5

Once April had finished her story, she knocked back the remainder of her whiskey. It burned the back of her throat and broiled in her belly, but after a moment it softened to just a warm glow. Deep down she relished the thought of what Brian might say if he saw her drinking whiskey at nine-thirty with a handsome stranger, but then scolded herself for her pettiness.

She felt lighter already for having unloaded her troubles, but now she was eager to change the subject. “So what about you?” she asked Max.

“What about me?”

“Well, the way you stepped in and tied Brian into knots last night…what are you? Some kind of superhero or something?”

Max laughed. “No, it just comes with the territory. I spent a couple years in the Marine Corp before this. I can’t say it was time wasted. It comes in handy when you’re dealing with angry drunks on a regular basis.”

“So, what, you’re the manager here?”

“Owner,” said Max. “This and a couple other restaurants and clubs around the city. It pays a little better than the Navy. Also, as it turns out, I’m not too good with authority.”

“Impressive,” said April. “Well, I guess I better go, leave you to your duties. Thanks again for finding my wallet and sorry about getting your shirt wet.”

Max smiled. “Hey, no problem. Listen, I’m almost done why don’t you wait for me, I’ll walk you to your car.”

“Oh, I parked at the gas station about two blocks from here, I was just about to run out of juice when I realized I had lost my wallet.”

“Then I’ll drive you to your car.” Max made a quick estimate of the remaining three bottles on his stock list and said to the cleaner, “Hey Gary, lock up when you’re done, okay? And don’t forget to set the alarm.”

“Will do, boss,” said Gary who had been polite enough to move to the other side of the club, out of earshot when she and Max had started talking.

April followed Max out the back entrance of Club Veil to where his black Range Rover was parked in an empty lot. “Some machine,” said April. “It looks like the kind the CIA drive in the movies.”

Max smiled proudly. “I fell in love with the model while I was working on a support mission for homeland security in South Sudan. We’d be crammed into the back of these open air trucks baking under the African sun, rattling around on dirt roads while the security fellows were cruising around with aircon and smooth suspension. I made it a promise to myself that I would own one one day.”

“A marine turned nightclub owner,” said April. “That’s quite a transition.”

“The business needs a few good men, ma’am,” he said and tipped her a salute. “That’s just a joke. Actually I prefer the word restaurateur. The nightclub scene is something I’m just starting out with. There are a lot of scumbags running clubs around here and any business I can take away from them is business well taken care of.”

April studied his face as they climbed into the Rover. His jaw was set and in it she sensed no hint of kidding. He was a man of humor and kindness, but there was also something else. A deep sense of justice and integrity.

“So maybe you are kind of a superhero after all,” said April, smiling at him as she settled into the seat.

Max laughed. “I like that,” he said. “You can call me Nightclubman. No wait, even better…Barman.”

Max’s presence was both comforting and exciting. He seemed like a man with a lot of stories to tell. She felt a wave of regret at not being able to stay with him for the morning and listen to them. To take her mind off things.

“What do you do?” he asked.

“Nothing quite as exciting your job, I’m sure. I’m an accountant, believe it or not.”

“A number cruncher, huh? My parents wanted me to be an accountant. Sometimes I think I should have listened to them.”

When they arrived at the gas station, she leaned over and gave Max hug. His stubble tickled against her ear. “Listen, I really can’t tell you how grateful I am for helping me out last night and then listening to my sob story this morning.”

Max smiled warmly. “Really no problem at all.”

“See you around,” she said, getting out of the car.

“April, wait,” said Max. “Why don’t you take my number? If you have any more trouble with Brian you give me a call. You never know with guys like that.”

April thought about it for a second. It would be good to know she had someone to call just in case, although she already felt like he had done so much. Besides, it was doubtful Brian would ever show his face around her again. One the other hand, once this whole thing blew over, she wouldn’t mind meeting up with Max for dinner sometime.

“Okay, sure,” she said, “good idea.”

He found a spare business card in his glove compartment and handed it to her. “There you go,” he said. “Any time, you just call me, okay?”

“I will. Thanks.”

“You take care now.”

She gave him one last wave goodbye and watched him drive away as she finally filled up her tank.