In the last entry,
I shared the beginning of Out Of The Ashes, with you. This blog entry will continue where we left off. If you haven’t read the actual BEGINNING, then I recommend you scroll down to read my previous blog post before reading this one. It has been my pleasure to share the start of my book with you. I hope you enjoy it.
The woman bartender
appeared quickly in front of Gabe, placing his plated burger in front of him along with a bottle of ketchup. She gave a brief smile and quickly walked away to grab a chilled wine glass and a bottle of chardonnay to pour for another customer.
Just as his dimpled bartender promised, the burger was just what Gabe needed. The crisp, salty fries were cooked to perfection and he washed it all down with the beer. Before he could even ask for another, the guy just appeared in front of Gabe with a knowing look.
“Ready for another cold one?” The bartender leaned over to grab Gabriel’s empty bottle.
“Yea, you have great timing,” Gabe said.
As the bartender reached into a refrigerator under the counter, Gabe took a better look at him. The guy was a little older than he was with slightly weathered good looks. His light brown hair was a little long, and he was around Gabe’s height. When he set the beer down, Gabe could see he had deep-set, dark eyes that smiled just like his dimples. Although he was tanned, somehow, Gabe knew it wasn’t from being on the lake a lot. This guy seemed more like the outdoorsy, working kind of guy, like Gabe himself. That and his hands looked rough like Gabe’s. This guy didn’t spend his time inside bartending for his main living, that was for sure.
“So what do you do?” Gabriel asked as he took a swig of beer.
“Well right now, I’m your friendly neighborhood bartender. But I dabble in many fields. How about you?” the bartender asked.
“I’m here with the contractors for the fire clean-up. I’m staying at the hotel.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t head out this evening like the others then. Don’t feel like going home for the weekend?” he asked.
“Let’s just say, I can be just as occupied here as there,” Gabe replied, having another pull on his bottle.
“Well, it’s a pleasure having you here. I know there are a lot of folks really grateful for any help speeding up the recovery process. That fire really kicked this community’s ass! Folks need hope, ya know?” The bartender looked behind Gabriel, through the glass window into the atrium area at some women heading into the bar.
Gabe turned his barstool to look at what the guy saw.
The woman behind the bar asked if someone could bring in more clean glasses from the kitchen. Gabe’s bartender asked if he’d excuse him for a minute and left through the doors into the kitchen.
As Gabe turned his attention back into the direction of the three women heading into the bar, the glass door swung open, and they entered. The first was a lovely blonde with typically over-highlighted hair, jeans and heels. The next was a brunette in a long-sleeved dress and high heeled boots. Finally, somewhat behind and entering more slowly, was a thin, honey haired girl with her head down. She wore simple jeans, tennis shoes, and an open flannel shirt with a tank-top under it. When she looked up in the direction of her friends, her light green eyes were piercing, and something caught in Gabriel’s chest.
Next Blog: The conclusion of the first scene in which Gabriel first laid eyes on Sarah McKinney.
Interviews on the horizon still, and some information shared with me from friends on moving forward. How is everyone doing out there? It’s all pretty unique to the survivors.
Don’t forget to comment on the book, your personal experiences with the Valley Fire, or any words you wish to share. Feedback is great!
