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“I’d enjoy my drink a lot more if you popped a few buttons on that blouse.”
Now I did shudder. “Don’t you have a wife at home to be looking after, Teddy?” Moving to the cash register, I tallied up his drink and dropped the coins inside the till drawer before snapping it shut with a clatter. “A pregnant wife.”
I wasn’t unfamiliar with being propositioned by punters. It came hand in hand with the job, but this was Joey’s father. As far as he knew, I was his son’s girlfriend.
This wasn’t his first attempt to lure me out back for a quickie, but that didn’t make it any less disturbing. Dutifully ignoring his comments, I cleared away glasses and wiped down the bar, doing pretty much anything I could to get away from him.
“Tell me something.” Shifting on his stool, he folded his arms across his chest and gave me a heated look. “What are ya doing with him?”
“I presume you mean Joey?” I answered, knowing that he wouldn’t let up until I did.
Nodding stiffly, he never took his cold brown eyes off me.
Fully aware that any admissions from the heart would be wasted on this man, and unwilling to lose my job over him, I slapped on a smile and said, “I told you before. That son of yours is more than able to keep me satisfied.”
“He’s a kid.”
“And what am I?” was my dry response. “A middle-aged woman?”
“If I was your father, you wouldn’t be working behind a bar.”
“You’re certainly old enough to be my father.”
His nostrils flared. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”
“Okay, you need to stop.” My smile faded and I gave him a hard look. “If Joey knew that you were speaking to me like this, he would—”
“What?” He cut me off with a threatening lilt to his voice. “He would do what, girl?”
“He would break your fucking neck,” I bit out, keeping my tone low. “So, back off.”
“Well, I don’t see that young fella of mine anywhere, do you?” Elbows resting on the bar, he leaned closer. “What time do ya get off work?”
“A freckle past a hair.”
“What’s that code for?”
“It’s code for never,” I snapped. “As in, it’s never going to happen. Not in your wildest dreams. So, why don’t you finish your drink and clear off across the road to another pub, because whatever you’re looking for, you won’t get it from me.”
“Prick-tease.”
Beyond repulsed, I wandered to the far end of the bar, putting as much space between us as possible. The man made my skin crawl, and the sooner Julie came back from her break, the better.
A few minutes later, he crooked his finger and pointed to his empty glass. Biting back the urge to scream, I begrudgingly returned to his end of the bar and gave him a blank stare.
Teddy slammed another fistful of coins down on the bar. “Another.”
Counting his coppers, I moved to the till and tossed them inside before pouring him another glass of his poison of choice.
Whiskey.
“You know he’s a disaster, don’t ya?” Teddy slurred, nursing the glass I set down in front of him. “Can’t help himself. It’s in his blood.”
I knew that he was talking about Joey, but I refused to play ball with him. Regardless of our current relationship status, or how badly Joey had hurt me by walking away, I was prepared to die on my hill of unwavering fealty to him.
“The boy is fucked in the head,” he continued, taking a sip from his glass. “Always has been. Been a problem from day one.”
“I wonder why.”
