and business types. Come spring break the bar would be overrun by tourists. Trista and Nicolette chose seats in the middle of the bar. Riker was working with another bartender, a pretty girl who Trista didn’t recognize.
“That’s Maya,” Nicolette whispered in Trista’s ear. “I was worried at first when I found out that Riker was working with such a pretty girl. She’s part Asian, part Irish.”
“She’s pretty,” Trista observed.
“He’s assured me that I have nothing to worry about.” Nicolette lowered her voice even more. “She’s a lesbian.”
“I’d still be worried,” Trista commented. “She’s gorgeous.”
Nicolette playfully punched her sister on the arm. “Thanks for the support, sis.”
“I’m just kidding,” Trista said.
“How are my two favorite people?” Riker greeted them with drinks. “Margarita on the rocks for the blonde,” he said, referring to Trista, “and a glass of chardonnay for the brunette.”
Nicolette smiled. “We just finished up a round of therapeutic shopping.” Nicolette leaned in for a kiss on the cheek from Riker, and he obliged. Trista gave him a warning look to back off when he started to lean in to kiss her. She didn’t need any special attention from him in front of her sister.
“How’s your day been?” Nicolette asked him.
“Busy as usual.” Another patron yelled for Riker to bring him a beer. Riker held up a finger indicating that he’d be there in a minute. “Can’t talk right now. But I’ll be back to check on you in a few minutes.”
“Looks like Sam made a good investment in this place,” Trista said. “If the bar is this crowded on a weekday in late February, I can’t imagine what kind of business they do during spring break and summer.”
“Oh, it gets crazy. Double the bartenders plus a staff of bouncers and a valet. Weekends they usually have live music.” Nicolette twirled her wine glass around. “Daddy has been trying to buy the lot next door to expand the restaurant and bar and put in a huge parking lot. But the owner is being stubborn. He doesn’t want to sell.”
“Who owns the lot?”
“Carlton Hathaway.”
“Why does that name sound familiar?”
“Hathaway is Dad’s nemesis—the other big land owner and real estate guru in the area. And he hates Dad with a passion. Last I heard, he wants to put his own restaurant on the piece of land. Daddy says Hathaway doesn’t know anything about running a restaurant.”
“Well, in all fairness, neither did Dad.”
“Yeah, well, he’s smart enough to hire other people to run his businesses for him. This guy just wants to do it to piss Daddy off.”
Trista remembered when her dad bought the land to build the seafood restaurant and bar. Actually the bar came first. Her father wanted a place to hold his famous poker nights, hence the name: the Liar’s Club. The seafood restaurant was just an afterthought, a way to cash in on the tourists. The seafood restaurant, Lucky Catch, ended up being an award-winning place with a talented chef. It was packed every night from May to September.
“There are a lot of people who want to piss him off. I’m sure he’s used to it.” Trista took a long sip of her drink, relishing the sweet and tangy mixtures swirling around her mouth. “Why don’t you just find Daddy another piece of land? There are plenty of vacant lots up and down the coastal highway. He can relocate the bar and restaurant.”
“Don’t you think I’ve tried? It’s not about finding him something else. It’s about him winning. Having the upper hand.”
“Winning what?”
Nicolette laughed. “You just don’t understand the way things work around here. That’s why Daddy trusts me to handle his business.”
Another zing at me . Nicolette would always remind Trista that she was Daddy’s little girl. Not Trista. Nicolette would never forgive her for intruding on their lives. In her twisted mind, she thought Trista was trying to take her
“That’s Maya,” Nicolette whispered in Trista’s ear. “I was worried at first when I found out that Riker was working with such a pretty girl. She’s part Asian, part Irish.”
“She’s pretty,” Trista observed.
“He’s assured me that I have nothing to worry about.” Nicolette lowered her voice even more. “She’s a lesbian.”
“I’d still be worried,” Trista commented. “She’s gorgeous.”
Nicolette playfully punched her sister on the arm. “Thanks for the support, sis.”
“I’m just kidding,” Trista said.
“How are my two favorite people?” Riker greeted them with drinks. “Margarita on the rocks for the blonde,” he said, referring to Trista, “and a glass of chardonnay for the brunette.”
Nicolette smiled. “We just finished up a round of therapeutic shopping.” Nicolette leaned in for a kiss on the cheek from Riker, and he obliged. Trista gave him a warning look to back off when he started to lean in to kiss her. She didn’t need any special attention from him in front of her sister.
“How’s your day been?” Nicolette asked him.
“Busy as usual.” Another patron yelled for Riker to bring him a beer. Riker held up a finger indicating that he’d be there in a minute. “Can’t talk right now. But I’ll be back to check on you in a few minutes.”
“Looks like Sam made a good investment in this place,” Trista said. “If the bar is this crowded on a weekday in late February, I can’t imagine what kind of business they do during spring break and summer.”
“Oh, it gets crazy. Double the bartenders plus a staff of bouncers and a valet. Weekends they usually have live music.” Nicolette twirled her wine glass around. “Daddy has been trying to buy the lot next door to expand the restaurant and bar and put in a huge parking lot. But the owner is being stubborn. He doesn’t want to sell.”
“Who owns the lot?”
“Carlton Hathaway.”
“Why does that name sound familiar?”
“Hathaway is Dad’s nemesis—the other big land owner and real estate guru in the area. And he hates Dad with a passion. Last I heard, he wants to put his own restaurant on the piece of land. Daddy says Hathaway doesn’t know anything about running a restaurant.”
“Well, in all fairness, neither did Dad.”
“Yeah, well, he’s smart enough to hire other people to run his businesses for him. This guy just wants to do it to piss Daddy off.”
Trista remembered when her dad bought the land to build the seafood restaurant and bar. Actually the bar came first. Her father wanted a place to hold his famous poker nights, hence the name: the Liar’s Club. The seafood restaurant was just an afterthought, a way to cash in on the tourists. The seafood restaurant, Lucky Catch, ended up being an award-winning place with a talented chef. It was packed every night from May to September.
“There are a lot of people who want to piss him off. I’m sure he’s used to it.” Trista took a long sip of her drink, relishing the sweet and tangy mixtures swirling around her mouth. “Why don’t you just find Daddy another piece of land? There are plenty of vacant lots up and down the coastal highway. He can relocate the bar and restaurant.”
“Don’t you think I’ve tried? It’s not about finding him something else. It’s about him winning. Having the upper hand.”
“Winning what?”
Nicolette laughed. “You just don’t understand the way things work around here. That’s why Daddy trusts me to handle his business.”
Another zing at me . Nicolette would always remind Trista that she was Daddy’s little girl. Not Trista. Nicolette would never forgive her for intruding on their lives. In her twisted mind, she thought Trista was trying to take her
Similar Books
