I get up and head to the bar. Eric is there and I know he wants to know what happened, but I can’t tell him. Not right now. “Toss me a bottle of water, please.”
“You got it, Boss.” He bends down to the fridge, grabs the water and hands it to me. “I expect a full report when you get back.”
Turning toward the table, I shake my head. She’s gone. I rush over to see if she left a note. Anything. But nope. Just a few bills on the table to pay for her drinks and the book I ruined earlier. There’s no sign of her at all.
As frustrating as the whole night has been, I find a tiny bit of comfort. I pick up the book and carry it with me to the bar. She has to come back for it at some point.
Caroline left two hours ago and I’m still unsure what to make of things. Telling her ex I was her boyfriend was definitely a shock. But I’d do it time and time again. Even if it isn’t real. Anything to see the stress leave her body. To keep her from feeling small.
“So, are you going to tell us what happened when you were over there?” Eric is like a dog with a bone. He refuses to let it go. Angie is just as bad. She’s practically bouncing on her toes in anticipation.
“Not right now.” I pour another drink. “We still have customers and a job to do.”
“You’re no fun.” Angie sticks out her tongue. Considering she’s around my age, she can be so childish at times.
“She’s right.” Eric pushes past me to grab a bottle of liquor. There’s a crowd around the bar and we don’t have to sit here and chit chat.
The music coming through the speakers is just loud enough to drown out my thoughts. To keep me from wondering what everything means with Caroline. Now the focus is on serving our customers, and keeping them happy. As long as they are content, we don’t get shit from anyone in town and they keep coming back.
Most days I can’t believe I stay in this line of work. This isn’t the career my parents would have chosen for me. They wanted me to get a degree and land an office job. Something respectable. They needed me to be a good example for my sisters. They didn’t need that from me, though. Both of them went on to do their own thing. I chose bartending. It’s a job that will pay as long as people are coming to get drinks.
“Hey, Carlos,” a voice pulls me out of my thoughts. “Can I get a bloody mary?”
Stella is standing in front of me, waving her hands as if I can’t see her. “You know those are morning drinks, right? And tonight’s special is wine?”
“I would hope so considering I came up with the themes,” she laughs.
I roll my eyes. She may be the best thing that’s happened to the bar since I started working here. “Your wish is my command.”
“Don’t make it too spicy, though, Audrey will be pissed if it’s so hot she can’t drink it.” Ah, so the drink is for her cousin and not her. Stella is a wine girl through and through. I’ll never forget the time I gave her a beer and she spit it out across the bar. Luckily there weren’t any customers and we were doing a team building lunch.
“Gotcha. The usual for you, then?”
“Absolutely.” She leans against the bar, waiting for me to pour the drinks. “So, I hear you finally talked to Reaf’s sister.”
Dear God. Do they have a bet running on what will happen in my love life? Or lack thereof. “Well, it didn’t take long to make it to you.”
“Don’t blame Angie,” she holds up her hands in mock surrender, “she’s not the one who told me. Eric didn’t either. Reaf is the one that spilled the beans. I just happened to be in the room when Johnny was on speaker phone with him.”
Of course, he is. I swear he’s just as bad as the rest of them. “I’m assuming your cousins also know?”
“Naturally. Don’t worry about them. We have much bigger issues on our plate.”
“Like what?”
“Tiffany doesn’t like the direction I’m going with her wedding, and she’s getting hostile.”
“She better not try to beat your ass inside this building. I know you’re one of the partners, but I will throw all three of you out.”
Stella laughs and waves away the statement. “She may be wild, but even she knows to keep her cool in public…most of the time.”
Yeah, it’s the most of the time that has me worried. I’ve seen her when she gets mad and it isn’t pretty. “Here you go.” I hand her the drinks and she rushes back to their table, on the other side of the room. I didn’t even notice they came in. Shows how much attention I’m paying.
Our customers are finally starting to leave. Couples, and groups, make their way to the door after closing out their tabs. It may be a night of fun, but most of these folks still have work in the morning. Another perk of working in a bar…no getting up early. Except I have to tomorrow. I promised my mom I’d help her with her garden, and I don’t break promises to her.
Once everyone leaves, we start the cleanup process. Each of us taking a section and working our way toward the breakroom. I’m wiping down the bar when I feel a tap on my shoulder. “You can’t blame anything on the crowd now. Tell us what happened.”
Eric and Angie lean against the bar, and I don’t miss the way a few of the others slow in their cleaning. “What’s there to tell? She rejected me.”