Journey Of Hearts

17. Ache

One swipe of lipstick and I am set to go out the door.

Just as I finish, there is a knock at the door and I walk over to it after putting the lipstick into my clutch. I open the door and Frankie's eyes bulge. "Girl! If I knew you hid a body like that then I might have suggested a long time ago you flaunt that." His finger going up and down over my body.

"This is just the best thing I can wear to the bar and not stand out." I roll my eyes in the almost low cut and short dress the color of midnight, it still covers any breast tissue and goes to right above my knees. "You look great." I smirk looking over his very colorful button up shirt and skin tight leather pants.

"Think it is good enough to get some skin tonight?" Frankie puts his hands out to the side and waves them around making me laugh.

"Definitely." I nod and step outside, turning to lock up the door before we walk down the steps to our cars. "Follow in behind me."

Frankie nods.

I get in my car and drive over to the next town and park around the back as Frankie parks next to me. I get out and fix my flat, as it digs into my heel. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to break in the new shoes tonight but it is the best pair to match the dress.

"Shall we?" Frankie puts an elbow out and I laugh taking it before we walk around the building through the front door after showing the bouncer our ID.

"Miss Stella. Pleasure seeing you here again. It has been to long." He smiles but smirks looking over Frankie.

"It has Victor." I smile and pat his arm. "Large crowd tonight?"

"On a Friday, you know it." He smirks as I open the door and the beat of the bass even louder vibrating through my body that my ears already picked up on from outside the building.

Frankie follows in behind me as I walk up to the bar past all the men dancing together on the floor. Many of the tables and chairs unoccupied currently.

"Max!" I squeal as I make it to the bar and lean against the counter top.

"Stella! My sweet girl is back finally." Max throws his hands in the air before leaning over the bar and hugging me tight, lifting me off the ground until I squeaked. "Who is this fine specimen you have with you tonight?"

"Max this is Frankie, my teaching assistant." I smile wide. "Frankie, this is Max, a long time friend of mine and owner of this bar."

They shake hands and I sit on the stool.

"What can I get you to drink?" Max eyes Frankie and Frankie's cheeks heat up before Max looks to me. "I know you want a soda." I nod and Max turns to Frankie.

"Vodka." Frankie nods and Max goes to getting the drinks for us.

"There you both are." Max smirks as he places shots down for Frankie and my soda before he is called to the other end of the bar.

"You drink soda at a bar?" Frankie smiles as he leans on the counter and shoots his shots back.

I shrug. "I'm driving home, as we don't live close enough to Uber and if you don't score a date then I have to drive us both home. This time of year with tourists, I can't get a hotel room in town or I would have a glass of wine. Max opened this place when he turned twenty-one and wanted to be his own boss, since he moved here right after high school to take care of his grandmother, she passed away two years ago. Max is from the last town I lived in before coming here we met in middle school."

Frankie gets served more shots by Max as he passes us serving other customers. "I know that there is probably good stories being friends this many years."

I nod and sip my soda.

"Out with it then girlie." Frankie laughs.

"Max was always my school dates before I moved." I snicker. "One year it was a themed danced and I was forced to wear heels by my mom." My eyes rolls.

"Poor Stella here couldn't walk so I had to carry her around." Max leans against the bar with a smirk.

"I didn't have to be carried around but you got huffy about how slow I had to walk." I giggle and sip more wine.

"I was only 'huffy' because you ended up spraining your ankle when you still went to fall while holding my hand." Max chuckles.

"Everyone thought we had the prince and princess parts played to well for that dance."

Frankie laughs.

"Still won the crowns that night." Max smirks and I nod, before he curses and goes to being called again.

Frankie shares some of his funny stories and one involved a run in with his neighbors mini dog. That dog still has a claim on a sock of his, making me laugh when Frankie talks about leaving his house and that dog chewing on the sock.

Max comes over gets to talking more with Frankie. I pull my phone out and scroll through social media a bit, before noticing the bar needing some help. More like Max and Frankie needing help so they can keep talking. I put my phone back in my clutch and walked around the bar taking the towel from Max and snapping it over his bottom.

"Stella." Max squeals and I smirk.

"Get out there and flirt. I got the bar." I smile as Max's cheeks turn red before thanking me profusely.

I begin taking orders and filling drinks then taking payment. The hours fly by and Victor comes in calling that the bar shuts down within thirty minutes, I take last round orders then begin cleaning some glasses just as my eyes find Max and Frankie for the first time in almost four hours.

I whistle and they both blush. Max comes behind the bar and helps clean up as I wiggle my eyebrows at Frankie who has his hair all shagged compared to the style he had it in when I last saw him.

"Thanks Stella." Max pats my back.

"Anytime."

"No, thank you massively. I hadn't met anyone like Frankie before." Max's voice softens and it melts my heart.

"Glad I could help. It is fun being a match maker." I tease.

"Now to find you a beau." Max smirks and it is my turn for my cheeks to heat as Frankie rests against the bar counter again.

"Oh, I think Stella already has one." Frankie smirks.

"I need dets."

"Later." I laugh. "I have to get home and sleep before my second date with him." I look at my watch. "Tonight technically."

We all laugh and I wave to Max as Frankie tells me he is staying behind. I get in my car and feel as my feet ache and blisters formed on the back of my feet. The drive feels so long before I make it home and drag myself into the shower before falling into bed as my phone pings.