10 Lords
Once upon a dS chat, lucifuge_5 wondered where the stories about the Wildest Bar in Chicago from 'Chicago Holiday' were, particularly the one where Stella owns it.
Stella/RayK, Stella/RayV Het that happens almost entirely off-page despite being about the Wildest Bar in Chicago, and no warnings
Stella's ownership in the bar had been almost accidental.
Uncle Meleagar had given it to Stella as a wedding-slash-passing-the-bar present. Had it come from anyone else in the family, the implied insult would have been a certainty: disreputable and low-class, like her new husband. But with Uncle Meleagar, it was hard to be sure. Maybe it was an insult wrapped like a gift, but maybe it was meant sincerely as an investment for his newlywed niece. He was odd enough that it may never have occurred to him that it could be seen any other way -- and she really never wanted to know whether he'd owned it already or acquired it specifically for her.
"That place?" Ray's grin had been incredulous.
"I could sell it," she'd replied, oddly reluctant.
He just shrugged. "Whatever you want. It's yours." Then he put his hands on her hips and smiled at her, eyes dropping to her lips. "C'mere," he murmured, and she went, gladly.
Afterwards, she said, "I suppose I should at least have a look at it."
He curled her closer with one warm arm and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Okay. Just say when."
Over fifteen years later, Stella still owned the bar. She'd hired some good managers and cleaned the place up enough that it no longer qualified as seedy. 'The Wildest Bar' still catered to a particular clientèle. Charging a higher cover for non-erotic attire had reduced the number of 'tourists' and between that and the consistent enforcement of local laws, the bar's reputation within the community had improved, and business had increased. Stella was rarely involved in the day to day running of the bar, and she and Ray hadn't been there in months, so the phone call came as something of a surprise. Though she didn't mind the timing, as it ended -- or at least paused -- the latest argument.
"That was Bertie," Stella said, walking back into the living room. "There's been a raid at the bar."
Ray didn't turn away from the television, just jerked an abbreviated wave over his shoulder. The abrupt motion would have been more appropriate for giving the finger. She sighed and grabbed her purse. She didn't need to go -- she kept Hart on retainer for nights like this, and it was better to stay out of his way. But if they were up to the silent anger part of the evening anyway, she might as well see what she could do to get the place reopened as quickly as possible.
***
Stella and Ray had just settled in for the video -- popcorn popped, drinks poured and previews fast-forwarded -- when the phone rang. Of course.
"Excuse me."
Ray smiled and paused the tape. "Anytime."
She smiled back, as she picked up. She loved this part of dating, the stage when everything was still polite, or innuendo, or both. Unfortunately, the caller was Bertie with a problem at the bar.
"I'll be right over," she said, hanging up.
"Problem?"
"Yes, at my investment business."
"Raincheck?" Ray looked disappointed but trying to hide it. She was disappointed. Stella didn't care much about the movie, but she'd been looking forward to this date all week. Sure, they could try to reschedule, but their schedules were difficult to sync. And maybe it was best to know from the start whether her club was going to be a problem for him.
"Actually, I hope it won't take too long to straighten everything out. Would you want to come with me?"
Stella had been braced for a number of reactions when they pulled up to the club. "Are you serious? You own this bar?" followed by laughter had not been one of them, and she was getting a bit pissed.
Fortunately, Ray noticed and tried to get himself under control. "Sorry. I'm sorry," he said, fighting the laughter but apparently unable to control the smiling. "It's just Benny was arrested here once."
Stella's eyebrows shot up. "Constable Fraser was?"
Ray nodded, eyes twinkling with mirth. "He got caught up in a raid a couple years back; Welsh had to intervene."
"I remember that raid." She'd threatened a harassment suit afterwards; still had Hart's papers somewhere, though they hadn't ever filed. "So you're fine with..." She waved a hand at the club.
"I'm curious," he answered.
She smiled. "I can work with that. Let's go."
Stella/RayK, Stella/RayV Het that happens almost entirely off-page despite being about the Wildest Bar in Chicago, and no warnings
Stella's ownership in the bar had been almost accidental.
Uncle Meleagar had given it to Stella as a wedding-slash-passing-the-bar present. Had it come from anyone else in the family, the implied insult would have been a certainty: disreputable and low-class, like her new husband. But with Uncle Meleagar, it was hard to be sure. Maybe it was an insult wrapped like a gift, but maybe it was meant sincerely as an investment for his newlywed niece. He was odd enough that it may never have occurred to him that it could be seen any other way -- and she really never wanted to know whether he'd owned it already or acquired it specifically for her.
"That place?" Ray's grin had been incredulous.
"I could sell it," she'd replied, oddly reluctant.
He just shrugged. "Whatever you want. It's yours." Then he put his hands on her hips and smiled at her, eyes dropping to her lips. "C'mere," he murmured, and she went, gladly.
Afterwards, she said, "I suppose I should at least have a look at it."
He curled her closer with one warm arm and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Okay. Just say when."
Over fifteen years later, Stella still owned the bar. She'd hired some good managers and cleaned the place up enough that it no longer qualified as seedy. 'The Wildest Bar' still catered to a particular clientèle. Charging a higher cover for non-erotic attire had reduced the number of 'tourists' and between that and the consistent enforcement of local laws, the bar's reputation within the community had improved, and business had increased. Stella was rarely involved in the day to day running of the bar, and she and Ray hadn't been there in months, so the phone call came as something of a surprise. Though she didn't mind the timing, as it ended -- or at least paused -- the latest argument.
"That was Bertie," Stella said, walking back into the living room. "There's been a raid at the bar."
Ray didn't turn away from the television, just jerked an abbreviated wave over his shoulder. The abrupt motion would have been more appropriate for giving the finger. She sighed and grabbed her purse. She didn't need to go -- she kept Hart on retainer for nights like this, and it was better to stay out of his way. But if they were up to the silent anger part of the evening anyway, she might as well see what she could do to get the place reopened as quickly as possible.
***
Stella and Ray had just settled in for the video -- popcorn popped, drinks poured and previews fast-forwarded -- when the phone rang. Of course.
"Excuse me."
Ray smiled and paused the tape. "Anytime."
She smiled back, as she picked up. She loved this part of dating, the stage when everything was still polite, or innuendo, or both. Unfortunately, the caller was Bertie with a problem at the bar.
"I'll be right over," she said, hanging up.
"Problem?"
"Yes, at my investment business."
"Raincheck?" Ray looked disappointed but trying to hide it. She was disappointed. Stella didn't care much about the movie, but she'd been looking forward to this date all week. Sure, they could try to reschedule, but their schedules were difficult to sync. And maybe it was best to know from the start whether her club was going to be a problem for him.
"Actually, I hope it won't take too long to straighten everything out. Would you want to come with me?"
Stella had been braced for a number of reactions when they pulled up to the club. "Are you serious? You own this bar?" followed by laughter had not been one of them, and she was getting a bit pissed.
Fortunately, Ray noticed and tried to get himself under control. "Sorry. I'm sorry," he said, fighting the laughter but apparently unable to control the smiling. "It's just Benny was arrested here once."
Stella's eyebrows shot up. "Constable Fraser was?"
Ray nodded, eyes twinkling with mirth. "He got caught up in a raid a couple years back; Welsh had to intervene."
"I remember that raid." She'd threatened a harassment suit afterwards; still had Hart's papers somewhere, though they hadn't ever filed. "So you're fine with..." She waved a hand at the club.
"I'm curious," he answered.
She smiled. "I can work with that. Let's go."