Secrets We Keep (Ruthless Sinners MC 3)
Chapter 2
Marlowe
We all know those girls who have perfect hour-glass figures, flawless skin, and naturally-thick, beautiful hair that women spend hundreds of dollars trying to replicate. With just a quick flicker of their long eyelashes and a feigned smile, everyone fawns all over them. Well, one of those girls would be my younger sister, Kate, in a nutshell.
From the moment Kate was born, she was a shining star. Everyone adored her, especially my parents. It didn’t matter what it was—clothes, toys, even jewelry—if she wanted it, she got it. If that wasn’t enough, it seemed she could do no wrong. Kate had perfect grades, wonderful friends, and even when she slipped up and made a mistake, there always seemed to be a valid reason why it was someone else’s fault—mainly mine.
I, on the other hand, was nothing like my sister. I had two left feet, curves in all the wrong places, and don’t get me started on my hair or skin. I wasn’t a complete troll, but I didn’t hold a candle to my sister. How could I? She was the one with all the expensive clothes and trendy, new hairstyles. My parents made sure of that. They also made sure she had cheer lessons, dance lessons, and everything in between. None of which was allowed for me. I tried not to let it bother me how I was always left in her shadow. After all, it wasn’t her fault she was God’s gift to humanity and the apple of my parents’ eyes. She couldn’t help the fact my parents never seemed to think about me unless there was something I could do for their precious Kate.
I did my best to swallow the hurt, but as the years went by, I grew tired of always being second best. I’d hoped going off to college would help, but my parents would only support my attending a nearby community college. I quickly learned why. They wanted me to be close so I could help out whenever they needed me. After years of pure and utter neglect, I’d had enough. I was done catering to Kate’s every whim, so I packed up my things and left San Antonio. I set off to Tennessee in hopes of making a life of my own and never looked back.
I’d like to say my big move went off without a hitch, but that was far from the truth. I left home with very little money, two years into a business degree, and absolutely no job prospects whatsoever. All I had was my unbreakable will and determination, but sadly, that just wasn’t enough. No one wanted to hire someone with no experience, so I got turned down for one job after the next. There were days when I worried I wouldn’t make it, but I finally caught a break when I found Crockett’s.
I didn’t have money for a place, so I’d spent the night in my car. When I woke up, I found a flyer for the small bar plastered across my windshield. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to see if they might be hiring. My clothes were a little disheveled, but I pulled my hair up in a ponytail, put on my best smile, and headed inside. Crockett’s was small and a bit on the rustic side with just a few booths along the wall and a couple of tables scattered about. The décor was lackluster at best, but the place was hopping. There wasn’t an empty seat in sight as I made my way through the crowd. When I reached the bar, I spotted an elderly lady with short gray hair and dark, round glasses. She was wearing a plaid shirt with baggy jeans and boots and didn’t seem to be in any hurry as she shuffled from one end of the bar to the other.
As soon as she looked in my direction, I waved and asked, “Hey, is the owner around?”
“You’re looking at her.” She stepped a little closer and asked, “Whatcha need, hun?”
“Hi. My name is Marlowe Davenport, and I was just stopping by to see if you might be hiring?” I asked, trying my best not to sound too desperate. “I’m new to the area, and I could really use a job.”
“Hmm.” She straightened her back and leaned to the side, trying to get a better look at me, then said, “You ever work in a bar before?”
“No, ma’am, but I’m a quick learner. Just tell me what you need me to do, and I’ll do it.” Worried she was about to send me packing, I smiled and said, “If you give me a chance, I promise you won’t regret it.”
“When can you start?”
“Anytime,” I answered excitedly.
“All right, then. We’ll give it a try and see if you can keep up.” As she reached into the cooler for another beer, she motioned her head to the doorway behind her. “There’s an apron in back. Grab it and start clearing the tables.”