Chapter 0003

Quinn’s POV

Collecting all the money from the bar that the customers left behind, I began to pray that it was enough to cover all the outstanding tabs that were left for the night. I didn’t know how I was going to explain a short register to Charlie on my first night here. As I began to count the money the door to the bar opened and the two men that had followed my assailant outside returned and locked the door behind them. They then moved towards their seats that they were in before Bishop had closed the place down.

Tonya moved herself behind the bar and began to help me to try and figure out the mess that I had going on with the register. I was thankful she was here with me on my first night. in case the register didn’t add up so that she was my witness of what happened. In all my bartending career days I had never seen something like this happen.

“Jaxson would like to have a word with you.” I heard someone say from behind me and turned to see the big guy named Bishop standing at the bar looking straight at me.

“Well, can’t you see you guys have made a bit of a mess for me on my first night. If I don’t figure this all out, Charlie is going to fire me on my first night here. So, you just tell Jaxson it’s not going to happen tonight.” I told him as I turned back around and went back to trying to make sense of the mess in front of me.

Tonya gave me a look when I turned back around and whispered to me, “You really have no interest in him.” Like she was shocked that someone would not want to speak to the hottest bachelor in this town.

Looking over my shoulder I took a glance back to the back table where he still sat and his eyes were on me. Was the man hot, yes, he sure was. Did he send heat to my lady bits, he sure did, but I knew my rules, and they were to stay low and not to let myself get attached to anyone. Just like all the towns before this I wasn’t sure when my ex was going to find me and I would have to make a quick getaway. Getting involved with someone was just going to cause me more heart ache or the death of whomever I am seen with.

“Like I said earlier, I have a crazy ex and I’m messed up from it.” I tell her as I finish adding up all the tabs. “What total did you get?” I then asked her as she finished counting the cash.

“Four hundred and twenty-two dollars, and you?” She asked me as my face fell, knowing that the register was short and I was going to have to take my tips to make it right.

“Five hundred and ten dollars.” I told her as I moved to my tip jar praying that there was enough to make the difference.

“What are you doing?” Tonya asked me as I stood there counting my tips.

“Making up the difference so that I don’t get fired on my first night here.” I tell her and I thankfully have enough to cover the difference plus an extra twenty which will at least get me some food for tomorrow.

“Quinn, it’s not your fault, let Jaxson deal with it.” Tonya tells me and I look back at his table before I hand her the money and say, “I don’t want to owe him anything.”

Moving around the bar I began to pick up glasses to clean them so that I could just get this night over with. Charlie had finally come out from his office and saw that the bar had been shut down by the group of men in the back of the room. “Quinn, when you get that all cleaned up, you can go home for the night and I will see you tomorrow night.” He then moved to the back of the bar and took a seat at the table next to Jaxson and the two men began to talk like old friends.

Once everything was cleaned up I told Tonya that I would see her tomorrow and grabbed my belongings. I headed towards the door to leave but was stopped by Bishop when he says, “Let me walk you to your car, to ensure your safety.”

My eyes instantly moved to the back table to see Jaxson staring at me with an intense look on his face. “Did he put you up to this?” I asked as I nodded towards Jaxson.

“I’m not going to lie and say he didn’t.” Bishop says to me and I had to give him credit for not lying to me.

“I think I like you, Bishop.” I tell him as I unlock the door to step outside allowing him to walk me to my van.

When I stop at my van and began to unlock the door Bishop says, “Wait, this is yours?”

I knew that the van wasn’t much but over the last year of me being on the run, it had been home. I had been able to convert the inside into a makeshift living area so that I didn’t have to worry about having a roof over my head. Most of the small towns had a campground and I was able to stay on the properties for cheap and use their amenities for showering and other purposes.

“Yep, this is mine. So, now that you saw me not just only to my vehicle but to my home you can tell Jaxson you saw me home too.” I told him as I gave out a slight chuckle.

“This is really cool. So, you just travel around wherever you feel like going with this?” Bishop asks as he looks inside of my van. I am shocked that he isn’t judging me for what little I have but interested in old Betty, knowing what Tonya had told me about them coming from money.

“Yeah, that’s been my lifestyle for the last year or so.” I tell him as I can’t believe it has been that long since I have been on the run.

“So, are you parking her here for the night?” Bishop now asks me and I shake my head and say, “No, I got a spot over at L & M for the time being.”

“That is awesome. My family owns that campground. It’s a quiet little campground and I am sure they will take good care of you there.” Bishop tells me and all I could think about was what Tonya had said about them owning half of the town.

“Well, its late and I need to get going.” I told him as I moved to get into old Betty.

“Hey, we are having a little get together this Sunday at my place, and since you are new here and don’t really know anyone, I was wondering if you would like to join us.” Bishop said to me before I closed my door.

The thought of actually getting to let my guard down and hang out with people my own age was enticing but I knew I couldn’t allow myself to have that luxury. One wrong move is all it took for him to find me. Whether it be a picture someone innocently put of me on their social media, or a report with my name on it at the police station because of a bar fight, he always found me.

“Listen Bishop, you seem like a really nice guy and I would love to come to your party but I can’t.” I told him thinking that I let him down easily and he would except it but he didn’t.

“Is this about your ex that Tonya told us about? You know we can keep you safe from him.” Bishop says to me and I have to laugh when I say, “No one can keep me safe from him. I have to go.” I said to him and Bishop steps back from my van as I shut the door and started old Betty.