The spoke
1375 Words
(Mira)
The apron Hank gave me was stained and smelled like old beer, but I tied it on anyway. He showed me where the glasses were kept, how to work the ancient register, and pointed out the regulars I needed to watch out for.
"That's Crash," he said, nodding toward a bald man with tattoos covering both arms. "He gets handsy when he's drunk. You tell him to back off, he will. If he doesn't, you tell me."
"Got it."
"Those two over there are Axel and Jace. Brothers. They'll try to get free drinks by being charming. Don't fall for it."
I looked at the two men playing pool. One had long dark hair tied back, the other was shorter with a crooked grin. "Noted."
"And Ridge is the president. What he says goes around here. You have any problems, you go to him first."
President. So that's why everyone listened when he brought me in.
Hank studied me for a moment. "You in some kind of trouble?"
"No more than usual."
He didn't push. "We close at eleven most nights. Might stay open later on weekends if it's busy."
"Okay."
"About the room upstairs. You can stay there as long as you need. No rent. Just work hard and we're square."
I stared at him. "You serious?"
"Dead serious. Been empty for years. Might as well have someone in it."
"I can pay something."
"Don't want your money. Just want a good worker who shows up on time." He looked at me. "That something you can do?"
"Yeah."
"Then we're good. Get out there."
The bar was loud. Country music played from the jukebox, competing with pool balls cracking and voices talking over each other. I grabbed a tray and started making rounds.
The first few tables were easy. Bikers drinking beer, barely looking up when I took their orders. I brought them their drinks and collected empty bottles without any trouble.
Then I got to Crash's table.
"Well, hello there." He looked me up and down. "You're new."
"I am." I pulled out my pad. "What can I get you?"
"How about your number?"
"How about a beer instead?"
The guy sitting across from him laughed. Crash stared at me for a long moment, then grinned. "Yeah. Beer. Make it two."
I walked away before he could say anything else. When I got back to the bar, Hank was watching.
"Handled that well," he said.
"Not my first rodeo."
I put in the order and moved to the next table. The brothers, Axel and Jace, were arguing about their pool game.
"I'm telling you, that was a scratch," Axel said.
"Your eyes going bad in your old age?" Jace shot back.
"I'm two years older than you."
"Exactly. Old."
I cleared my throat. "You guys need anything?"
Jace turned to me with that crooked grin. "Depends. You serving?"
"Drinks. That's what I'm serving."
Axel laughed. "She's got your number already, little brother."
"Two beers," Jace said, still grinning. "Please."
"Coming up."
I liked them better than Crash. They were playing around, not being creeps about it.
The night went on like that. I took orders, delivered drinks, and learned the rhythm of the place. Some of the guys tried to flirt. Most of them backed off when I didn't flirt back. The ones who didn't got a warning look from Hank or one of the other members.
Ridge sat at the end of the bar nursing the same beer for over an hour. He didn't talk much, just watched. A few people came up to him, said a few words, and left. He had the kind of presence that made people pay attention even when he wasn't doing anything.
Around nine, a woman with short red hair and her own club vest came in. She walked straight to Ridge and kissed his cheek.
My chest did something weird. I ignored it.
"Heard you picked up a stray," she said loud enough for me to hear.
"News travels fast."
"Small town, Ridge. And you brought a strange woman to the club bar. People talk."
He didn't respond to that.
She looked over at me. "She's pretty, I'll give you that."
"Cassidy," Ridge said. It was a warning.
She held up her hands. "I'm just saying. You don't usually do the knight in shining armor thing."
"Her car broke down."
"Right." She didn't sound convinced. "Well, I'm gonna go say hi. See if she's worth all this."
She walked over before Ridge could stop her. Up close, she was older than I'd thought. Maybe forty. She had smile lines around her eyes and a scar on her chin.
"I'm Cassidy. VP's old lady."
"Mira."
"You know what an old lady is?"
"Girlfriend?"
"Close enough. Wife without the paperwork." She leaned against the bar. "So. Where you from?"
"Around."
"That's specific."
I didn't say anything.
Cassidy smiled. "You don't trust easy. Smart. You'll fit in here just fine."
"I'm just working."
"For now." She glanced back at Ridge. "But he's already got that look."
"What look?"
"The one that says he's decided you're his problem to solve." She picked up a handful of peanuts from the bowl on the bar. "Fair warning, once Ridge decides something, he doesn't back down. Ever."
"I don't need anyone to solve my problems."
"Yeah, I said that too once. Fifteen years ago. Look how that turned out."
She walked away before I could ask what she meant.
I went back to work, but I kept thinking about what she'd said. Ridge didn't seem like the type to get involved in other people's business for no reason. Then again, I didn't really know him at all.
Around ten, the crowd started thinning out. Hank sent me upstairs to see the room while things were quiet.
"Up the stairs, last door on the right. Key's in the lock."
I climbed the narrow staircase at the back of the bar. The second floor was quieter. I could still hear music and voices below, but it was muffled. The hallway smelled like wood and dust.
The room was small. A bed, a dresser, a tiny bathroom with a shower that had seen better days. But it was clean, and the lock on the door worked. That was all I needed.
I sat on the bed and pulled out my phone. Three missed calls from a number I didn't recognize.
Tyler. He'd gotten a new phone.
My hands wanted to shake. I didn't let them.
I deleted the calls without listening to the voicemails and blocked the number. Then I turned off my phone completely. He couldn't track me if it was off. At least, I didn't think he could.
There was a knock on the door.
I froze.
"It's Ridge."
I got up and opened the door but didn't step back to let him in.
He held out a bag. "Thought you might be hungry."
Inside was a burger and fries from the kitchen downstairs. My stomach growled. I hadn't eaten all day.
"Thanks."
He nodded. "Hank says you're doing good down there."
"I know how to work a bar."
"Yeah, I can see that." He looked past me into the room, then back at my face. "You need anything else?"
"No."
"All right." He started to turn, then stopped. "Mira. You got trouble following you, you tell me. Sooner rather than later."
I met his eyes. "I can handle my own trouble."
"I'm sure you can. But you're in my town now. That makes it my business too."
"I didn't ask for that."
"Doesn't matter. Get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be busy."
He walked away before I could say anything else.
I closed the door and locked it. Sat on the bed with the bag of food.
Ridge scared me less than he should. Tyler had been charming at first too. Helpful. Protective.
Look how that turned out.
I ate the burger and told myself I'd leave as soon as I had enough money. This was temporary. Just a place to hide until I figured out my next move.
I wasn't staying in Crosswell. I wasn't getting involved with Ridge or his club or any of this.
I couldn't afford to.
- Writer
