I can’t tell if she wants to throw her drink in his face or jump his bones a second time, the way she looks at him.
“Cheers.” She gives him a sickly sweet smile before tossing back her shot. He quickly follows suit, pouring the liquor down his throat.
“Now.” Alec sets the glass down on the bar. “Maybe we could try that again. I think you’re short a couple glasses there, brother,” he says to Penn.
“I’m good.” Penn refills his brother’s glass.
“I’m good, too,” I say, slipping out from under Alec’s arm. “I’m too old to be drinking like a college kid.”
“Hate to break it to you, Grandma, but you’re only twenty-five. Plenty young enough to still know how to let loose and have a good time.”
“Maybe your definition of a good time is different than mine,” I offer with a smile.
“And what’s your excuse?” He turns his attention to his brother.
“Pretty sure I’m working.” He holds out his arms as if to say, do you see how I’m standing behind the bar pouring you drinks.
“You’re not on the payroll, brother.”
“Tell that to him.” He hitches his thumb in the direction of the owner, Rocky, who’s running up and down the bar, trying to keep up with the demand of all the patrons.
“I can help,” I offer, stepping around the bar without waiting to be invited to do so.
“Because you know so much about bartending?” Penn hitches a brow at me.
“If you must know, I bartended part time last year to help make ends meet.”
“You? A bartender?”
“What? Like it’s that hard?” I turn to a group of guys not so patiently waiting just a few feet from the end of the bar where we’re standing. “What can I get you guys?”
The one closest to me, a tall guy with dark hair, makes a show of looking me up and down, a smile on his lips as he speaks.
“We’ll take eight shots of Titos. Two dirty martinis. Three pints of Bud Light and a side of Y.O.U.” He runs his tongue along the front of his too white teeth.
“How about you get a side of my F.I.S.T. instead?” Penn suddenly appears next to me.
“My bad, dude. Didn’t realize this was your girl.”
“She’s not.”
“I’m not.”
We say in unison.
“In that case...” He leans forward onto his elbows.
“Eight shots of Titos. Two Dirty Martinis and three pints of Bud Light, coming right up,” I cut in before he says something that will likely get him into trouble.
I start grabbing glasses, smiling at Rocky when he passes me with a curious expression. He may be wondering why in the heck some random girl is behind his bar, but he’s clearly desperate enough for the help to not say anything.
Less than two minutes later, I have all the drinks lined up on the bar in front of the guys, thanks in part to Penn, who takes care of pouring the beers for me.
Moving on to the next group, Penn and I work side by side, knocking out drink orders like we’ve been bartending half our lives. We don’t talk, and yet, we seem to know exactly what the other is doing.
Josie and Alec disappear a few minutes later, and while I briefly wonder where they’ve run off to, I’m too busy to really give it too much more thought beyond that.
The drink orders seem endless and after nearly an hour, I start questioning what the heck I’ve gotten myself into.
