of the harbor. All the makings for a nice evening were there, if only the bad memories trying to bully their way in would abate. Chloe decided to avoid the busy restaurant and climbed the steps to the outdoor entrance to the bar, feeling more nervous by the second. She reminded herself that what had happened when she was in college was not going to happen tonight, and used all the tricks she’d relied on over the years to give herself courage to push past the bad memories: lifting her chin, breathing deeply, and most importantly, believing in herself.
She stepped into the crowded bar and scanned the room for Madigan. The rustic bar had a rougher vibe than Chloe’s usual hangout, with marred wood walls and scuffed floors. The clientele seemed edgier, too, but that might have to do with the dozen or so men, both bearded and clean cut, wearing leather vests with Dark Knights’ patches and giving off a tough vibe. There were plenty of other men who weren’t bikers and were dressed in button-downs and slacks, shorts, and jeans, and dozens of women decked out in cute summer outfits. Conversation and laughter filled the air, but still a sense of heightened awareness engulfed Chloe.
“Chloe!” Madigan waved from a high-top table. Her mahogany hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders as she stepped off the chair, looking young and beautiful in a short, flowy aqua-and-white sundress. “I’m so happy you made it.” She hugged Chloe enthusiastically.
“Thanks for making time to meet.” Chloe climbed onto a chair. “I love your dress.”
Madigan took her seat across from Chloe and said, “I got this when I was in Spain last spring. I bought it in three colors because I loved it so much.”
“You really are a world traveler. The puppeteering business must be booming.”
“I have no idea what is going on, but all of a sudden I’m getting all sorts of offers, and not just for puppeteering. I also play guitar and do storytelling gigs, and I write the Mad Truth greeting cards.” The Mad Truth About Love line of greeting cards made light of the harder aspects of relationships.
“I had no idea you played guitar or created those cards. I love them. How do you come up with so many new ideas?”
“Having your heart crushed to smithereens makes it easy to poke fun at love. Needless to say, I’m firmly rooted in the true-love-doesn’t-exist-for-Madigan-Wicked camp.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Madigan leaned forward and said, “Let’s keep the whole heartbreak thing between us. That’s a long, painful story that my brothers know nothing about. And trust me, I don’t need the men in my life getting up in arms.”
“Don’t worry. I would never say anything.” Chloe wondered what up in arms really meant. “It must be hard having such overprotective brothers.”
“Brothers, father, uncles, cousins.” Madigan shrugged and said, “When you’re the daughter of the Dark Knights’ president, you’re considered the club princess. Everyone watches out for me.”
“Is that why you travel so much? To get away from their eagle eyes?”
Madigan shrugged. “Not really. They might be overprotective, but I miss them like crazy when I’m away. I just love to travel and meet new people. That’s why I’m not sure what I’ll do about the offers I’ve been getting. There are some cool storytelling gigs, and of course puppeteering, but I’m also being wooed to expand my Mad Truth line into other areas. The trouble is, most of the offers require pretty heavy travel. My grandfather fell recently and landed in the hospital. He’s okay, but it made me realize that I may not have much more time with him. I think I’m going to be sticking around here for a while.”
“Justin told me about your grandfather. I’m glad he’s all right, and I’m sure your family is happy that you’ll be sticking around.”
“They are. I’ve been looking forward to talking with you all afternoon. I can’t wait to hear what you have in mind.”
“I’m on a fact-seeking mission,” Chloe said. “As the director of LOCAL, I’m always on the lookout for new programs for the elderly. I’d like your insight on using puppets to help patients with dementia. Have you ever heard of that, or worked with the elderly?”
“Yes. Puppetry has been used with the elderly for quite some time. Other countries seem to have a better, or more widely recognized, grasp of how beneficial puppetry can be for a host of issues, not just with the elderly. I studied overseas, and