Thoughtful (Thoughtless, #1.5)(193)
Glancing around the back room, I asked Evan, “How long do you think I need to stay back here?”
Evan shrugged. “Another twenty minutes maybe, just to be on the safe side.”
I nodded, but I really didn’t think it mattered. If Denny truly did suspect something, whether I came out five minutes after Kiera or an hour after her would make no difference whatsoever.
When I felt time pressing in on me, I stood up. Evan stood with me. With a quick exhale, I bounced on my feet. I sort of felt like I was about to go perform onstage in front of a massive audience; I wasn’t nervous, but I was pumped full of energy. “Wish me luck,” I tossed over my shoulder.
As I opened the door, Evan murmured, “Luck.”
Once I was in the hallway, I put my head down and acted irritated. I had just gotten bitch-slapped in front of the entire bar, after all. I held my breath when I entered the main part of the bar. It took everything I had to not look up and find Kiera. I wanted to let her know I was okay, to let her know that I’d see her later tonight, but that wasn’t something my “character” would do right now, and I had a part to play.
It was hard to not look for Denny too. I didn’t know if he was still here, I didn’t know if he was suspicious, angry, oblivious. I didn’t know anything, and I couldn’t help but wonder what Kiera had told him about our very public bar fight. What was the story? I’d have to remember to ask her later.
I hurried over to my car and felt giddy when I crawled inside it. There was a place I’d wanted to take Kiera to for a while, and tonight seemed like the perfect night to do it. So much had changed between us, again, but it was a good change this time. No matter what happened from here on out, at least we were finally being honest with each other. Well, I was being honest and open with her. All the walls were coming down tonight, and I was ready to show her all of me. Ugly scars and everything.
Driving away from Pete’s, I headed toward downtown. What I needed, or who I needed, was most likely that way. It took me an hour and a half of questioning people, but I eventually found the guy I needed to talk to. He was in a bar on Second Avenue, sipping on a stiff drink when I came across him. Zeke. He’d been a fan of the band for years, and we’d done favors for each other back and forth. I knew this one would cost me, but I also knew it was worth it.
He looked up at me when I slid onto the bench seat across from him. “You’re a hard man to find, Zeke.”
The older, heavyset man scratched his jaw covered with wiry black whiskers. With an amused smile, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. “Not really. Most people can find me in two seconds. My ex-wife included. It’s time you stepped into this millennium, my friend.”
I dismissively waved my hand. “I’ve made it this long without a phone tied to my hip; I think I can make it a little longer. And besides, nothing good comes from those things.”
Zeke chuckled, then took another sip of his drink. “It’s been a while, what can I do for you?”
Leaning over my elbows, I excitedly laid out my plan. Zeke’s expression didn’t change while I was explaining it, but when I was finished, he raised a bushy eyebrow. “Am I understanding you correctly? You want me to get you and your lady friend into the Space Needle after closing?”
I nodded. I knew it was crazy and impractical, but if anyone could help me, it would be Zeke. He was head of security there. He sighed as he set down his beverage. “So you want me to lose my job then?”
“No one would have to know, and I would never sell you out. You know that.”
Zeke ran a hand down his stringy beard. “This one is going to cost you. There’s a guard on duty. I can call ahead and tell him you’re a friend, but he’s going to want compensation. And not just a private performance for his girlfriend.” He smiled. “Thank you for that, by the way. I had a…very good night that night.”
I laughed as I remembered doing that favor for him. “My pleasure. Now…can you help me?” Reaching into my wallet, I pulled out some cash. It wasn’t enough to cover the guard on duty, but it might help persuade Zeke. I slid it over to him and waited for a response.
He sighed, then shoved the money back at me. “Save it for Marcus. You’ll need it. I’ll call ahead and get you in, but don’t you dare mess up the place. It will be my head.”
I smacked the table as I stood up. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Thanks, Zeke. Tell him to expect us sometime after two.” Zeke nodded and picked his drink back up. I clapped his shoulder as I walked past him. “I owe you.”
“I know you do,” he called out as I hurried from the bar.
The stage was set, and now all I needed was my girl. My girl…God, I loved the way that sounded.
I stopped by my house on the way back to the bar to grab some cash from my room. I wanted to make sure I had enough to cover this. Denny was home, but he was in his room with the lights off. Asleep, maybe? I was careful not to wake him as I fumbled through my drawers looking for my rainy-day fund. I didn’t want to see Denny tonight. I wanted this to only be about Kiera and me. Everyone else was going to have to wait until tomorrow.
Peeling off a couple of hundreds, I stuffed them in my pocket and headed out the door. Once I was back in my car, I returned to Pete’s and parked across the street. It was a while before Kiera was off work, but I wanted to be prepared in case she was let go early.