Frankie Morales-Fire

Chapter 1

I never intended to fall in love with anybody. I always considered that falling in love was weakness. I'm not weak person. Far from it. I'm an independent woman. I don't feel the need to have some man to take care of me.

Then it happened. I hated him. And myself. How dare he come along and steal my heart. He had no business doing any such thing. Sometimes when I think about it, it makes me want to run away from everyone and everything.

Too bad it's too late for that. I should have known he was trouble from the first time I laid eyes on him. He was too cocky, too sure if himself. He was harsh and rough around the edges. He was everything I hated in a man.

Yet I stupidly let my guard down and I let him in my life and in my heart. I still can't even think of him of him without cringing.

I'm just glad he's gone now. I can go back to living my life. Without the fire of him breathing down on me.
....

"Nova, my love." I kiss my seven month daughter on the cheek. She's a feisty little girl, not unlike her mama.

Nova grins at me and begins babbling away in her baby language. I grin as I listen to her. She's my entire world. There are days I wonder if I can honestly go on from all the shit I've dealt with in my life.

Then I look into Nova's face and I realize that I can. Her father was a piece of shit nobody. Unfortunately, he was smooth and handsome, too.

I haven't seen him in almost a year and I don't want to. If the asshole came back, I'd probably do something very unlady like to him. Mostly, I'd beat the shit out of him and then throw him out of my house.

My cell phone chimes and I sigh. It's time for me to head off to work. I own a bar with my oldest friend, Kayla. We've been best friends since we were ten years old. We're both thirty now.

My baby sitter, Emily, comes out of the kitchen, where she's been getting her supper and Nova's ready. I reluctantly surrender my baby daughter to Emily.

Nova fusses some and it cuts me in the heart. I quickly gather my shit and hurry to the door.

"I hope she won't be too much trouble," I tell Emily.

"She'll be fine, Luna." I give Nova another quick kiss and rush off before Kayla has my head.
....

It's swamped here this evening. We live on a small island off of Spain. Mostly we get farmers and business men coming through. Occasionally we'll get tourists and probably criminals.

The criminals don't bother me as much. They usually mind their own business and don't want any attention drawn to themselves. It's usually the tourists and business men that can get out of hand.

I'm grateful for Hector, our bouncer. He's a big, burley guy with loads of tattoos all over his muscled body. He used to be a prison guard years ago. He told me once he prefers being a bouncer to a prison guard.

"I get free beer, for one thing," he said. "And I don't have to look at the same ugly shits." I'd laughed.

Even though Hector can be tough, you should see him with Nova. He turns into a total teddy bear. Nova loves him, too. Every time she sees him, she squeals with excitement. He also just so happens to be Nova's godfather.

He's a good sort. I'm more than happy to have him in my corner and someone I consider a friend.

Kayla and I take turns playing the bartender and waiting tables. We also have Rita and Angel, who help with waiting tables or at the bar .

Tonight I'm waiting tables with Angel and Rita is assisting Kayla at the bar. A ragtag looking group of guys shuffle in.

"Grab a place anywhere," I holler at them. Angel repeats the sentence in Spanish. They all head directly for a table in the far back. I hustle over to them.

"What can I get you, fellas?" I ask, digging my notepad and pencil out of my beer stained apron.

"Four beers," one of the guys says. I glance at him, trying not to be obvious. He's giving me this little smirk and I want to slap it off his face.

"I'll be right back," I tell them and hustle off to grab four bottles of beer.

I duck behind the bar, grabbing up the beers and hustle back over to them. I set the bottles on the table and ask if they'd like some beer nuts or chips and salsa.

"How about a little of both," the guy says, still eyeing me like I'm a ribeye steak, eager to devour me.

"Sure." I hustle off to get the beer nuts, chips and salsa.

"Anything else?" I ask.

"Yeah. Your number." I smile.

"Yeah, sure. It's 1-800-bite me." Then I saunter off.

"Want me to cold cock him, Luna?" Hector slides up next to me. I laugh.

"Don't tempt me." Hector shrugs.

"If you change your mind, lemme know." I punch him lightly in the arm.

"You can count on it."
***
The guys stick around until closing time. I can't decide if they're tourists or criminals. They have the look of both.

As I'm starting to stack up the chairs, I feel someone touch my arm. I jerk. Anybody who knows me knows touching me is not something I like.

I look over. It's the guy.

"You know," I say. "Just because I work in a bar doesn't make me easy." I expect him to laugh or make some smart ass remark. He doesn't do, either.

"I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I was feeling punchy and took it out on you." I lean against a table, trying to decide what this guy's deal is.

"Yeah, okay. Whatever." He smiles at me, a decent, genuine smile. It catches me off guard.

"I'll be in town a few weeks. I'll definitely be coming back here. Unless you don't want me to."

"Do whatever you please, mister. Now scoot. I'd like to get home before daybreak." He chuckles and goes to join his friends.

Kayla works her way over in my direction.

"What did he want?"

"Some hombre who thought he was going to sample the local delicacies," I reply. Kayla just shakes her head.

"Men like that never learn."

"Sister, you're preaching to the choir."
***
Nova is asleep when I finally drag my weary body home. I pay Emily, who makes a quick exit. I go straight into Nova's room and watch her sleep. I know this will sound cliche' but she's so beautiful.

I'm exhausted and discouraged and fed up with life. But then I look at this beautiful girl and it gives me hope. If it wasn't for her, I would have given up a long time ago.
***
The guy is back the next evening. He's trying to chat me up every chance he gets. He's also dropping some serious amounts of cash. He keeps ordering shit I KNOW he doesn't really want.
***
He's still there at closing time. His amigos are long gone. They left about three hours ago. I was a little surprised he stuck around.

"Thanks for everything," he says, flashing a big grin at me.

"No need for thanks," I say. "Just trying to make a living."

"I'd really like to take you out sometime. There are some decent restaurants not far from here," he says.

"I can't. When I'm not here, I'm at home, being a mom."

"You could get a sitter," he says.

"Amigo, I HAVE a sitter. One who's with my child more than I am."

"You could bring your kid," he says. "I wouldn't mind."

"Look, I don't date. I don't have time. I'm too busy making a life for my kid and myself, which downright sucks sometimes."

"Whoa, easy, ma'am. I don't mean to impose."

"If that was truly your intent, you wouldn't be here bugging the shit out of me. Good night." I walk away before I forget I'm a lady.