“I got your back. Let’s meet at that place near Sweet Spot ? The Hut. It has good pancakes. Anyway fellas, let’s play pool. Fuck it. First round is on me!” I shouted as I clicked my fingers to Ink and swirled them in a circle over my head to indicate a round.
He saluted and prepped our drinks.
We played a few rounds, but the undercurrent of palpable tension at the table ? due to the dealer on our street corner ? made it a couple of uneasy games. We finished up pretty early for us. Normally, if we got on a roll playing pool, we would be in there until midnight at least. Not tonight. Even if no one wanted to admit it, we were a little shaken up as a club.
To me, everything could be worked out. As soon as I got home, my head hit the pillow and I fell straight to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up to my blaring alarm clock with a dry tongue from too much beer and not enough water. You would think I would’ve learned by now. I patted my bedside table trying to turn the damn thing off. I found the off button and sighed as it switched off. If I got a few beers in my system I knew I would be knocked out to the world and not get up on time. I set it for 7 a.m., but that buzzing in my ear was still too early for my liking.
I swung my legs over the bed and stood up stretching. I moved to the bathroom and looked at my face. Not too bad of a mug. I wondered what Mia thought about it. I had a little stubble going on, so I shaped it up and made the choice to leave it.
I rode out past the Sweet Spot to The Hut, reveling in the quiet. A few cars were in the parking lot, but not many. I parked my ride next to Bones’. Looked like he was already here. I swung the door open to the smell of maple syrup and bacon. My two favorite smells in the world.
Bones waved to me from the booth.
I gave him a head nod as a greeting.
“Nice crumpled shirt you got on,” he joked.
I smoothed down my t-shirt. “Man, give me a break. You wanted to meet this early, this is what you’re going to get,” I cut back at him.
“And you’re grumpy.” He cocked an eyebrow at me.
I dropped in opposite him. “A cup of Joe and I will be back and raring to go.”
Bones rested his face on his hand with a bemused smile. “On the way along with pancakes, eggs and bacon.”
I was practically salivating as I closed my eyes and rubbed my belly.
He laughed. “See. Don’t ever tell me that I don’t look out for you.”
We ordered and got down to business as I gulped down the first sip of hot coffee. “Hmm. Victory,” I closed my eyes. “What you got for me, Bones?”
Bones came armed with three flyers and moved them across the table. “Here we go. I’m still gunning for the casino, but these are a few options.”
I pored over the documents. “Nail It…that’s the nail salon downtown, right? I never thought of that. Women are always getting their nails done.”
“They’re looking to expand and add in a beauty shop,” Bones explained. “They need an investor for the renovations. It’s good for business on two fronts. One, from an investment standpoint, their annual turnover has been consistently up 30% in the last three years. Second, they have been a Holbeck staple for the last 20 years. Means they can keep up with changing times and still make a profit. That’s a business I want to invest in.”
I nodded. “Okay, let me look at this in detail and come back with some points,” I said. Our breakfast came to the table and my stomach immediately started to rumble.
The waitress laughed. “Sounds like I’m right on time. Enjoy your meal.”
I grinned at her. “Looks like it. Thank you, sweetheart.”
Bones rolled his eyes at me. “Have to pour on the charm, don’t you?”
I hunched my shoulders up. “I’m being polite, she’s fixing my food. I don’t want her spitting in it, do I?” I scoffed as I popped a piece of bacon in my mouth, savoring the salty goodness of it and enjoying the crunch. They got it just right.
“Valid point.”
I flipped over to the next brochure he gave me for a closer look. “Robbo’s Deli? You’re joking. This place is a no. I hear they have some quality assurance issues, AKA rats, so we are not investing that sham of a place.”
“Explains why the price point is so low,” Bones said as he gathered the scrambled eggs on his fork.
“Wait. They’re selling it? We might be able to come up with something. Let me sit with it. Ask around some more.”
“We can go one better.” Bones nodded. “We can ask to see their financials, it’s on the market. Why not? Can’t hurt. That’s part of the carnival strip, so it’s in a great spot. Location is everything these days. Might not want to close our eyes to it too quickly.”