COWBOY ROMANCE: Justin (Western Contemporary Alpha Male Bride Romance) (The Steele Brothers Book 1) (43 page)

Book 1: Impressionable Artist

Book 1: Impressionable Artist

Chapter One

Mindy shoved the last box into her Ford Explorer and turned back to look at the college dorm where she had lived the last four years. She used her time wisely as her father had urged and stayed away from the wild parties on campus and the boys that were only going to be a distraction from her studies. She spent all of her free time visiting museums and soaking up any knowledge she could about art history. Taking a deep breath, she climbed into the driver’s seat, finally ready to start her new life.

The four-hour drive towards home was exciting, yet still depressing. She had sent out her resume to the top art galleries in New York, but she knew the competition was fierce, even with her Arts Administration degree and valedictorian status. All she could hope for was that one of them would call her for an interview. Until then, she would live in the apartment her parents had rented for her and find a temporary job. 

She pulled into the parking lot of the Four Seasons apartment complex and parked in front of the door number 1312. This was it. This was home, at least for now. She walked up to the red door and turned the key that her mother sent her last week. As she opened the door, she closed her eyes as if she were waiting for a surprise, or possibly a disaster, behind the door.

Inside the apartment she
was
actually surprised. Her mother had decorated everything in bright colors throughout. She felt an overwhelming appreciation for her mother as she looked around the apartment. The family’s old couch and recliner was placed in the living room facing a new flat screen television on a brightly painted red stand. A bright green rug covered most of the carpet and pretty pink and purple throw pillows adorned the couch. As she walked back towards the bedroom, she noticed a litter box on the floor. She turned on the light and paid little attention to the new bedding her mother bought for her first apartment and instead went directly to the pillow that had a tiny white kitten snuggled upon it.

She scooped the kitten up with a smile and snuggled up against its soft fur. She then went into the kitchen and checked the cabinets and the fridge. Everything was fully stocked, she beamed. Her mother had always taken care of her, making sure she had everything she needed, even if it wasn’t a necessity. She knew she was the one who picked out the kitten and had probably snuck it in after her dad finished carrying the furniture inside. 

It took more trips than necessary to get her boxes and suitcases into the house because she wouldn’t set the furry kitten down while she unloaded. Once she had everything inside she sat down in the recliner and called her parents.

“Hey, sweetie!” Her mother’s voice was so comforting to hear.

“Hey, Mom.” Mindy’s voice started to shake.

“Are you home?” her mother asked.

“Yes, the apartment looks great! Thank dad for me please, and thank you for Snowball,” she answered.

“I just didn’t want you to be alone. Snowball is a great name,” her mother added.

Mindy listened to her mother tell her about how she snuck the kitten inside the apartment early that morning after her dad had gone to work. She loved that she was so close to them, but was still able to be on her own. Her dad started an account for her while she was in college and put money aside to help her relocate once she graduated, so at least her apartment was paid for and all she needed was a part time job for extra cash, food, and clothes.

She assured her mother that she would be fine in her new apartment and that Snowball would protect her from intruders. Her mother laughed at the thought of the tiny kitten warding off criminals. Mindy hung up the phone and went into the kitchen to raid the fridge. She found a plastic container with a red lid and pulled it out. She knew that her mom probably made her dinner and hoped for meatloaf as she opened the lid.

“Oh yeah!” she blurted out into the empty apartment as she got her first glimpse of her mother’s homemade meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and fried okra. She placed the container in the microwave and poured herself a glass of milk while she waited impatiently for the beep. She took her food outside and sat down on the patio chair her mother had placed outside for her. She started shoveling the food in her mouth so fast she almost choked when she heard a female’s voice beside her.

“You just move in?” the blonde woman asked from her patio next door.

“Yes, sorry,” Mindy said as she quickly swallowed her bite of meatloaf without chewing. “I'm Mindy,” she added, and then extended her hand to greet the woman.

“I'm Veronica,” she offered.

The woman was tan with long blonde hair and green eyes. She had tattoos down her arms and one on her ankle. She looked like she was at least 35, but she dressed in low riding jeans and a handkerchief-styled shirt that the girls at her college wore.

“You want a beer?” Veronica asked.

“That would be great, thank you!” Mindy agreed. “You want some meatloaf?” 

“No, it smells damn good though,” she said with a laugh, then disappeared into her apartment for a few minutes before emerging with two new beers in her hands.

“So, was that your mom and dad here setting up the apartment for you?” Veronica asked.

“Yes, and they stocked my fridge with everything, except beer.” Mindy laughed as she accepted the beer handed to her. “I will get you back for this,” she added, shooting the blonde a wink as she sat down beside her.

“Is this your first apartment?” Veronica asked.

“Yes, fresh out of college, now I need to find a job.” Mindy frowned as she spoke.

The blonde took a large swig of her beer and then smiled at Mindy. “You need a job…I need a bartender,” she announced as if it were already decided.

“I have no idea how to bartend,” Mindy admitted.

“Oh hell, most people just want beer and an occasional shot. If you need to make a mixed drink, just look it up on your phone,” she said with a laugh.

“They would hire me without experience?” Mindy looked confused at the woman’s confidence.

“Oh yeah, you're young and cute. As long as you show up and at least try to learn the drinks, they would hire you on the spot.” Veronica sounded very convincing.

“That would be amazing,” Mindy blurted out.

“I'll give you the address. Just go in tomorrow and ask for Paul, and tell him I said to hire you.” Veronica’s tone was almost cocky in a way. She then took a swig of her beer and asked, “So, what did you study in college?”

Mindy told her how she received her degree in Arts Administration. Veronica seemed to be bored as she spoke about art history and her passion for the arts. Mindy decided to change the subject to something Veronica may be more interested in, like herself.

“So, how long have you been a bartender?” Mindy asked.

“Fifteen years,” Veronica admitted, putting her age to at least 36.

“What kind of bar is it?” Mindy asked.

“It’s a small place. Good people, decent tips,” she replied.

Mindy was worried about working inside of a bar, especially if it was a rough place. From the looks of Veronica, she doubted it was a very classy place. Her tattooed skin made her think it was probably a biker bar.

“Like a biker bar?” Mindy got up enough nerve to ask.

“Not at all, but bikers do come in,” Veronica told her, which eased her worries.

Mindy sat outside with her new neighbor and drank four more beers before she finally came inside. She had a little buzz as she locked everything up and scooped her kitten into her arms. She climbed into bed without changing into her pajamas and fell asleep with her little white kitten snuggled under her neck.

Chapter Two

Mindy woke up with Snowball still snuggled under her neck. She hated to move her, but she knew she had to start her day. She carried the kitten into the kitchen and placed her next to her food bowl. She sat down at the dining room table and opened up her laptop. She always started off excited as she opened her e-mail. She was still hoping that one of the galleries she sent her resume to would answer.

As she checked for e-mails, she felt her heart sink into her chest. She felt like maybe she had set her reach too far. Possibly the only job that her art degree could snag her was a management position at the local theater. She decided to not let it get to her, not today. She decided to spend the day with her parents and then visit the bar Veronica told her about and possibly get a job instead.

When she pulled into her parents' drive, she felt her eyes begin to well up with tears. She had missed her parents, even if she wasn’t like admitting it. As she walked into her childhood home she heard her mother wrestling with pans in the kitchen.

“Seriously, a turkey mom?” Mindy joked as she smiled at the woman who never knew when to sit down and relax.

“Oh Mindy!” Her mother squealed and wrapped her arms around her neck.

“Ok, ok, let me breathe.” Mindy pulled her mother off her neck.

“It’s cheaper to make the whole turkey baby,” her mother answered in regards to her smart remark.

Mindy laughed and sat down in the chair to watch her mother finish dressing the turkey. Her parents were always very thrifty, but they by no means needed to save money by cooking an entire turkey in the middle of June.

“So, what are your plans for the day?” her mother asked.

“I'm going to get a job, but I just stopped by to say hello first,” Mindy said.

“Wow, you don’t waste any time do you? Just like your father.” Her mother gazed at her daughter with a smile. “Where are you thinking about applying?” 

“My neighbor said she needs help where she works,” Mindy told her.

She knew that the idea of working in a bar would upset her mother, so she tried her best to avoid the topic.

“That’s nice. In an office?” her mother asked.

Mindy knew that many more questions would lead to her mother finding out the truth, so she stood up and gave her a hug. “I gotta go, but I'll let you know,” she said as she kissed her mother on the cheek and walked towards the front door.

Mindy followed the directions that Veronica had given her and ended up in a parking lot with a small brown building. The sign said “Top Gun”, so she must be in the right spot. She felt her throat tighten as she sat in her car watching the front door. She wanted to see what type of people were inside first and hoped someone would come in or out before she had to make her way inside. After several minutes a man finally emerged from the front door. He was tall, bald and covered in tattoos. He had a broom in his hands and started sweeping the walk way. Mindy felt stupid sitting in her car and wanted to just drive off. When the man turned towards her and caught her looking at him, she figured she better step outside or step on the gas.

The man smiled as she walked towards the front door. “We are not open for another hour, sweetie.” He spoke in a gentle voice that didn’t match his appearance.

“I am looking for Paul,” she explained, and then added, “Veronica sent me.”

She felt herself becoming nervous as she spoke, and his silence was making it tough to hold it together. He stared at her intensely and with little expression until he finally spoke up again.

“Bartender?” he asked.

“Never have, but willing to learn.” Mindy spoke with false confidence, but hoped he couldn’t see through to her nervousness.

“My kind of girl!” He laughed and then patted her on the back. “Come on inside, I'm Paul.”

Inside the bar was dark and dingy. One wall was painted bright red and the rest were black. There were no windows and the chairs and stools at the tables and bar didn’t match. Mindy immediately felt out of place and wanted to turn around and go home.

“So, you want to be a bartender, eh?” Paul smiled as he walked behind the bar and pulled out a bottle of bar lemon.

Mindy shrugged her shoulders.

He placed a shot glass in front of her and stuck a pour spout on the bottle. He tilted the bottle so it would pour into the glass and counted out loud “One, two” as he stared directly at Mindy.

“There, that is an ounce,” he said.

“Ok,” Mindy agreed.

“When you look up drinks, an ounce is generally what is in the recipe. If you just count to two slowly, you have an ounce,” he said. “It’s that simple.”

Mindy was pretty sure it wasn’t that simple, but she needed a job and it was worth a try.

Paul showed her where the beer was stored, gave her some basic tips on making the most commonly ordered drinks, and then explained what her duties would be at the bar.

“So, you want to start tonight?” he asked.

“You think I'm ready?” Mindy’s voice started to crack.

“Relax, it’s a slow night and Veronica will be here to help you out,” Paul stated. “Just be here at 7 o’clock.” 

Mindy agreed reluctantly to start her first shift that evening. He really didn’t give her enough time to back out. That may have been for the best. If she went home and had a day or two to reconsider, she may have never showed up.

“Wear something sexy…You get better tips,” he added.

Mindy left the bar and sat in her car for a few minutes before exiting the parking lot. She stared at the shabby building and wondered what she had gotten herself into. She finally pulled out and drove back to her apartment, which was only a few minutes up the road. She tried to look at the bright side of things, like how much gas she would save on the commute to work.

When she pulled up into her parking lot, she noticed Veronica walking towards a little blue car. She pulled in her spot in front of the door and got out as Veronica met her.

“Did you check out the bar?” she asked.

“Yeah, I start tonight,” Mindy announced.

“Awesome, I'll show you everything you need to know. You’ll do great,” she said, smiling.

“I have to do some running before work, but I'll meet you there,” Mindy said before the two parted ways.

Mindy went inside and found her kitten curled up on the pillow on her bed. She scooped her up and cuddled her close while she stared in her closet at her clothes. She never went to bars, parties, or clubs. She didn’t have clothes that would be considered sexy. She always dressed more on the conservative side, partly to please her parents, but partly because she wasn’t comfortable showing so much skin.

The only thing she noticed in her closet was a black mini skirt and pink tank top with rhinestones around the low cut collar. She didn’t have much cleavage to show, so it didn’t matter how low cut the top; it wasn’t going to be sexy.