A Kiss To Build a Dream On Read online

  The mug rattled again, and the sound system went silent.

  “Hey now!” Ivy said. “Don’t punish me because you two can’t get along. Turn the music back on.”

  The music blared for a moment then went back to its normal soft volume.

  “That’s better.”

  “And what is going on in here?” Alcide Santiago said as he stepped into the bar. His sheer size intimated most and kept problems to a minimum. Even during the more raucous party times, like Mardi Gras, things ran smoothly. He was as old as Ivy, Josey, and, if she were still a living, breathing human, Lucy. In the 1920s, when the place had been a bordello, Ivy and Lucy had been working girls. Josey, the madam. Alcide had arrived when Josey had been turned. As her daytime protector, his heart was forever linked to hers. As long as her heart beat, so did his. The voodoo priestess had seen to it. For over two hundred years, they had worked in and run the Chateau Rouge.

  “Having an after-shift drink and chat,” Ivy said. “Why don’t you join us?”

  “I believe I will.” He crossed over to the bar area and served himself an Old Forester and Coke, then came back around to lounge against the wooden ledge. He reached into his inside suit pocket and pulled out a pewter cigarette holder. He pulled out a black cigarette, then lit it with an antique silver lighter.

  “You know you’re not supposed to smoke in here,” Ivy said.

  His lips twisted in a smile as he blew out the clove-scented smoke. “Who’s going to stop me?”

  Ivy shrugged, then grabbed the cigarette and took a drag herself. She flicked the ash, then gave the cigarette back.

  “You know he’s back, don’t you?”

  He meant Archer Grayson. Bar owner Josey Jacobson’s former lover. Dead lover, now returned.

  Alcide nodded. “Of course. Like I wouldn’t feel that quickening in my heart when she saw him.” He frowned. “This cannot end well.”

  “Now, Alcide, you don’t know that,” Lucy said, ever the optimist.

  “It didn’t work the last two times,” he stated. “Not when he was the gambler, not when he was the bootlegger. He died both times. I thought after all this time, it was over for good.”

  “You must go to Madame Vivian,” Lucy said. “She’ll know what to do.”

  Ivy took another drink. “What if Alcide is right? What if he’s going to die again?”

  “You are such a pessimist, Ivy.”

  “I’m a realist, Lucy. This is something I’m not sure even you can fix.” Ivy reached for one of Alcide’s cigarettes. She placed it between her lips and waited for Alcide to light it. She inhaled deeply, watching as the smoke rose up toward the ornate chandelier.

  “This time might do us all in.”

  “Chloe,” the man whispered as he reached out for her, one hand cradling the back of her head. His dark head bent down and pressed his lips softly to hers. He tasted like bourbon and dark chocolate. Chloe reached out for him, wanting more. She ran her hands across his suited chest, resenting the cloth that separated them.

  Chloe woke up to the sun shining through her open blinds. She had apparently forgotten to close them from the night before, so lost in thought after that kiss from Jared. Her first kiss after Chandler. From Jared. Her friend from high school. But he was no longer the same Jared. This was Jared 2.0, new and improved. Those muscles hadn’t been there in high school.

  She rolled out of bed and started a cup of coffee brewing. Yesterday, she had woken up in one of the biggest houses in Plano. A day later, she called a small hotel room in the French Quarter home

  Her first full day in New Orleans. What would she do? So many options flashed through her mind. Café du Monde for beignets and café au lait, tarot card readings, music at Jackson Square, Bourbon Street, the places from the ghost tour, the French Market. And she still needed to do the hotel tour with Josey.

  To top it all off, lunch with Jared.

  How in the world would she do it all?

  The coffee pot shuddered one last time, signaling it was done. Chloe grabbed the mug and added cream, then went and opened the French doors to go sit on the balcony. It was early, so she looked forward to enjoying the rising sun and the quiet before the craziness of the day.

  Phone in one hand, coffee mug in the other, she sat on one of the metal chairs. The sun was just beginning to make its way across the sky. She looked around and saw the couple that had been in the bar the night before. They looked just as alone as last night.

  She looked down at her phone. Chandler had not called or texted once. Not to even see if she’d made it to New Orleans. She hadn’t expected him to. They hadn’t been intimate or even on friendly terms in months. They were just going with the flow. Work, home, bed, repeat. The huge home was like a tomb, a monument to their dying relationship.

  The ad from the Chateau Rouge had been a godsend. She had sent her resumé in immediately. Thinking she didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell, she had gone about her business. When Alcide had called for an interview, she had almost dropped the phone. If she’d have known what he looked like when she did the interview, she probably would have.

  She took in a deep breath, relishing the early morning scent of humid earth and night blooming flowers. To her, it smelled like new beginnings and new adventures.

  Jared ran along the RiverWalk as the sun started peeking out over the horizon. The Mississippi flowed on one side, brown and swirling. The just now wakening New Orleans and French Quarter on the other. The only people out this morning besides a few other runners were people heading to work in the hotels, restaurants, and shops. One of those restaurants he would be going to with Chloe Devereaux later.

  His already beating hard heart sped up a notch as he thought of that sweet kiss the night before. It was everything he’d thought it would be. It was sunshine and exotic fruit. Bright and hot, but intoxicating.

  Where would he take her for lunch? Jared had been to New Orleans a few times in the past, so he wasn’t a complete stranger to the place. Someplace casual definitely. He wanted her to be relaxed. Maybe a small place somewhere near the Square so she could see all the sites. She had said this was her visit, and Jared was inordinately pleased that he could play tour guide for her. He wanted to go back to the Clair de Lune, that place looked intriguing. Maybe for dinner? He wouldn’t press his luck, but if the subject came up, he’d definitely pursue it.

  Chloe Devereaux, in the flesh and alone in New Orleans. It was an opportunity that he wasn’t going to let slip through his fingers.

  Chloe had just finished her second cup of coffee and was pondering a shower and beignets when the phone rang.

  “Ms. Chloe?” It was Alcide’s unmistakable deep voice.

  “Yes?”

  “I’m afraid that Josephine has come down with an illness and will be indisposed for the next few days. She’s asked that I take over responsibility for the hotel, and that would include giving you the hotel tour. I know that you have plans this weekend to see the city. When would you like to meet?”

  Chloe thought of the plans she had with Jared that afternoon. That was out. Her stomach growled, and she remembered that in all the excitement, she hadn’t eaten dinner the night before.

  “Perhaps you would like to come down and we can walk down for beignets.”

  Chloe wondered if the man could read her mind.

  He said, “I’ll meet you in the lobby in fifteen minutes, if that’s agreeable to you.”

  She nodded and realized he couldn’t see her acquiescence. “I’ll be there.”

  Chloe took a few minutes to apply a little bit of makeup and throw her hair up into a messy ponytail. She spied the discarded shirt Josey had let her borrow and grabbed it as she walked out the door.

  She held the shirt out as she came to the check-in desk. Franklin was working. “It’s nice to see you again, Franklin” she said. “Miss Josey let me borrow this shirt last night after I had a drink spilled on me.”

  “Oh yeah, Ms. Chloe, we have your other sh
irt here. We can bring it up later, if you would like. I see you’re going out? We can put that polo with it. Ms. Josey said you could keep it. Since you’re going to be working here.”

  Even sick, she still thought of Chloe and the misfortune that had happened. Although, now it seemed like less of a bad thing, and more of something with potential. Her cheeks warmed as she thought of Jared again.

  Alcide stepped into the lobby at that time. “Ms. Chloe, are you ready?”

  She smiled, “Very! I’ve been dying to try some beignets.”

  “Then we will go to Café du Monde.”

  He nodded to Franklin. “You will call me should you need anything. Josephine is not to be disturbed.” Chloe noted the way he called her Josephine and not Josey or Ms. Josey, as everyone else did.

  “Yes, Mr. Alcide. She is okay?”

  “Yes, it’s only a temporary infirmity. She should be fine in the next few days.” Chloe noted how he frowned as he said “infirmity.” “I checked on her just this morning.”

  “Good deal. Tell her I said I hope she feels better soon.”

  Chloe noticed how everyone at the Chateau Rouge treated each other like family. Like they had known each other for years. She liked that, and it was a good sign that she was going to be very happy here. Having lost her mother to cancer in high school, then her father a few years later, it had been a long time since she’d felt any real familial ties.Chandler’s family didn’t count. They had never really accepted her. Being from her town’s upper crust, they had always felt she was a step beneath them. A charity case. The poor orphan.

  “Come cher,” Alcide motioned to the door, “let me show you some of our beautiful city.”

  As they walked into the bright morning sun, a soft breeze blew around them, reminding Chloe that it was October and winter was just around the corner.

  “How cold does it get here in the winter?” Chloe asked.

  “It depends. Some winters are colder than others. Generally, we have a few colder days, but most are pleasant. A light jacket in the mornings and evenings are all you would need.”

  They turned on to Bourbon Street, and Chloe grabbed her phone to start snapping pictures of the Halloween decorations in the daylight. All kinds of ghosts, goblins, witches, and ghouls peered down at them from wrought iron balconies. Skeletons dangled from the balconies, some wearing witch’s hats or pirate patches. Signs advertising special “potions” and parties were posted in bar windows. They passed by one spirited bar that advertised a drink called “Resurrection” that was served in a blinking skull mug. Chloe made a mental note to come back by.

  “You missed our Halloween parade last weekend,” Alcide said. “It’s always great fun. The Chateau Rouge has its own float. We ride in it every year. Next year, you will have to ride with us.”

  “Oh, I would love too! There are so many things I’m looking forward to! Jazz Fest, Mardi Gras, the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Do they really throw cabbages?”

  “Not so much throw as hand over. Those are a little rough to get hit in the head with,” Alcide said, smiling. “Those are the big touristy things, but I think you’ll also enjoy Christmas and New Years. For the holidays, the hotels decorate their lobbies, including us, of course. The lights, the trees, are all quite charming.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  “It’s Halloween Eve today, do you have plans?” Alcide asked.

  “I just want to be out in the Quarter and see everything that I can see.”

  “You will have a good time. I must caution you, though, against wandering too far alone.”

  She thought of Jared. “I may not be alone.”

  Alcide raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly. “Funny how the Chateau Rouge and New Orleans seem to bring people together.”

  They turned on Rue St. Peter, heading in the direction of the river. Chloe continued to marvel at the beauty of the town. She could imagine the streets filled with horse drawn carriages instead of cars. She could almost hear the clip clop of hooves on the roadways.

  Soon, they were nearing Jackson Square. Music from street musicians rang out through the area, and the spicy scent of Creole food from a restaurant on the corner filled the air. The tall doors were open to the sidewalk so that patrons could watch the people walk by while they enjoyed their red beans and rice, jambalaya, or other South Louisiana dish.

  They passed tarot card readers, artists with their colorful paintings hung on the high fences, the homeless people on the metal benches. She hesitated for a moment, reading the bright sign of a card reader.

  “If you’d like your cards read, I highly recommend Madame Vivian at Enchantée on Royal Street. She’s considered to be the best in town. I would offer to escort you later, but I’m afraid my time is limited today. Perhaps some other time?”

  “I would like that.”

  “Excellent. Would you like to step into the cathedral? It is quite breathtaking if you’ve never seen it.”

  “I would.”

  “I will wait out here for you. Take your time.”

  Chloe opened the door and was struck instantly by the quiet of the vestibule, the peace. There was small table with red votive cups, some candles lit already, and a holder full of thin sticks used for lighting. Although Chloe hadn’t been raised Catholic, she had a deep respect for the religion. After she tucked a couple of dollars in the donation box, she lit a candle, taking a moment to say a quiet prayer of thanks. Thanks that she had finally left Chandler. Thanks that she was following her heart. And thanks that she felt like she had found her home.

  Alcide watched Chloe enter the cathedral. As she disappeared into the centuries-old building, he reached into his jacket pocket to grab his silver cigarette case. He pulled out a clove cigarette and lit it. As he returned the case back into his pocket, he reached for the other object he always carried with him. A gold oval locket on a thin chain. He opened it to gaze at the portrait inside. The picture had faded slightly with time, but one could still clearly see the dark hair, the brown eyes, the face that looked exactly like the woman’s who had just walked into the Cathedral.

  Chloe walked further into the sanctuary in stunned silence. The beauty took her breath away. Wooden benches were lined up on a cream and black tiled floor. Flags from the USA, France, and others she didn’t recognize lined the second-story balcony. Gazing up, she admired the ornate and intricate paintings on the ceiling. The entire room was quiet, almost silent. The only sounds were the people coming into the sanctuary to admire it just as she was. She would have to attend mass here and get the full experience. She took a last look around, then turned to leave. She didn’t want to keep Alcide waiting too long.

  As she opened the doors to exit, she was struck again by the contrast of sound versus quiet. The church had been so peaceful that she had almost forgotten the chaos of the Quarter was only steps away. The loud sound of the calliope on a steamboat punctuated the thought.

  She spotted Alcide just at the bottom of the stairs, finishing off a cigarette. She smiled as she joined him. “It was breathtaking.”

  “That’s what most people say.”

  “You haven’t been in there?”

  “I have, but it’s been many years.”

  His voice tightened and trailed off, and Chloe decided to drop the subject. “I think I’m ready for those beignets. Are we close?”

  The light returned to his eyes, “Yes. Not far at all.”

  He led the way across the Square and soon they were standing in line near the cafe’s green and white striped awning. A guy with dreads played a trumpet for the patrons waiting in line, an instrument case at his feet filled with one and five dollar bills and copies of his CD. Chloe closed her eyes and listened to his rendition of the Louis Armstrong classic, A Kiss to Build a Dream On, and smelled the sweet smell of the doughnuts she would soon be consuming.

  The line moved quickly and soon they were seated at a small round table by the wrought iron railing. Pigeons strutted around the open-air cafe, waitin
g for a small morsel to drop to the floor, or be thrown from a generous tourist.

  “Is Ms. Josey really going to be okay?” Chloe asked, concerned about her new boss. She had been so kind the night before.

  Alcide’s dark eyes clouded even more. “She will be fine, I assure you, in a couple of days. Continue to enjoy your days here before you get started with work.”

  The waitress returned with the little square doughnuts liberally powdered with white sugar.

  “You sure you don’t want any?” she asked Alcide.

  “I’m afraid my diet doesn’t allow such things,” he smiled, “but you enjoy.”

  Chloe reached out for the warm pastry as delicately as she could, considering all the sugar and how it was already falling all over the place. She took a bite, relishing the sweetness. She washed it down with a sip of the strong café au lait she had ordered.

  “Is it everything you thought it would be?” Alcide asked.

  “Definitely.”

  Alcide made small talk while she finished her breakfast. They talked about New Orleans, about the hotel and the workers, and about Halloween. For her to be so scared of him at first, he was really pleasant to be around. Being in his presence was more comfortable than some people she’d known all her life.

  Finally, she leaned back in her chair after taking one last bite and one last drink of her coffee. “I’m done.”

  He motioned to the waitress, who appeared immediately. He paid the bill and stood, his large frame towering over the customers seated at the tables nearby. Chloe watched as people looked at him in wonder, then averted their eyes. He truly was intimidating.

  He lit another of his wonderful-smelling clove cigarettes as they made their way back to the Chateau Rouge.

  “I have so many things I want to do this weekend that I can’t figure out where to start,” she said.

  “Cher, you’re going to be living here now. You have all the time you need. One thing you need to learn about New Orleans and the South is there’s no need to rush. Just enjoy.”