are best friends her and my mom own this building, my mom, owns the a diner and the bar is hers. They used to work there in the diner, Stella saved it from be sold and they later split it, they hired me to do both of their book keeping and well we just run it together. But This is her baby, it's her pride and joy and she runs a tight ship. It's only ever been her and I to work here behind the bar” he says

We get into a steady pace of him passing me a glass and I stack them. The patterned they had was easy to figure out I didn’t even need him to explain.

"She's nice, when she gets to know you," he said you could hear the caution in his voice.

"So she doesn't know I'm here?" I asked

"No, she doesn't, until recently we were ok, it's always been Stella, Tom, my partner that you met today, he mostly helps us with music, Dj or the pianist" he paused to add "Stella sings, she has an amazing voice" then continues "and about six weeks ago, Ian one of Stella's partners, started helping us since Stella had to be out" he looks up at me to see if I'm paying attention or if I caught the word "one" which I did but I think I'll stay quiet about it and ask later. Seems she just lets those close in her circle.

"So why do you need me and how can I help?" I ask If she doesn't want me than I'd hate to come in.

"Before now the bar was Stella's everything, she lived and breathed this place now she has a life" he laughs like that's the best thing to happen to her "She's had personal things going on and while I've never minded running things for her hiring someone will help when she's back. I know with the new life she has she doesn't need to be here all the time. Enjoy it. Go home to people, and I think it's time to get extra help that way her or I can have a day or days off plus Ian and I agree so there that. He can do the convincing. She plans on coming back in about 2 weeks, I think if we have someone already here and knows what they was doing she's less likely to disagree with us or fire you" he finishes and shrugs

"So, you said you have experience?" He asks we finished the glasses and he places the empty tray on a stack below the counter with some others.

"Yes. I have a few years experience of doing just bartending and waitressing then the last two years I was managing the bar I worked at so I know the book keeping and money part of the job, closing, even hiring and firing parts of the job and recently I had to quit....." I stopped not knowing what I should say but added "because of my own personal reasons" I finished

"I know this was sudden and I didn't exactly ask you to bring a resume but if I were to ask for a reference could you provide it?" He asks "no offense but Stella would kill me if I didn't do my digging, " I says

I put my head down feeling like this is where I need to make my mind up. Do I lie? Or tell the truth? I know absolutely nothing about this guy and stella sounds like a hard ass. Possibly a pain in my ass. Am I sure I want to work here? But on the other hand I need this I need to start making money to get back out of here. Henry seems like a good guy? Like I could trust him, could he keep my secret? If I were to tell him the whole truth?

"I have to be honest, I came here to Start over, I left my life in the city and I don't want to look back. I can't look back. And I definitely don't want any past jobs to know I'm here and so I cant give you a reference, I can give you my only two family members numbers since they are all I have and can vouch for me, including my word that I'll be the best damn employee you guys can have, I need this job more than anything right now and if you let me I can help you guys out." I end with a smile and hope this is enough.

"Ok, Stella and I out of all people, know what starting over is like, even Ian, so it sounds like you might fit in around here in our band of misfits, there's something about you that's tells me I can trust you and that's all I need to go on." He holds his hand out for me to shake

"Your hired, Teagan but please don't make me regret not having more information on you, Stella would literally kill me" he laughs and we shake hands "when can you start?" He asks and I say tomorrow. I really wish I could work now but I still have my aunts car While I'm sure she wouldn't mind me keeping it until 2 am. I better ask first, we talk more about hours I'll work and how they run things, I help him finish up before they open at 5. About four forty five as I'm getting my things to leave, the door opens and I look over as tall beautiful man walks in, I notice his tattooed arms and large chest when he comes up to me he smiles and holds a hand out,

"Teagan, I'm guessing?" He says his eyes are gorgeous and I smile and nod. Where the hell did my voice go? I clear my throat and clear the brain fart I apparently had.

"Sorry, yes, hi I'm Teagan" I say and take his firm grip, hoping he didn't notice my pause, this man carries his dominance all over him and the submissive bells in my head go off.

"I'm Ian, Henry sent a text that he had an interview, so how did it go" I realize the last part he was talking to Henry who just walked back in, who sets a case of modelo down.

"Hey Ian, good she will start tomorrow" he says with a smile. "She'll fit right in" he says and gives me a wink "plus she has some great mixing skills, that will help with all the youngsters we have coming in, save you from having to create gross s*x on the beaches or ......blurry ....nipples? What was it they asked for the other night"He laughs and Ian says "buttery n*****s, I believe it was" he makes a face and rolls his eyes and they laugh.

"Well good it will be nice to have some help, Teagan, I'm sure he filled you in on Stella not wanting extra help, give her time, she's sweet once you get passed her walls and if Henry thinks your great so will she, and I'll have some time to work with you too before she meets you, Henry is planning a party in about 2 weeks, she'll obviously meet you there and than she will come back to work that following week, and she's beyond ready like I'm her sneaking in here wouldn't even surprise me at this point" his smile is genuine as he talks about her and and you can tell he is absolutely in love with her, the sting of jealousy forms in my stomach, how I long for that kind of love. For so long I thought I had it but clearly it wasn't.

"Well I can't wait to meet her and start working tomorrow, I'll see you guys" I say and walk out.

I walk over to the diner and just as henrys mom said she was finishing up cleaning the diner, I help her flip chairs and fill salt and pepper shakers, we work and talk and she's absolutely the sweetest and she too says I can start Tomorrow. Her and Henry have so much in common it's like I had the same "interview" if you would even call them that but either way I have not only 1 but 2 jobs.

I'm excited as I get into the car and place my purse on the passenger seat, start the engine and put it in reverse. I smile, a big smile, for a moment relief washes over me since I got back home. It feels like all I do is hold my breathe and in this moment it feels ok, soon I'll be making money and soon I can start again. As I drive off I think about my interviews, Henry and Ian, and then I remember how he mentioned Stella had partners as he phrased it, I wonder what that meant. I guess I'll find out soon enough.

It's almost 630 when I pull up to the house and when I get out of the car I see Aidan sitting on my porch.

"Hey can we talk?" He says softly