Jumping, I spin and find myself face to face with a petite blonde, stacked like all get out, wearing little more than a thong and stiletto heels.
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” I call over the song. Her eyes trail over my outfit, her eyebrows raising.
“Because you look like you’ll jump out of your skin if someone says boo to you?”
“I’m tougher than I look,” I sniff, squaring my shoulders. The blonde stripper grins at me, sweeping her hair over her shoulder.
“Good for you. If you’re not lost, where are you supposed to be?”
“I’m supposed to be starting as a bartender.”
Her eyes dart over me again, an inscrutable look there.
“You’ll want Arthur. He’s the new head bartender.”
My head swivels as I look around the room, filling up with patrons. I don’t see either Arthur or Daryl here.
“He’s in the VIP room, this way.”
My new guide jerks her head, leading me back through the hallway the hot blonde guy, Niall, from earlier today, took me through.
We step into the smaller bar, which is also no longer brightly lit. This one is cozy and sultry. I love it. Arthur stands at the bar and jerks his head at me when we walk in.
“Good luck, girl.” My blonde stripper smirks as she moves to the door through to the back area.
“Thanks. I’m Mellie.”
“Fiona.”
She disappears after telling me her name. Fiona. I’ll remember that.
“Oh, good. You’re here.” Arthur flaps a hand at me. “Stick your purse and coat under there.”
I shove them into the small space under the bar he pointed to, straightening and turning to the glasses he has laid out.
“Have you ever bartended before?”
“Not officially.”
He hesitates, sighing and shaking his head. “That’s Seamus Fitzpatrick’s problem. Not mine.”
“I don’t want to be a problem.”
“Then just don’t fuck it up, gorgeous.”
“So, what do I do?”
Arthur eyes me carefully, pursing his lips together. “You listen. You take everything in. You do exactly what I tell you, and you don’t fuck anything up tonight.”
“I can do that.”
Smirking, he proceeds to run me through a wicked fast training session. I learn the till, the schedules, which drinks to push, and he walks away.
“Uh, where are you going?”
“To the main bar. You’re the new VIP bartender. Seamus Fitzpatrick’s orders.”
“What… on my own?”