RATED #1 IN BACKPACKER.
Cassie, a happy go lucky app designer from London was working in Mexico until a cryptic note sparking adventure. Jay, was more complicated, way more complicated; a Private Military Contractor by day, beach bar owner by night...
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Cassie had pulled up the shutters over the bar, flicked on the coffee machine next to the post-it reminding her to switch on the coffee machine, and was taking the chairs off the tables ready for breakfast at the restaurant as a guy walked in, looked her in the eye, winked, and shambled towards the bar making himself comfortable on one of the stools.
"What does a guy need to do to get service round here?"
"Errrr, sorry we aren't quite open, but what are you after?"
"Probably too early for a beer so I'll go for coffee. You been working here long?
"About six weeks."
"Like it?"
"Yes." Cassie said gingerly.
"Jay by the way."
"Cassie," the cogs in her brain suddenly crank into action, "Jay, oh Jay you own the place, shit sorry god how rude."
"Not rude you weren't to know, in fact you could have told me to get lost as you weren't open but instead you were very pleasant."
Jay watched the girl stop taking chairs off the table to give her full focus as she desperately tried to drag some memory out of his face, chewing her lip in concentration, but nothing in her expression gave any hint of recognition.
"Sorry," she said again, remembering his order and her manners. Grabbing the last two chairs and tucking them under the table she asked what sort of coffee he would like.
"Strong, black, as good as that machine makes."
"So you're back," she questioned as she tampered the coffee grounds, wanting to fill the silence without being too nosey. "Bear said you had been away longer than usual?"
"Yes, security work, quite unpredictable. Is Bear around?"
"Should be, but the wind was going to be good for kitesurfing early this morning," she looked at the dried leaves of the palm roof rustle in the breeze where they hung over the eaves, "so I said I would hold the fort till they got back. Luc, is in the kitchen prepping."
The guy stood up and wandered into the kitchen. So this was the boss, the guy they all talked about, he was... hairy. Pretty unkempt, more Robinson Crusoe than Houdini, why brain, why no recollection she found herself pausing again trying to think, maybe it wasn't him?
Bear arrived just as Jay ambled out of the kitchen, the fission was culpable, as these two guys, Bear and Robinson Crusoe lollop towards each other embracing like the prodigal son has returned, which... he had.
"Man you're back, you really gave us a fright this time, we expected you back some months ago."
"Sorry dude, I ran into a spot of trouble."
Yeah, trouble far away from any form of bath, shower, or general cleanliness routine." Bear laughed as he looked his brother up and down before hugging him again, properly like he thought he might never have seen him again. "Is it time to retire bro?"
