The Beginning

Tess

"I'm here, nobody panic." I called into the bar as I hustled through the threshold.

"Thank God!" Jamie, our pot-bellied cook exclaimed. When I looked around, only a few regulars and a smattering of people collected around the single pool table.

"We ain't busy. Gina called in again." Jamie moved from the bar to let me in.

"Again?" My shoulders deflated. I had a rule that any time I was offered hours, I wouldn't say no. But after being tangled in Nicky, work was the last thing on my mind. That thought gave me pause. I shook it off, thinking about he'd be leaving town next week.

"And Lexi already said no. I think she's back with Tucker again. Heard 'em giggling when I called." Jamie pulled cups to dry.

"She's not back with Tucker. She's sleeping with him until someone more interesting comes along." I joined him.

"Dang, girl. You upset she tried hit on your boyfriend?" Jamie teased.

"He's not my boyfriend." I cleared up. "And you know what Lexi's like."

"Sure do." Jamie shook his head. "It got me wondering why you keep her around."

"She's saved me from a lot of shit, you know that, too."

Jamie's lips turned down in a facial shrug. "She might have, but she's caused a lot of shit for you, too."

I cocked a hip and rested the back of my hand against it. "Name one time."

"Nate."

Wrong time. My heart sank to my toes. "That wasn't Lexi's fault. That was on Nate."

"You saw her in that video, same as me, Tess."

"That's enough." My hands had already begun to shake. I felt out of control in the worst way.

"You got a good one this time." He eased off. "Everyone loves the De La Cruz family in this town."

"Why?" And how had I never heard of them.

"Growing up, we all had an Uncle Dominic. They were the ones who handled things."

"How do you mean?" Nicky had made mention that he didn't always agree with his Uncle Dominic. Maybe, he only said that to get with me.

"Who do you think opened the shelter? Every restaurant in this town got a startup fund from the De La Cruz's. Anywhere you go in this town, the De La Cruz's own it."

"The bar?" I questioned.

"It came from Nicky's uncle Dominic. Three hundred thousand dollars went into this place to start. When we didn't meet code, they didn't hesitate to write another check. They're good people, Tess. They care about people like us." Jamie paused. "I'm surprised you don't remember them." He observed thoughtfully. "Aren't they the ones who--" Instead of finishing his thought, his concerned expression wrinkled further as his brown eyes shifted over my shoulder.

A brush of cold air caught my side.

Star's slender figure moved sluggishly to the empty bar stool in front me. Her white top dawned some food remnants and a healthy spray of ketchup. She slid in and folded herself over the bar top. "Give me seventeen of whatever."

"How about a Hot Toddy?" I recommended, pulling the ingredients.

"With seventeen shots of whiskey." She requested, coming up for air. Still leaning over the counter, Starla took a breath.

"Why the long face, Star?" Jamie asked.

"I got some bad news." Star replied as if it were a failed test. Hannibal was more than bad news; he was devastation personified.