“I’m in the kitchen if you need me.” He sauntered off with a smug smile and I followed him with my eyes. The angry guy at the bar got my attention again. He didn’t leave a tip.
I guess I deserved it, in some way. I was distracted. Then Joshua came over about halfway through the night. I assumed they were playing some kind of game with me. They must be angry that I was with each of them. I should have known better, I should have known that they would find out. They are best friends, they own this bar together, on top of that they know everything going on with the bar.
“Hey, you’re that bartender from last night.” The place was more crowded even still, so I barely heard the guy at the bar.
He was younger, maybe a reporter or a journalism major in college. I didn’t see any harm in talking to him.
“Uh, yeah I am.” I topped off his draft beer.
“Thanks. You just started, didn’t you?” He asked. His eyes wandered across my body, but I didn’t think anything of it.
“Yeah. Yesterday.”
“Damn. Rough start.”
“Little bit…you go to school here?” I asked him.
“Yeah. My friends are playing pool, but I’m no good at it.” He answered.
It was nice talking to him, it took my mind off of everything I was thinking about. He was an average college student, trying his way at flirting. It was subpar, but cute anyway. I knew it wasn’t going anywhere but that’s what us bartenders do, talk to the people who just want someone to listen.
He left a really good tip before he went off to find his friends. I wasn’t sure if it was just because of the day, but the place was even more packed than the day before. Maybe Kellan was right about publicity not being bad. But people still kept asking about the day before, some were girls just gushing about how jealous they were of a guy fighting for me.
Everyone knows the owners and how hot they are. So, I didn’t blame them. Still, I just wanted to make drinks and not talk about it at all.
Chapter Nine: Alexa
Austin was right about the printers being off. I told the customers and they didn’t mind it, they were pretty patient with me running to the kitchen to relay the orders I wrote down.
“How is it going?” Austin took a break from cooking and leaned over on the food tray. His skin glistened with a sheen of sweat from how hard he was working, and also how hot the kitchen was. I could feel it from where I was standing.
“Okay. What about you?” I peered in the kitchen. It looked incredibly busy, but it always was.
“Nothing new. But how have you been doing?” He reached out and touched my arm, a soft expression falling over him. His eyes softened as he peered at me with worry.
“Oh. I’m fine. I was just…worried about Kellan.” I said nervously. I thought he wanted me to say that, wanted me to slip and tell him I slept with Kellan. And had hot, steamy sex in the shower. How is it I can think about that and still be so attracted to Austin? To all of them. It doesn’t make sense.
“Yeah. He’s alright. Had worse…we were all worried about you. We didn’t think you would come in today.”
I furrowed my brow. “That would be unprofessional. I’d never skip a shift.” I defended myself. And I did believe they were worried about me. They are easily kind that way. But were they also angry at what I did? I couldn’t even tell. Austin sounded like he was flirting, but also trying to get me to say something.
“I know. You’re a good bartender. You like it here? Besides the asshole customers…” he smiled and laughed. I liked his laugh, easy and booming. It made me laugh too.
“I do like it. I don’t think there will be a lot more of that anyway. Now that people know how good a fighter Kellan is.” I giggled nervously. I could even still see it, the way he wailed on that guy like it was nothing. It wasn’t even scary, not like he had an anger problem or something. It was a very controlled rage.
“Nah, there aren’t. I promise. You want to take a break?” His fingertips trailed across my collarbone, softly. I nearly moaned just from his touch. I wanted to take him back in that supply closet more than anything. But I thought it was a test, I mean it had to be right? They seemed pretty heated this morning and I could only guess what it was about. Guys like them don’t seem like they keep secrets at all.
“I do…but I shouldn’t. I don’t want to leave them waiting.” I gestured to the full bar. I hoped it was a good enough answer. What if he thought I didn’t like him? That I was going for Joshua or Kellan instead?
Why was I even worried about that shit? I had put myself in an awful position yet again. My libido is a bitch.
“Hmm. How professional. You’re killing me.” He smiled that sexy smile that made my toes curl and my knees wobble. Then he kissed my hand and sent me back off to the bar. I don’t know how he reached over, but he smacked my ass on the way there too.
Only it wasn’t him. It was Joshua. Why would he do that in plain sight of Austin?
“Hey.” I said nervously as I walked back to the bar.
He slung his arm casually over my shoulder and walked me back to the bar. Once there he leaned against the cashier box and I took more orders, topped off more drinks. I turned to face him and he pulled me in closer to him. I couldn’t read the expression on his face. His eyes were glazed over with…desire. I think.