“Try this, honey,” Marlin said as he placed a bowl of soup in front of her.
Haley didn’t even bother asking what was in it. The intoxicating aroma made her stomach and her salivary glands sit up and take notice. With her first sampling, she couldn’t repress an ecstatic groan.
“That there is a chef’s special he only gives to the boss and staff. Don’t ask what he puts in it. Ignorance is bliss,” he said with a cackle.
“Can I get a bowl of that?” a man sitting two seats down asked as he eyeballed Haley’s soup.
“Sorry, we don’t serve food,” Marlin told him. The man raised his brows as he looked from Marlin to the bowl of soup in front of Haley. He obviously didn’t want to call Marlin a liar, but the evidence was right there.
“Um…” the man cleared his throat.
“Haley works here. She’s just on break,” Marlin lied with a perfect smile at the man, and Haley had to hide her giggle. Yes, she and Marlin were going to be great friends.
She fearlessly finished her bowl before reluctantly passing it back. It had took the edge off her hunger, but not taken it away. “Whatever his secret ingredients are, they are working for him. Thank you, Marlin. I know where I’m hanging out in the evenings from now on.”
“I won’t complain about that. You’re quite a treat to visit with. How long are you staying with us?”
“Well, I have two weeks that I won for free, but really as long as it takes!” When his eyebrows rose in question, she laughed before filling him in. “I’m looking for a man to teach me how to be the perfect seductress.”
Marlin’s jaw dropped and he choked on his coffee. Haley wiped the spray from her cheek as he looked her in the eye, obviously trying to figure out whether she was pulling his leg or not. When she stared back, he finally roared with laughter.
“Well, I’d offer my services, but then my wife would chop my head off,” he said between bouts of laughter.
“Oh, Marlin, I think you are way too much man for me to handle anyway,” she said with a wink.
“You are sure good for my ego, honey. Now, tell me about your plans,” he insisted as he grabbed another cigarette and leaned against the counter so their faces were close together.
“Well…” She hesitated. “My original plan was for your boss to teach me, but he isn’t cooperating,” she pouted.
Marlin’s eyes widened for a second before he burst out laughing again. “Oh, Haley, I’m so very pleased I’ve met you. I have a feeling you’re sure going to shake up things around here,” he guffawed.
Was he making fun of her? Haley wasn’t certain, but she had come too far to turn back now. “Tell me about him. How can I get Crew Storm to help me?”
Marlin looked down the bar, again making sure that his employees were doing their job and that his customers were all happy before he turned back to her and leaned in even closer.
“Crew is a good guy. Most places like this — kinda snooty, to tell you the truth — take one look at me and move on down the line. They want pretty young girls or studly young men to tend the counters, figuring they’ll draw in more people. They don’t look at experience; all they care about is the way a person looks.”
Sadly, Haley knew this was true.
“But not Crew. No siree. He doesn’t mince his words, though. He asked me flat out what happened to my missing tooth. I told him I was young and got in a fight. You want to know what he asked then?”
“Yes,” Haley said. She hadn’t a clue.
“He asks if I won or not,” Marlin said with a laugh. “I proudly told him the other guy went away without three of his teeth.”
Haley burst into laughter as she looked at Marlin’s gaping grin, but her amusement wasn’t complete. She already knew that she would miss this man when she moved on. She could choose to just live here, but then she’d never finish her degree. She felt a little heartbreak over the inevitable: people always said they’d write, but then friendship would slowly fade into nothing.
She shook herself out of her melancholy. “Wow! You must have been surprised,” she told Marlin.
“I knew as soon as he gave me that Crew Storm smile that he was a different kind of man — one of the good guys. He told me he’d both won and lost his own share of fights. Then, he got real professional and asked me what I could do to make this the best bar on the whole island. It took me a minute, then I just told him what I did best. He hired me on the spot, didn’t even hesitate. He said he just got a feeling about people, and he could tell I was the right man for the job.”
“How long have you known him, then?”
“Going on three months now. He interviewed and then I got to work figuring out how I wanted my bar set up. He had his ideas, and let me tell you, Missy, he don’t like anything other than the best. He’s got real nice taste. I’d’ve rather had a jukebox in the corner with some good ol’ rock ’n’ roll, but Crew insisted on a piano. I hate to admit it, but I like the piano. It’s real nice.”
“Does he pay you well?”
“Oh, yeah. I have no complaints there. He gives us more than any other place here would and he even offered me and the missus a honeymoon suite. Not right now, ’cause it’s gonna be too busy for a while, but in the off season we getta get away from the kids and come be treated to the life of luxury. He works hard and plays even harder. Wow, do the ladies love him! I ain’t seen him go a single day here without at least one hot girl trying to hang all over him. He doesn’t seem like he minds the attention. Not a lick,” Marlin finished with a knowing grin.
“I just bet,” Haley answered, her eyes narrowing. She’d learned that about him, herself. That’s why she wanted him to be her teacher so dang bad.
“Well, don’t you worry, honey, he simply gives them a little kiss, then a night of lovin’, then he slips right out of their grasp, and they never knew what hit ’em. They think he’s the man of their dreams, but they wake up and it’s all just been one big fantasy. Yet somehow they’re grateful for even just a night. He’s still available for ya. Maybe you can even make the rogue settle down,” Marlin said with a chuckle.
“I don’t want Crew for myself. I’m in love with another guy. I just want Crew to teach me his secrets — show me how to be one of those women men can’t resist. But, you know what, I see a bar full of men who would probably be more than willing to teach me what I need to know,” she said as she looked around the room.