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“Oh, right.”
“You sound disappointed.”
I just shake my head and continue eating. When we’re finished Ethan goes to pay the bill and I wait outside by his car. The night is chilly so I pull my coat around me tightly.
“Cold?” he asks from behind me.
I jump. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.”
“Sorry. Is it okay if we drop by the club before I bring you home? I have to check in on something.”
“Sure, no problem.”
When we get to Crimson Ethan takes my hand and leads me in through the front door where the bouncers immediately step aside for him. As we pass by the bar I notice that a barmaid with short brown hair and a nose ring is giving me the stink eye. I suppose she must have a thing for the boss. Ethan doesn’t lead me to his office but instead he brings me to the staff room where there’s a flat screen TV bolted to the wall and two large black leather sofas.
“I’ll be ten minutes tops,” he tells me before placing an unexpected kiss on my cheek and leaving in that swift way of his.
A couple minutes later the door swings open and I turn my head around to find that the hostile barmaid has entered the room. She lets out a heavy sigh and puts the kettle on. Then she sits down on the sofa opposite me, grabs the remote and switches on the TV.
I notice her look me over before saying, “So you’re the latest notch on his bedpost then.”
“Huh?” is all I can think to say in response.
She widens her eyes, as if to say duh, and then replies, “Ethan.”
“Oh, no, we’re just friends.” I assure her. Yeah, my IQ would have to have dropped a good few points before I began to hold any assumptions that Ethan’s interest in me is anything more than pure self-gratification.
“Oh pull the other one. His bedroom should have revolving doors he’s got so many jump offs coming and going.” She throws back.
“I’m sorry?”
“Fuck you’re slow on the uptake. I just think I should let you know, because you seem like a nice girl, Ethan Cristescu is a big fucking man slut. So I wouldn’t go getting my hopes up for a whirlwind romance or anything.”
“I’m not getting my hopes up for anything of the sort. As I said, we’re just friends.” Yeah so why does your already broken heart feel even more crushed? That little voice of reality in my brain asks.
“Sure you are. Well, can’t say I didn’t warn ya,” she tells me in a satisfied voice.
Then she gets up to make her tea and a minute later Ethan returns, he looks at the barmaid suspiciously and says, “I hope you’re scheduled for a break Judy, because I don’t take kindly to slackers.” His voice is harsh and authoritative.
“Yes boss I am, been hustling at that bar for two hours without a break.”
“Well wheel out the violins, a whole two hours. You’ve got five minutes and then back to work.” He replies, and this time she doesn’t retort.
“Tegan, you ready?” he asks, his tone changed from mean to friendly just like that.
>
“Yeah.” I tell him and get up immediately.
Judy doesn’t fail to roll her eyes at me as I glance her way when we’re leaving.
“What did she say to you in there?” Ethan asks, lowering his brow.
“Nothing.”
“She must have said something, Judy has a serious problem keeping her trap shut.”
“Well – she told me that I was just another of the many notches on your bedpost.”
