The Bartender's Daughter

Chapter 10

I rubbed my head as the sound behind me subsided but I could still feel and smell the burning house.

"Alli! What the hell happened?" Jack shouted, standing up. "The house! The papers! What the hell!"

I reached in my shirt and pulled out the wrinkled and slightly damp with sweat papers, and smiled. "I wouldn't have set off a bomb without grabbing the important papers first."

Jack took the papers and Emmit looked behind me at the burning house and he actually started laughing.

"Alli what the hell did you do? How did you build a bomb that fast? Why did you build a bomb?"

I told them about the two guys and the kitchen chemicals I had used. "And I just set a bunch of aerosol cans and alcohol and stuff around the two cans that were on the heat and ran."

Jack and Emmit looked at each other and then back at me. "How'd you know all that chemistry stuff?"

I shrugged. "I got a minor in chemistry in college. And my dad warned me of the aerosol can stuff, that's just common knowledge."

Jack shook his head and squeezed my shoulder. "You're just full of surprises aren't you?"

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Again, I told you I'm pretty capable of taking care of myself."

Jack laughed, nodding, and we began walking through the woods, away from the house. "I'm really sorry about the house Jack, I didn't want any harm to come to it but it's one of the only things I could think of to do."

Jack put his arm around my shoulders and I noticed that seemed to be his current favorite form of affection, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. "It's okay Alli, the owner was really looking to remodel anyways." He smiled at me in reassurance and I returned the grin.

"Okay lovebirds, lets get a move on. The old man up there has got to be wondering why part of his property is now on fire." Emmit said, nudging Jack.

Jack rolled his eyes and I blushed. "Were not... I mean, never mind." I mumbled. I mean, I liked Jack, we had joked about dating all the time and I couldn't forget that first date at Starbucks where I had told some girl we had been dating for like two years, but Jack had made it clear a relationship was not a thing that was going to happen, so it didn't. And I was okay that. Why chase after and drool over a guy who doesn't want you?

"So... We're going up to that big house you told me about when we got here?" I asked, following along with their quick pace.

"Yeah, I guess since you blew up one of his houses it's time for you to met the owner of this fine establishment." Jack said, looking through the papers I had handed him.

"So what happened to that guy you had been chasing? You guys look a little rough too." I questioned them, sliding past a bush and bumping into Jack.

"We took care of him." Emmit muttered, breaking off a tree limb that had just smacked him in the face.

My eyes widened but I didn't say anything. I guess I couldn't really say anything about them "taking care" of that guy, because for all I knew those two guys had still been in the kitchen when the first aerosol can exploded, setting off the chain reaction.

Oh god.

They still could have been in the kitchen.

"Ja... Jack?" I asked softly, grabbing his arm as I stumbled over an exposed root.

"Yeah?" He looked down at my face and instantly frowned. "You okay?"

"Those guys... They could have still been in the kitchen when the can..." My eyes started to water but I blinked back the tears.

"Oh Alli... I'll ask the team when they come back if they found anyone okay? They could have managed to get out before the can exploded." He stopped walking and leaned down and wrapped me in a hug. "I know it's a hard thought to process, but those men have more red on their hands than a rose bush has flowers. It was either you, or them, and I'd much rather have to deal with your shenanigans than their guns."

I pinched my nose to keep from running and smiled. "Thanks Jack."

"Hey Jack, whats the pass code?" Emmit shouted and we emerged in front of another large gate, but not as intimidating as the first one we encountered. It was stone and iron just like the other one and I could see a little security house a little ways up the drive.

Jack walked ahead of me and punched something into a small keypad before the gate began to slowly swing open and I caught my first glimpse of the huge mansion the sprawling land and gates had been hiding.

"Holy shit. You know the guy that owns... That?" I asked, pointing.

Emmit chuckled as we walked forward and were greeted by a tall man in a white button down and black pants driving a golf-cart to drive us up the driveway. "Even better, we're related."

"Wait, what?" I hopped onto the golf cart and Jack smiled at me again.

"Just you wait." We rode up in silence and I starred in awe at the beautiful landscape and the tree's before coming up the drive and pulling in front of the large stone steps where two stone lions perched next to the wooden doors that opened as soon as the golf cart drove away.

"Welcome home Emmit." Another man opened the doors, but this time he was much older than the one who had been driving the golf cart. He was tall, with salt-and-pepper hair and a seemingly fit build for his age. He wore a light gray suit and no tie, and his blue eyes shined with mischievousness and humor. "It's been a while, you need to come visit more often."

"Hi dad," Emmit said, smiling and embracing his father in a tight hug. Jack walked energetically up the steps towards the two and I followed slowly behind, suddenly super self-conscious of my torn up shirt and messy hair and dirt all over me. It wasn't every day I met a man like this.

I lived in Malibu and worked at a bar, I never met guys like this.

"And you brought Jack with you! Good to see you son, you look a little worse for wear." Emmit's dad said, giving Jack a concerned, fatherly look and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, it's a long story..." Jack said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"And who's this?" He asked, giving me a curious look as he peered around both boys. "I don't believe we've met young lady. My name is Nicholas but you can call me Nick." He stuck out his hand and I shook it; he had a firm grasp and his hand was warm.

I smiled and gave him a small nod. "Allison, but everyone calls me Alli."

"Pleasure to meet you." He smiled at me then turned to Emmit and Jack. "So, which one of you doofus's set fire to the gardeners house?" He asked as we were led inside the mansion by another guy in a button down and slacks. I gawked at the grand staircase and crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It was an inviting space, and led off into a bunch of different directions to unseen and unknown places in the mansion. We passed a small green house looking room when Emmit gave a laugh.

"That would be Alli. She minored in chemistry and finally found a way to put it to good use."

I glared at him. "Excuse me I'm a bartender, I've made chemistry my bitch to get more tips out of drunk people who thinks adding ice to alcohol is witch craft and worth giving me an extra $10." I immediately covered my mouth after realizing what I just said and I could slowly feel my face being red as a tomato. I can't remember doing anything that embarrassing since my 18th birthday when I had stolen one of my dad's liquor bottles and ended up dancing on the counter of his bar singing American Pie at the top of my lungs and waking up with worst hangover of my life and about 10 different phone numbers from guys who were "interested". I've hated that song ever since.

Nick stopped in front of a set of doors and looked at me before he burst out laughing. "That is by far the best thing I've ever heard a bartender say."

I gave a nervous laugh and looked intently at the carpet on the ground, trying to pretend I didn't actually exist. "Now ladies and gentlemen, I've heard you're in a little bit of a pickle? Lets talk it out over some lunch huh? It seems you've all had a very busy morning." Nick pushed open the doors to the room and the four of us filed in.

Boy do I wish I had known what I was getting myself into once I crossed that threshold.