Mark woke up to a ringing phone and groaned. Glancing over at the clock he groaned louder and reached for the phone.
"Thanks. G'bye." He muttered to the six o'clock wake up call and hung up. Slowly, he rolled himself out of the bed, stretched his sore muscles, and shuffled to the bathroom. He switched on the light and flinched at his reflection in the mirror.
It was too damn early but his flight left at eight so there wasn't a minute to spare. If there was one thing Mark was fond of, it was sleep. He'd happily hurry to the airport to get an extra twenty minutes between the sheets.
Shaking his head to clear it slightly, he sighed and got himself into the shower. By the time he got out he felt slightly better but he couldn't help cursing himself. He couldn't keep his mind from wandering back to Cassie.
"Girl's gonna give me an ulcer." He chuckled as he wrapped a towel around his waist and walked back into the other room.
Immediately, he called the desk and had them call him a cab then set to getting dressed. His eyes however, kept going to his cell phone as it sat on the dresser across from him. Maybe he should call her? Mark said he was going to call her when he got to Portland but obviously he wasn't in Portland yet. Besides, six thirty in the morning was cruel and unusual punishment to anyone. Better he let her sleep with her leg healing anyway. But still…
The next thing he knew, he was across the room with his cell phone in his hands and checking for missed calls. "Damn it…" He muttered and set it aside. "Get a grip old man…"
He'd call her later in Oregon, he thought. "After the event." He added out loud to chastise himself, pulled a long sleeved t-shirt over his head, and tossed the rest of his stuff in his bags just in time for the desk to call him for his cab.
"Well hey there darlin!" Denny smiled when Cassie pushed her way into the bar. "Where ya been? I ain't seen ya since ya took off with Big Ugly the other night."
Cassie wrinkled her nose and limped over to the bar, tossing her helmet down on top of it. "I'm not talking about him today." Her voice was tight as she spoke. She only hoped Denny wouldn't mention it as she hunched forward and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"He left for the road yesterday didn't he?" Cassie nodded. Denny grinned and nodded back. "Good. He gets irritating if he hangs around too much." In spite of her mood, Cassie laughed.
"I can see where that could happen." She was grinning as Denny poured her a beer from the tap. Denny nodded stoically and held up his hand as if to say he'd heard it all before.
"So, I've gotta ask." He began sliding the beer over to her. "What happened to your leg?"
"My leg?" Cassie blurted.
Denny nodded again as he leaned on the bar near her. Cassie was immediately suspicious but the older man always seemed so genuine she found herself wanting to tell him the whole story about the truck and the hospital trip and Mark's girlfriend, but her wary nature forbade it. It had been a while since she'd been around people she felt comfortable enough to want to talk to. Denny's legitimate concern tugged at that part of her that wanted friends again.
Sighing heavily, Cassie erred on the side of caution. "I caught some gravel on the side of the road and dumped my bike." Denny whistled low.
"Are ya alright?" Before Cassie could respond, Denny was around the bar and prodding gently at her knee.
"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine Den." She chuckled and waved him away pulling her jeans up high enough to show off the bandage covering her stitches. "Caught a big rock sharp enough to do a little damage. No big deal."
Denny's eyebrows pulled together into a frown. "Somethin' tells me you shouldn't be up and walkin on that." Cassie shrugged and swung herself around on her stool to face the bar. The older bartender grunted and walked back around behind it. "You wouldn't be pushin yourself too hard now would you?"
"Me? Nah." Cassie grinned at the playfully father-like tone in his voice. "I've had much worse and actually, it feels a whole lot better today."
"Well that's good I guess. How'd your bike fair?" Cassie wrinkled her nose and took a deep pull on her mug. Denny laughed. "I'll take it that means it's not so good." Cassie shook her head disgustedly.
"No, luckily Ray, is that his name?" When Denny nodded she went on. "He gave me a loaner while he works on it."
"That sounds like Ray. He's got a soft spot for pretty ladies." Denny giggled contentedly and disappeared into the back. When he returned with a case of beer, he continued. "He'll take good care of your bike though. He's the best there is when it comes to restoration."
"Good to know." Cassie grinned and slid her empty mug over to him. Denny caught it without looking up and filled it again before sliding it back.
The ringing phone made her jump. Denny laid a comforting hand on top of hers and hurried over to answer it, wiping his hands on a bar rag.
Cassie let out a breath she'd been holding and swiveled around on her stool, her eyes sliding over the few patrons in the back of the bar. They all looked familiar. Most of them were from the area and Denny's Place seemed to be the central gathering place.
It gave her a sense of belonging even if she hadn't been around long. Texans seemed to have an inherent friendliness she was completely unused to growing up in Detroit and experiencing it, she felt like she'd really been missing something.
"Cindy's not makin it in." Denny's voice sounded behind her. Cassie spun herself back around to look at him.
"No? I hope she's alright." Denny shrugged.
"She's got a little boy and he's not in the best health. When he gets real bad, I make sure she's got all the time she needs."
"That's really great of you." Cassie smiled. The grizzled old bartender blushed and waved off her compliment.
"I just hope I don't get too busy. I'm getting too old to do all this myself." Cassie shook her head at the playful glint in his eyes.
"Den, something tells me you're not as infirm as you like to let on." She grinned and tapped her mug on the counter. Denny shrugged and glanced innocently up at the ceiling before busying himself with filling the coolers behind the bar.
As if on cue, the front door swung open for a group of people who found themselves a table off to the side. Immediately, another group followed. Denny stood up and stretched his back before giving Cassie a wry look and hustling around the bar to greet his customers.
Cassie sat back nursing her beer and watching the growing bustle of the crowd. She'd never seen it that busy but Denny seemed to have it well in hand. As the night moved on however, and more people began showing up, Cassie was sure she could see Denny beginning to get frazzled. His easy smile came fewer and farther between and she could hear him muttering angrily as he hurried back behind the bar.
"Are you okay Den?" Cassie asked leaning way over the bar to get his attention. The bartender glanced up to her quickly with an irritation heavy enough to make her flinch but when he saw it was her talking he smiled.
"I'll manage." He chuckled. "I always do." Cassie watched as he set up a tray full of bottles and hurried back out toward the crowd. "Oh!" Denny said turning back to her. "If you need a refill, just go on around and get it. It'll save me a step." Cassie nodded and glanced down at the dregs in the bottom of her mug. Shrugging, she got up and did as he asked.
Another large group of revelers came in as she was filling her mug. She watched them walk over to the bar and take up every stool along it, hers included. Frowning, Cassie glanced out into the sea of patrons. There weren't but a few tables left in the whole joint and more people were streaming in by the minute.
"Hey, can I get a Bud in a bottle?" One of the guys at the bar yelled over to her. Cassie's head snapped to him.
"Uh sure." She almost chuckled and turned around, searching the glass fronted beer coolers behind her. It only took a moment and she had it in her hand, popping off the cap and sliding it down to him.
"How much?" He grinned taking a deep swig. That was a good question. How much was it anyway?
Cassie looked around behind the bar for anything that had prices on it. Smiling, she found what she was looking for right next to the register. The brunette quickly scanned the price list with her finger.
"Two dollars darlin." She grinned and leaned over the bar toward him. She'd bartended before and it only took a minute to fall back into the routine.
"Keep it." The man at the bar smiled engagingly and tossed a five down. Cassie took it, nodding a thanks and moved on to the next customer.
"What are you doin girl?" Denny laughed outright once he finally made his way back to the bar with a tray of empties.
"Um…helping as best I can tell." She smiled somewhat self-consciously and wiped her hands on the bar towel she'd stuck in her belt. She hadn't meant to take over his bar, it just sort of…happened. It had gotten so busy so quickly there was no way Denny could have kept on top of everything alone. Suddenly though, Cassie was afraid she had stepped way beyond her boundaries.
"You know your way around a bar?" He asked his gray eyes narrowed on her. Cassie was almost sure there was a playful glint to them. She nodded and pulled open one of the coolers with her foot as another cowboy at the bar ordered. "Good." Denny laughed. "You're hired."
Cassie nearly fumbled the bottle she'd been grabbing. "I'm what?" She blurted.
"You're hired." He repeated and dropped the tray. "Empties go in the back in the bins. They're marked." Cassie was still staring at him dumbfounded. "Well get movin! It's only gonna get worse when the band gets here."
"Band? I'm hired? You mean…I work here now?" She babbled still holding the beer. Denny shook his head and sauntered over taking the bottle from her, popping the top, and handing it over the bar.
"Yes, yes, and yes if ya want it." The old bartender looked all together too pleased with himself.
Cassie was a flurry of emotions. Did she want a job? No, not really but she really did like the old man. He'd been so nice to her since she arrived. From the first time she walked in the door he'd tried to befriend her and against her better judgment, he had. Besides, maybe having a regular nine to five could perhaps bring her back across the yawning chasm that had grown between her and normalcy. Yeah, that was it. That was good. "Den, you got a deal."
The older man broke into the biggest grin she'd ever seen on him and wrapped her in a big bear hug. "That's my girl!" He laughed. "Now, can you handle this lot so I can get the stage set up?" Cassie nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak through the lump rising in her throat. There was a camaraderie between she and Denny suddenly and it made her feel terribly comfortable. It was like coming home.
"Thanks Den." She smiled once she was able. Denny gave her a quick wink and hoisted himself up onto the bar itself.
"Hey Everybody!" He yelled.
And to Cassie's surprise, the entire bar responded with, "Hey What?"
"This here's my new bartender!" He called out to them and held her hand up so everyone could see it. "Treat her with all the respect you've never shown me!" The roar of laughter and catcalls was overwhelming but it felt good. Cassie had suddenly become a part of something when she needed it the very most and found herself smiling and hugging the flood of patrons who had come over to meet her and wish her well.
After a moment, Denny shooed them all away so Cassie could in fact do her new job. "Drink orders at the bar everybody!" He called out to them to a chorus of Boos. "Here ya go little girl. Show me what you can do." He winked and ruffled her hair before ducking out into the crowd to ready the stage Cassie had never noticed hiding behind a curtain toward the back of the bar.
Cassie took a deep breath and rolled her neck until it cracked then turned her attention back to the bar. "Alright! Who needs a drink?"
Mark dragged himself back into his hotel room in Portland and tossed his duffel bag on the floor. He'd gotten beat good that night and all he wanted was a very long, very hot shower and bed…and maybe six or eight aspirin.
"Good God…" He gasped as he stretched his long frame and heard something in the vicinity of his lower back crackle like popcorn. "No more bad chair shots." He grumbled and forced the three steps it took to get from where he was to the bed where he wanted to be.
Sighing heavily he lowered himself gingerly down to the coverlet. It'd been quite a while since he'd taken a beating like that. Generally, no one tried the Undertaker too seriously and at his age Mark was glad of that.
"At my age…" He repeated his thought out loud and was disgusted by it. Sure, he was edging dangerously close to the over forty box on his tax forms but six days out of seven he didn't feel it. Come to think on it, he only ever thought about it after a run in like that night's. A steel, folding chair to the back doesn't feel good at twenty let alone forty. Unfortunately, at forty it seemed to take a little more of the bad ass out of him than it used to. He'd never show it in the ring though. The Undertaker was invincible, unstoppable, and constant. Mark however, was human, mildly lazy, and at that moment, incredibly sore.
Mark rolled over onto his side and winced slightly before settling down in a more comfortable position. "Shower." He grumbled as he shifted again and felt his t-shirt stick to his skin. "Sweaty." But he didn't move right away. Instead, he fished into his pocket for his cell phone. Flipping it open, his breath caught as he looked at the little display. It stated quite plainly that he did indeed have voice mail.
The big man pulled himself into a sitting position and thumbed the button to play the messages as he kicked off his boots.
By the time the mechanical female voice explained that he was at the end of his new messages, he was more disgusted than he had been at thinking about his age. Cassie hadn't called. One had been his mother and the other two coworkers. He was not happy about that at all.
Glancing at his gold watch his stomach dropped. He hadn't realized it was as late as it was. Cassie would probably be asleep. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her.
"She won't hear the phone if she's sleeping." He muttered to himself and immediately began dialing his home number. He said he'd call after the event in Portland and that's exactly what he was doing.
The phone rang…and rang…and rang…until the machine finally picked up.
"Cassie, it's Mark. Don't get up if you're sleepin. I just wanted to see how you were doin. I'll see ya soon. My schedule got changed up a bit so I'll be home tomorrow." He said and hung up resisting the urge to throw his cell phone at the wall. For some reason he was blaming it for her lack of communication. In his dreary mood, its little blue screen showing absolutely no missed calls from his number was mocking him.
He took a deep breath and settled for dropping the phone on the floor before hoisting his massive body off the bed and stripping off his shirt and pants. His mind was running circles around itself. He hated that. He especially hated that a woman he barely knew was making him do it.
If there was one thing Mark always prided himself on, it was his ability to keep a clear head in nearly any situation but some scooter trash beauty sauntered into his favorite bar and his normally collected demeanor shot directly to his groin and refused to respond. Damn it.
Granted, it wasn't just his Y chromosome that drew him to her. He liked the way she thought. Her sense of humor kept him in stitches from the time they sat down at the diner outside town until he'd taken her back to her bike.
The big man frowned slightly at the memory of the truck barreling down on her but he shook it off and thought instead about the nonchalance with which she handled nearly being killed. Hell, her worry had been his bike lying in the road just in time for the morning commuters. Mark knew one thing for sure, there weren't a whole lot of women who could take a tumble from a bike and still be in good enough shape to bicker with him. Her courage had probably gotten him most of all.
Again, Mark tried to ignore the feeling of foreboding in his gut.
"Tomorrow…" He told his reflection in the bathroom mirror as he got out his razor and prepared to shave. "You'll find out everything you need to know tomorrow."
Normally, extra off time would have made him angry but the unexpected injury to his latest feud couldn't have come at a better time. He didn't like that Kurt had a slight tear in his bicep and he disliked moving up the storyline but he was going home early and on an extended leave. It would be good for him he supposed; especially with as little as he was able to concentrate that night in the ring. "Too much on my mind." He muttered then chuckled at himself. "You're mooning like a high school kid." His reflection didn't have much to say about it so Mark shook his head and moved onto his shower.
Cassie watched Denny lock up the front door as she collected glasses and bottles from the tables and stifled a big yawn. She'd worked her ass off and even if part of her hated to admit it, it felt pretty damn good.
At first, she'd been afraid of memories she didn't want resurfacing but Denny's place was as different from her old bar as night was to day. It felt good to do what she knew again. Since her mother had died and left Cassie the club she'd owned, she hadn't stepped foot behind a bar. It hurt and made her think about her mother too much. She'd sold the place and never looked back.
"Cassie darlin? You alright?" Denny asked her. Cassie shook her head and looked over at him.
"Yeah Den, don't worry about me." She smiled and stretched, then winced. Suddenly her leg hurt like hell. Oddly enough, it hadn't given her any trouble all night.
"You looked kinda far away there for a minute." The concern in his voice truly touched her as he walked over and put a fatherly arm around her shoulders. "I'll get the glasses. Why don't you sit down and take some weight off that leg." Cassie was about to protest but found her leg had made up her mind for her. The brunette attempted to put weight on it and it buckled.
"Yeah…maybe I will." She tried to laugh but the pain cut it short. Denny smiled and took her tray heading for the bar.
"Oh and you're crashin here tonight." He informed her as he washed them.
"Why would I be doing that?" Cassie asked and brought her hand up to catch another yawn.
"That'd be why right there." He said shaking a wet rag in her direction for emphasis. "And you're in no shape to ride with that leg."
"Denny, don't worry about it. I'll be fine." Even as she said it she ran her options through her mind. The results were well and truly depressing. She didn't have any other options. Mark's place had been vetoed against her will and her own little slice of home was being watched by a psycho. Just fucking lovely.
"Nope. You're stayin here. End of story." He chuckled and scratched at his beard briefly. "I will not have ya getting yourself killed when you made me so much money tonight." Cassie laughed outright.
"Okay…" She relented and part of her was quite relieved to do so. "Alright, I'll stay here."
"Good, then you can open up." He laughed heartily, obviously quite pleased with himself. "It's been a damn long while since I could sleep in."
"Yes sir." Cassie teased with a mock salute. Denny looked at her over the bar with one eyebrow raised.
"You can knock that 'sir' crap off right now." He grumbled. "It makes me feel old." Cassie laughed holding her hands up defensively.
"No problem boss."
Denny grinned impishly and glanced toward the swinging doors that lead to the storage area. "Just be sure and set the alarm clock back there. This place is so sound proofed you'd never even hear the phone ring from there."
"Okay." She said congenially and hoisted herself back to her feet. Now you are leaving. I'll take care of all this before morning." Grabbing him by the shoulders, she steered him away from the sink and toward the door. Denny didn't put up much of a fight.
"In my experience, I know never to argue with a beautiful woman." He chuckled and dug his keys out of his pocket. "Lock this behind me and I'll get you a key made tomorrow so you won't be trapped in here all night anymore."
"Alright Den. Be safe. When will I see you tomorrow?" The old bartender shrugged and flashed her a sideways grin.
"You can handle it right?" Cassie nodded. "I'll be in round about four. My number's by the phone if you need anything before then."
"Good deal. Now get out of here so I can throw the party you're not invited to." She laughed and shoved him out the door. Denny shook his head playfully but smiled and let her shut the door behind him.
Once she'd clicked the lock into place the sheer silence of the place began to bother her. There were no more laughing voices, no more screaming blues guitar. It was as if once the customers left for the night, they took the soul of the place with them. The thought made Cassie shiver.
"Get a grip, it's just closed. It's not dead." She chided herself but it didn't stop her from fishing a handful of change out of her pocket and walking it over to the jukebox.
Once Stevie Ray Vaughan's wailing guitar began to pour from the speakers, she felt a bit better. Returning to the bar, she picked up where Denny had left off with the dishes and for the first time in what seemed like forever, she forgot about her problems and did her job. It was good. It was damn good.
