West Richland Tavern.

[BreezySnow]

"Look, I am not for hire, I shouldn't have told you what I did. I screwed up and may have lost my job because of it. I just thought you were pretending not to know and was getting frustrated by it. If you want to walk in the same direction as me I can't stop you."

Raven hoped she wasn't too rude, but after the screw up she made earlier she didn't care.

 

[1millionsecrets]

I hate my phone

 

[FireyIce]

"I'll make sure you don't get fired. I promise. I won't even tell anyone that I saw you out here," he replied. "At least let me make it up to you by buying you dinner or something," Jack offered.

 

[BreezySnow]

"Thanks, but no, I have already eaten. I should probably be heading back anyway. Tomorrow is the grand opening and if I am still employed then I need a good nights sleep. Nice talking to you, see ya around."

Raven turns to head back to the tavern.

 

[1millionsecrets]

Hearing the voices and soft giggles from upstairs Hannah decided she'd better take a look. First she stopped in her bathroom and took several pain killers and a swig of anti nausea medicine.
Her silent pads up the steps were slow and seemingly timid. Compared to the girls she saw before her she felt nude in her black spandex shorts and tanktop. She pushed her hair from her face and it fell back in soft, slept on ringlets. She forced her most genuine smile possible and looked around. Tess was busy speaking to that persistent male. Something about him set her on edge.
She left a small note asking to speak to Tess, and stuck it to the bar's counter. Then she descended back into the depths if her room and returned to the loving embrace of her Troy.

 

[celestialdragon]

Alexa emerged from her room and made her way downstairs to the kitchen to make something to eat. She heated up some pasta, which was really good. She was covered in sweat from dancing so much, and she felt real good. A little sore, and she would need a shower, but she was good.

While waiting for her food, Alexa played with her hair a little bit, humming softly.

 

[feistyphoenix]

Tess explained her ideas to DJ, she hadn't even noticed Hannah come upstairs since she was facing the stage and not the bar.

Once she finished she looked at him eagerly," Well? Do you think we can pull it off with this setup?"

 

[raiguy]

DJ leaned back in his chair and thought about it. They had the sound equipment that would let them handle most songs and sound very good. The few songs they couldn't handle would just not be played. They did have a stage, and he assumed they had lights.

"I think it could definitely work. You'd be able to have a dance floor, a burlesque show, and anything else you wanted with the current setup. I would just recommend changing out the sound system to a newer one when you are able. It will help the music sound better, and you'll actually save electricity on these new units," he said. He looked at Tess, thinking.

"Do you want to select some songs and see what they sound like now, so we can see if the sound system can handle them?" he asked.

 

[feistyphoenix]

"Sure, I have a list in my room. Let me go get it, and change clothes too. I was going to squeeze a run in before you got here but that Jack guy showed up and well, you know what happened after that. I'll be back in a minute."

Tess bounded up the stairs, swapping her thin black capris and tennis shoes for her tight skinny jeans and sandals. She didn't bother to change out of her sports bra and navy racerback tank top. She swiped the list off the bed before heading back downstairs.

"Here it is," she handed it to DJ, "You want a drink or something?" she added.

 

[raiguy]

DJ shook his head, his mind mulling over the list. He quickly moved his laptop to the table where all of the equipment was. Looking through the list, he crossed out what he knew would not work, or sound good currently. He quickly started making a playlist, before looking at Tess.

"Come up on the stage and tell me what you think," he said, before starting to play the music and moving back to the floor, trying to hear a difference as he went into business mode.

 

[feistyphoenix]

Tess watched him work, his brow furrowing and his mouth turning down at one corner. He was very attractive, no wonder Alexa had all but pounced on him. She knew she'd been too hard on him last night, or rather early this morning. Very early. When he lifted his gaze to her, she had a really strong urge to get the apology off her chest. She'd do that after they took care of work stuff.

She got up onstage like he asked and walked around as the song played, judging the sound from each speaker. It sounded good to her, great even. She wondered how the volume would hold up if the place was packed.

"make me your Aphrodite, make me your one and only but don't make me your enemy..." the singer crooned. Tess started to lose herself in the song and rolled one hip and then the other seductively in time with the beat before starting a few more complicated moves she'd learned on her own via youtube tutorials. She was just starting to get into it when a cord got in her way. She almost fell but caught herself and started laughing.

"Sorry, I know i'm not that great at this," she apologized to DJ, still smiling and laughing softly.

She went down the stairs to tell him she thought it sounded great and noticed a funny look on his face.

 

[raiguy]

DJ couldn't help but almost laugh when Tess tripped. He had been admiring her dancing ability. Well, really he was captivated by it. He knew he had to recover quickly, his face taking on a look of hiding a smile, and trying not to laugh all at once.

He finally let his laugh out, before stopping and looking at Tess. "You are actually very good. I think you just need to not trip over anymore cables, and you're fine," he said, his eyes twinkling as he moved towards the stage, the smile evident.

 

[celestialdragon]

Alexa heard a noise, and some laughter and she made her way out to the stage and the like where she saw Tess and the guy from earlier. "Is everything okay?" she asked softly, smiling at the two of them. They looked like a cute couple. She took a drink of soda herself.

 

[feistyphoenix]

"We're good, as long as I don't really fall on my face." Tess laughed again as she sat down again at the table.

"I think everything sounds great,"

Despite her nap earlier she yawned and checked the clock, it was almost 10pm and her body was telling her to go to bed, which was unusual for her. It was always easier to stay up late when she had something to do, like working but on the whole she was a night owl. Dj stood there, relaxed and looking almost smoldering. How could she not apologize?

"DJ, i'm really sorry about this morning. I had probably had too much to drink and was misreading everything you were doing. It wasn't fair to you and I know that. Can we just forget about it?" she looked up at him with her wide blue eyes hoping for forgiveness.

 

[raiguy]

DJ smiled at Tess. "It's okay. I think we both had a bit too much to drink, and it was pretty late when we talked. It probably was just an eventuality given the alcohol and early morning time," he said, helping Tess down from the stage. He looked down at her, wanting desperately to kiss her, but knowing he couldn't, he smiled at her.

"I hate to be a burden, but I'm about dead on my feet," he said, suddenly yawing. "I've been up working on music, and it has worn me out. I honestly don't know if I can make it home. Would I be able to crash somewhere? We can also resume working early in the morning once we are both up," he said, looking at her hopefully, yet showing how tired he was. He had been told that when he was tired, his eyes had a sexual quality to them without him meaning to, but he didn't believe it as he looked at Tess, hoping she would have somewhere he could crash.

 

[feistyphoenix]

"Yeah, I guess. None of the empty rooms have linens so I guess you're stuck with me. I'm really tired myself." she felt nervous again, damn it. He wasn't paying so there was no security in what she was doing.

He was harmless, she doubted he would do anything she said no to. He'd been nothing but nice to her ever since they met, the least she could do was give him the benefit of the doubt this once.

"I wouldn't leave your electronics down here in front of these big windows though, just in case. You can put them in the room next to mine, it's empty. I'll see you upstairs, ok? I'd help you but I have really horrible luck with stuff like this, I'd probably break something." She smiled slowly and headed for her room, doubting herself and him the whole way.

She changed into her sleep shorts and tank and laid down, her mind busy with a million thoughts.

 

[celestialdragon]

After Alexa finished eating, she smiled and went upstairs and changed out of her clothes and slipped between the covers. It was strange, being in a bed. But she welcomed it, feeling everything and being lulled to sleep.

 

[raiguy]

DJ moved through the motions of packing his stuff up. It took him less time than he remembered, before he was lugging everything up to the room next to Tess's. He wasn't going to try anything, as he set his equipment in the room, before locking it and taking the key in the doorknob. He yawned loudly, before shaking himself.

He knocked on Tess's door, before opening it. "I'm coming in," he said softly, before seeing Tess in her sleepware. He smiled, before removing his shoes and folding his pants after taking them off. He folded everything neatly, before looking around. There wasn't enough room on the floor, and he looked at the bed. It was definitely big enough, but he couldn't see an extra blanket.

"I give you my word that I won't try anything. If I do, I will help you call the police, or let you beat me if you'd rather. I wouldn't try anything, but I want you to be as comfortable and safe in your room as you can. I would just rather not end up in a wreck because I fell asleep at the wheel," he told Tess, as he slid under the covers. He smiled at Tess, yawning again.

"I can't thank you enough for this. It means a lot that you would let me do this. Goodnight.."He said softly, before quickly drifting off to sleep, completely oblivious to the world.

 

[feistyphoenix]

Tess watched him fall asleep, it happened so quickly for him. She wished she could do the same but her foot was doing an annoying twitch that she'd always done, ever since she was a kid.

Se yawned and rolled over to face the wall, getting in her favorite sleep position. Once she did that it was only a few minutes before she was asleep too.

 

[wombat9966]

Troy woke up early and found Hannah asleep in his arms. Apparently she had forgiven him enough to come back to bed and curl up in his arms. He wouldn't let her get away with not answering his question though. He now knew that something was wrong with his angel and he was determined to find out what it was, but for now he would let her keep her little secret. If she hadn't told him soon though he would have to rethink things.

Getting up and getting dressed in what he had come to think as his work clothes, Troy made his way upstairs. He was hungry and he guessed Tess and Hannah would be as well. Wait hadn't Hannah mentioned something about hiring someone last night. Oh well then he would just make up a huge pile of scrambled eggs and bacon and people could make their own toast. If there was any left, the bacon could always be saved for sandwiches and the eggs could go to the dogs.

Troy began to whip up two dozen eggs, cream and pepper then left it in the bowl while he heated up the kitchens huge griddles. Next he pulled out a huge pile of bacon and began to load up one whole side with it. Turning on the bay marie and the heat lamps he got out a metal tray and placed it in the warm water. As the bacon became ready he threw it in the tray and loaded up the griddle again. He guessed he would need a bit to feed five people. As he threw on the last lot he poured the egg mixture on the other side and rapidly moved it around. In seconds he had light fluffy scrambled eggs and he ladled it into its own container and added it to the bay marie. Pulling off the last of the bacon he decided to cook some tomatoes and mushrooms as well. Slicing up the tomatoes thickly and seasoning them with pepper he threw them on, then rapidly sliced a heap of mushrooms. Throwing them on the other side he added a few dollops of butter and began tossing them. Soon both of them joined the eggs and bacon. Now he just had to make himself some toast and coffee and see if the smells brought anyone to life to join him.

 

[celestialdragon]

Alexa woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. Yawning, she got up and dressed in the borrowed clothes again and took the time to try to look nice and made her way downstairs, rubbing her eyes.

When she got down there, she saw a man in a shirt made out of fishnet, with a huge pile of eggs, bacon, and mushrooms in front of him. She gave a soft yawn and smile. "Who are you, if I may ask?" She asked sleepily.

 

[feistyphoenix]

Tess woke up slowly, in and out of consciousness for awhile before becoming lucid. Her bed was warm and she was very comfortable. When she opened her eyes slowly she almost panicked, realizing it wasn't her bed that was warm, it was DJ. She was laying on his shoulder with her arm across his chest. Thank god he wasn't awake yet. She debated going back to sleep but she had an overwhelming urge to untangle herself from him and put some distance between them. The arm she was laying on was outstretched straight and his other was bent upward over his head. She watched the light play on his handsome features for a moment before deciding it was really not a good idea for her to stay put.

She carefully and slowly moved away from him, sitting up in bed and then swinging her legs over the side. She soundlessly crept into the bathroom and shut the door, leaning against it and sighing quietly. Her stomach growled heartily and she put her hand on it, as if to quiet it. She needed coffee, stat.

Tess emerged from the bathroom a couple of moments later and grabbed her cardigan off the easy chair by the closet before going downstairs barefoot. Her door creaked as she closed it and she hurried down the hall away from it. She could smell food from the kitchen, Rex must have gotten here early. Instead she was surprised to find Troy at the large grill, just cooking up a storm and the coffee pot already full.

"Morning....thank god you made coffee," she said and she gracefully side stepped him and grabbed the biggest to go cup she saw from the counter and filled it.

"Oh, hey Alexa. I didn't see you. Morning." she greeted the girl.

 

[celestialdragon]

"Morning, Tess," Alexa said. She followed the other girl's lead and got some coffee. Finding sugar and milk, she put some into it and began drinking it steadily. She nodded at the man in approval and looked at Tess. "Sleep well?" She asked.

 

[wombat9966]

"Hi you must be the new girl Hannah was talking about. My names Troy, I run security around here and do other odd jobs. If anyone ever gives you any trouble you just give me a call and they won't again. During work hours we will work on some easy signals for you girls to give me and a few guys I will hire if I am able to get them. Flash one of them and we will take the appropriate action from telling them to behave to throwing them out."
Troy grinned at her "Oh Tess and Hannah also think I am their personal shopping cart so I guess if they ever take you shopping you will probably be seeing a bit more of me."

Seeing Tess walk in Troy raised his coffee mug to her. "Morning Tess. Coffee's hot, Foods ready. Just make your own toast and dig in. Oh that goes for you too, ahh Alexa was it. Dig in don't be shy that's why it's there."

 

[celestialdragon]

"Sounds good to me," Alexa said. "Need to go clothes shopping, like, today. . . Came with the clothes off my back, thank god for people who understand." She raised her coffee in a mock toast to Tess, smiling.