by C. K. Martin
By the time she was set up, Hayley came over with her drink. ‘One flat white.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Do you still need the wifi password?’
‘Yup.’
‘Password. All lower case.’ Hayley gave her a grin and walked off.
‘You make people buy a drink for that?’ Kate called after her.
‘Be grateful I didn’t make you order food,’ Hayley shot back and Kate couldn’t stop the chuckle. It wasn’t even funny. Whatever it was that she found attractive about Hayley, she had it bad.
She typed in the password and waited for it to connect. It wasn’t exactly one of the co-working spaces she had been used to in Thailand, but it was light-years away from the experience she was having at Pablo’s.
The coffee was better too, she thought, appreciating the taste from the very first sip. Tea and coffee came free with the hostel kitchen, a nice touch, but it was the supermarket’s own basic variety. Enough to give her what she needed to get out of bed each morning, but hardly a taste sensation in her mouth.
Unlike Hayley, a childish voice in the back of her mind giggled.
No, nothing was quite like Hayley. She watched from over the top of her screen as the object of her sudden passions moved behind the bar with fluid ease. She was completely at home there. Kate wondered how many years it had been since she had bought the place. She stored the question away for later conversation.
There would be later conversation, she would make sure of that.
Right now, she needed to focus, she reminded herself. The longer it took to write the articles, the longer she would have to work. Here. No wonder she was dragging her feet. No article, no pay, she also reminded herself. And no pay meant no money for coffee. If that was the minimum entry requirement to be around Hayley for a few hours, then she would have to get moving.
Thirty minutes later the coffee was gone, but the second attempt at writing was also complete. Kate skimmed over the paragraphs. Yes, they were much better than the first draft. Far from perfect, but the bar had been subtly quiet enough to allow her to concentrate around the conversations going on. Over the years, she had grown used to tuning out the voices of others. Power tools were a different matter.
‘What are you doing?’ Hayley’s voice made Kate jump. The moment she’d stopped paying attention was the moment she made her move. ‘That’s a lot of time on Facebook.’
‘Ha ha, very funny. I’m writing an article. For my website.’
‘You must take it very seriously if you’re in here on a nice sunny day when you could be at the beach instead.’
‘There’ll be time for the beach. It’s there any day. This,’ she gestured at the screen, ‘needs to appear on my site tomorrow.’
‘Or what?’
‘Or I won’t get paid.’
‘Oh.’ Hayley didn’t seem to believe her.
‘I wasn’t trying to fool you when I said I wasn’t really a backpacker, you know. This is my job. It might not be behind a bar or sitting in an office, but it’s my career. I have to take it seriously.’
‘What on earth is there to write about here? This is the least exciting town I know.’ She leant forward and lowered her voice, giving Kate a view of her cleavage in the process. ‘I mean, have you looked at the clientele? Most of them are old enough to have a heart attack if anything interesting actually happened.’
‘You would be surprised.’
‘You’d better not be writing about this place.’ There was a smile on Hayley’s lips but something about her tone told Kate she was being serious. Stern, almost icy. It wasn’t like people to pass up free marketing. Hayley must know that Kate liked her enough that she’d only write a favourable review? It didn’t make sense that as a bar owner she wouldn’t want a boost in the Tripadvisor rankings. Kate stored the nugget of information away for later. She’d already worked out that Hayley wasn’t going to be pushed into talking about anything she didn’t want to.
‘No, I’m not writing about the bar. I might ask Pablo if I can write about the hostel though. Not yet, but when I leave. Right now, I’m not sure even the most skilfully worded article could convince people it was paradise if they saw any photos. He keeps promising that it’s nearly done. When it is, I think it will be popular with a lot of people.’
‘I still don’t know why young people would want to come here on their way to anywhere.’
‘Young people? Are you including yourself in that?’ Kate couldn’t help but take a soft jibe. She needed to know if it was part of the reason why Hayley seemed intent on pushing her away.
‘In comparison to this lot? I would have to. In comparison to a bunch of backpackers, then I’m sure they’d see it the other way around.’
‘Well one day soon I’ll surprise you.’
‘Oh really?’ Hayley seemed amused that Kate would know more than she did.
‘How long have you been here?’
‘Twelve years.’ It rolled off the tongue, as if Hayley had been crossing the days off the calendar. Everything this woman said made her seem more and more interesting.
‘Long enough that you’ve stopped seeing the things in front of you. It’s completely normal. We all become immune to the place we stay in for a long time.’
‘Is that why you keep moving?’
‘One of the reasons. I love waking up to something I’ve never seen before. Especially when the culture is so different. I love that life can continue to be so exciting.’
‘Are you calling my life here dull?’
‘Now you’re just putting words into my mouth.’ Kate kept smiling. There was a chance she had offended but she needed to push her way through it if she had. ‘But one day I’ll show you everything with a fresh pair of eyes.’
‘I have to go.’ Hayley looked up as another elderly couple came through the door. Was that all it was? Kate thought she’d leapt at the excuse to escape. Was a day out together really such a bad prospect? It had been such a long time since Kate had been in a relationship with anyone, but she could spot commitment issues a mile off. Hayley definitely had those and then some.
She watched as Hayley made her way back around the bar to get her small notebook. She glanced back at Kate as she walked over to the table where the couple were settling themselves in. Then it was all professional, all cheery service, as if Kate wasn’t there at all. As if they’d not had a conversation that had been steadily working its way towards them going on a date together.
A day date, but a date nonetheless. She just needed to make sure Hayley didn’t realise it.
#
An hour later and she was doing the final checks on her article when a plate appeared on the table next to her. She’d been so engrossed she hadn’t noticed the time tick by. The plate was joined by another flat white and she grinned in appreciation. ‘What’s this?’
‘You looked like you were working so hard I thought you might forget to eat.’
‘Unlikely,’ Kate looked at her watch. It was indeed later than she thought. ‘Or apparently not. Thank you.’
‘It’s nothing much. Just a little bit of tapas. The lunch service is beginning, so it was nothing to give you a little bit extra. Shit, you’re not a vegetarian are you? I can’t remember what you ate from Pablo’s barbecue.’
‘No. You’re safe.’
‘Good. There are Albóndigas, Chorizo al vino, Tortilla de patatas and Croquetas de jamón. Oh, and I thought you might like another coffee. I can get you some water as well if you want?’
‘You really didn’t have to do this. It all looks delicious.’
‘Pablo would tell me it wasn’t authentic, but it’s as close as you’re going to get in a bar run by an ex Englishwoman.’
‘How much do I owe you?’
‘It’s on the house.’
‘That doesn’t seem fair.’
‘See it as a thank you for bringing the average age down by a few decades. It’s made me feel a little less alone here today.’
&nb
sp; ‘In that case, you’ll definitely have to let me return the favour some time. You’ve shown me your life, so you’ll have to let me show you mine. You’ll enjoy it, I promise. No pressure,’ she hastily added when she saw that look of refusal beginning to show in Hayley’s eyes. ‘Think about it. I’ll be around for a while. There’s time.’
‘We’ll see.’ It was the closest thing to a compromise that Kate could hope for. ‘I’d better get back to it. Just shout if you need anything else.’
‘Will do. And thank you. I mean it.’ Kate watched as Hayley walked away again, stopping to chat to another couple she clearly knew. The woman made no sense. How could she go from frosty as hell one moment and bringing her free food the next? Not that Kate was ever going to complain about free food. She stuck her fork in the Albóndigas and put a piece in her mouth. Hayley might have downplayed the authenticity of the food, but it still tasted amazing. The meatball dissolved on her tongue, filling her mouth with the flavour of ground beef and fresh tomatoes. Despite her extensive travels, Kate wasn’t much of a foodie. Certainly not in comparison to some of the people she had met along the way, who seemed to live for the chance to try a new dish every day. For Kate, good food was just an added bonus.
Even so, as she tried a bit of Chorizo al vino next, she knew that this was worth it. No wonder the bar had so many regular customers. This was the kind of food you came back for.
Which was a real waste, given that Hayley had seemed anti-marketing. Perhaps she thought an influx of new customers seeking it out as part of their holiday experience would destroy the vibe. She could understand that. There were plenty of places she knew of that had been ruined by a viral internet campaign. With more custom than they could handle, quality suffered. They’d withered and died in the end. There was no point in burning too brightly to sustain the flame. Perhaps Hayley had been through something like that already. After all, if she’d kept the place running for this long, she must know more about business than Kate did, running her little solo venture from her laptop and backpack.
The thought reminded her once again that she should be working, not spending her time agonising over the inner thoughts of a woman she’d spent one night with. It didn’t matter that it was the most amazing night she could remember. Hayley had made it very clear that it wouldn’t happen again.
But Hayley had also brought her tapas when she could just as easily have spent the morning ignoring her. If there was even the slightest crack between her words and how she really felt, then Kate knew that there could be a chance. All she had to do was to take it.
She popped another piece of chorizo into her mouth and went back to work, letting the thought settle in her brain. Hayley was too skittish to say yes to anything too obvious. Which meant that Kate needed to become her friend first.
An email alert pinged on the screen in front of her. As she opened it, her brain was already hatching a plan to see Hayley again.
Chapter Five
Changeover day at the two big hotels just along the coast was always Hayley’s favourite day. She had to be the only business owner in the town who enjoyed the evenings when it was quiet. The local economy had taken a hit over recent years when several of the hotels had swapped to become all-inclusive resorts. With all the food and drink they could handle on site, fewer people ventured down into the town. A handful of businesses had closed. Many more were barely hanging on.
She didn’t have a family to support and she had money in the bank to get her through the lean times. If she could break even most of the year and turn a profit in high season, then that was good enough for her. Besides, she had resisted turning it into a British bar. Now she had been here for long enough that on many evenings, such as this one, it was mainly locals who filled her tables. It was just the right amount of work for Marco to be able to handle himself most of the time. The locals expected slow and relaxed service. Here, they sometimes got it in spades.
‘What are you thinking eh?’ Pablo asked and she realised she had drifted off.
‘I was just thinking about this place.’
‘You are doing well, yes?’ Pablo looked around the bar, spotted someone he knew and waved. ‘Is everything ok?’
‘Yes, everything’s fine. What about you? How is the hostel coming along?’
‘Every day, a new job. The walls, the ceiling, the pipes, the heating. One thing then the next thing and I am but a man on my own.’
‘I’m sure you’re doing fine.’
‘But perhaps, with a little more help, I could do better?’ he grinned at her. Typical Pablo, always out for something. She resisted the urge to reach over the bar and punch him on the shoulder.
‘You decided to do this thing. I warned you to get everything finished before you started allowing people to stay.’
‘But they are paying me money!’
‘Which you’re giving back to them in free food because you feel so bad about the mess. I may not understand business like the Hotel Vista Mar, but I know enough to know you won’t make any profits that way.’
‘The Hotel Vista Mar,’ Pablo spat, ‘does not understand the needs of the everyday man.’
‘Oh dear lord, here we go,’ Hayley muttered.
‘Only the rich can afford to stay at the Hotel Vista Mar. What about those who wish to see our beautiful ocean? The ones who want to eat our local food? See our local culture? The ones who are like me, just a poor boy, from a poor family?’
‘Have you been listening to British radio again by any chance?’
‘That is not the point,’ he grinned. ‘The Hotel Vista Mar, it does not offer any of that. The people stay there and they just lie in the sun all day, eating burgers and drinking cheap Irish Cream. That is not Español. That is their culture. But with the sun.’
‘I hate to break it to you, but that is exactly what most people up there want from a holiday.’
‘Then they are not welcome at Pablo’s,’ he said defiantly, pounding his fist on the bar. True to form, he had somehow made this a victory for his argument. Hayley couldn’t help but laugh.
‘So they don’t want you and you don’t want them. But you still need to get the people who do want to be there to pay you. It’s going to be great when it’s done, but you have to be careful. A few bad reviews and it will be all over before you get the chance to show them how amazing it could be.’
‘Exactly. Which is why I need some extra help to move things along. Think how much faster it could be with two sets of hands.’
‘I can think of several pairs of hands who could help you. People with actual building skills. People like your brother, for instance. Why don’t you ask them?’
‘Because they would expect to be paid.’
‘I’d quite like to be paid.’
‘No, you would not. The changing of money across hands would not be the act of friendship. I would not risk our friendship for something as meaningless as money.’
‘You’re quite the poet Pablo. For a cheap bastard.’
‘Thank you.’
‘I’m not sure it was really a compliment.’ She poured him another glass of beer. ‘Besides, I could call in your tab and take the summer off.’
‘Money ruins friendship, no talking about it,’ he wagged his finger in admonishment and took the beer anyway. ‘Besides, I can offer you something better than money in exchange for your help.’
‘And what is that exactly?’
‘One of my customers,’ he gave a huge grin.
‘Jesus, Pablo, you sound like a pimp. I didn’t realise you were planning on running that kind of place.’
‘What is this pimp mean?’
‘Never mind. I’m going to pretend I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘She has paid for another two weeks already. Plenty of chance for you to see her. You could paint.’
‘I’m not going to do your dirty work, for free I might add, just so I can see someone who happens to be staying there. That makes me feel creepy.’
‘I think she likes you too.’
‘Pablo, just let it go.’ He was teasing her now and that was fine, but she knew what he was like when he got his mind stuck on something. He was like a dog with a bone. Still, her heart leapt a little at the knowledge that Kate would be around for at least another two weeks. That meant there was a good chance that she would see her again.
She closed her eyes and mentally chastised herself. This was exactly what she had told herself she wouldn’t do. She was not going to get involved with anyone. More importantly, not someone like Kate. There were too many reasons why she shouldn’t and she was getting sick of reminding herself of them.
Was this what it felt like? Compulsive behaviour? She’d spent her adult life trying to outrun the thought she might lose control of her feelings, her sanity, one day. Was this just the start of it, some old familiar pattern she had somehow inherited? Passed down through her genes? It made her sick just to think about it.
‘But it is not right for me to paint the ladies bathroom, no?’
‘What?’ Hayley realised she had stopped listening again. Sometimes the ghosts in her head talked louder than the real voices in the room.
‘The ladies bathroom. It needs to be given its final paint. This is not a job for a man. I do not want to be in there if the ladies, they need to use it. You are a lady. You could help. Just this one small job.’
‘Small job?’
‘Maybe both ladies bathrooms?’
‘There’s a second one?’
‘It’s a big place,’ he shrugged. ‘Two bathrooms. You would be helping out a friend. What else would you do on your day off? Be alone, or spend it with me?’
‘But you’ve just said you won’t be there.’ Trying to argue with the man was like being a Kafka character sometimes.
‘I will be there after. For the food. The drinks. I will show you my best hospitality.’
‘I’m sure you will.’ Despite her earlier protests, it was tempting. He’d hit a nerve too; she never did anything on her day off. She usually stayed above the bar in her apartment, close at hand, in case Marco needed her for anything. He seldom did these days and nothing that couldn’t be dealt with via phone rather than in person.
