Ghost Walk

“Actually, he looked like he might be pretty handsome if you cleaned him up a bit,” Andy said.

“You gave a bum a twenty?” Mitch, their out-of-towner, a blonde from Pittsburgh, demanded. “Wow…you’re making a lot more in tips than I am.”

“She’s cuter,” Patricia told him.

“He just seemed really needy,” Nikki explained. “So let’s get past this moment, shall we?”

“No, I like this conversation. All work and no play, Nikki…” Nathan, who was living with Patricia, teased.

“Actually,” Patricia said, eyeing Julian and then Nikki, “most people think you two are a couple.”

“Ugh,” Julian said.

“Thanks,” Nikki told him.

“No, no, that wasn’t about you,” Julian protested quickly.

“I know,” Nikki assured him. She stared at Patricia. “It’s just that we’ve known each other forever. It’s like a brother/sister thing. Now can we get down to business?”

But Nathan grinned, leaning forward. “Nikki, forget business. We’ve got to get you set up with someone.”

She sighed deeply. “I do not want to be set up with anyone.”

“Her last excursion into amore didn’t go so well,” Julian said with a dramatic sigh. “But, then, I did tell her not to date the creep.”

“I’ve never seen you date,” Patricia told her.

“That’s because she hasn’t in nearly a year,” Julian informed them.

“What? Why, that’s…un-American,” Mitch protested.

Nikki groaned, clenching her teeth. “He wasn’t a creep. He just wanted to go off to Hollywood and get rich and famous.”

“And he wanted Nikki to come along and support him while he did,” Julian said dryly.

“We had different agendas,” Nikki said firmly. “I love this business and I love New Orleans. I like California, but I want to live here. He really wasn’t a jerk.”

“Not a total jerk,” Patricia interjected. “He was really good looking, and he could be really sweet.”

“Sweet?” Mitch queried politely.

“Flowers, opening doors…the little things. But in the big things, he wanted his own way.”

“See, I just don’t think that she felt that thing for him, you know? Good-looking guy, charming…but when it’s just not there, it’s just not there,” Nathan said.

“Yeah, but if you always had to wait for it to be there,” Mitch laughed, “I’d spend a lot more nights alone than I already do. No wonder you’re so tense, Nikki.”

“I’m not tense,” Nikki said.

“Yeah, and if you don’t get off it, she’ll talk to Max and see that your ass is fired,” Patricia warned sweetly.

“Ouch!” Mitch said.

“Guys, please,” Nikki said. “I’m busy, and I’m discerning, and I take my time, okay? And right now we need to worry about work, okay?”

Julian turned to Andy. “Just how decent would this bum of hers be if we cleaned him up?”

“Pretty decent,” Andy said thoughtfully. “He just looked…down on his luck.”

“Okay, guys, playtime over,” Nikki said firmly. “Julian, Greg wasn’t that much of a creep, just a little self-centered. I had no intention of going anywhere with him, so it was fun, but it’s over. And thanks, but I don’t want to date the bum. I’m fine. I love my apartment, love my work and enjoy my friendship with all you guys. I’m normal, not tense, and when I want to date, I will.”

“Maybe she’s working the strip clubs at night under an alias,” Mitch teased. She shot him a glare from blue-green eyes. He lifted his hands. “I’m going to behave now. Really.”

“Okay, guys, I’ve got notes from Max. Mitch, you’re welcome to introduce any new story, as long as you validate it first. Julian, if anyone makes you feel uncomfortable on the walks, tell them you’re married.”

“What?” Julian said, startled.

Nikki shrugged. “That’s what Max said to tell you. He said it works for him all the time.”

“Oh, really? Who would be trying to pick up old Max?” Julian demanded.

“Oh, come on,” Patricia protested. “Max is cute—in a creepy kind of way.”

“Great. I say I’m married, then when the right person comes along…they think that I’m married or a liar,” Julian said. “There goes my social life.” He groaned. “I’ll end up like Nikki.”

“Oh, come on, will you guys please, please leave me alone?” Nikki demanded.

“That bum is looking better and better,” Julian said to Nathan.

“You didn’t even see him,” Nikki protested, irritated.

“We’re just trying to help,” Nathan said.

“I don’t want to be helped,” Nikki snapped. “Hey—work on Andy for a while, huh?”

On cue, they all turned to stare at Andy. She laughed. “Nikki, they don’t know me as well. I won’t be nearly as much fun to torture.”

“Besides, Andy is a flirt,” Nathan said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“Really?” Andy said.

“Yeah, really,” Mitch assured her.

Andy giggled. “Okay…I am a flirt. I admit it.”

“You can flirt with me anytime,” Julian teased.

“And if he’s not around, and you’re looking for a good solid Yankee boy…” Mitch suggested.