Page 105 of Stranger to Love

Chapter 24

Alex

Did I mention I hated everyone in here?

Mia’s dad had declared Christmas cocktails two-for-one, which basically meant we were serving pre-mixed White Russians to freshers who were going feral for them. We put some fake glitter on top, called them ‘Polar Bears’, and apparently, that was enough to convince everyone they were in the fucking Arctic.

I was currently pouring twenty of the swirling, sugary nightmares. Ben was dripping sweat as he desperately tried to keep up with the glass dishwasher. The machine was on a constant loop, and he had to run the clean glasses under a cold tap just so we could use them without burning our hands off. It was chaos.

It had been so insane that even Mia hadn’t had time to pester me about Carrie. She got most of it out of her system last weekend—the weekend after our night at Carlos. The night that only lasted a few hours because Carrie finger-fucked me into a state of total collapse right at the table.

I liked being broken by her. I hadn't told Mia the details, finding a sick satisfaction in the secret knowledge that Carrie was fucking me just inches away from her. I’d fought so hard to keep my composure while I came on her fingers. Mia spent all of last weekend alternating between ridiculing me for actually being exclusive and gushing over how perfect Carrie was. Mia also pointed out that while she never doubted my prowess, Carrie was ethereal—and she had no idea how I was managing to keep a woman like that. Me neither. Especially when I was... well, me.

I passed over the completed round of ‘Polar Bears’ to a group of excitable teens at my till. "Can we split it five ways?" A cute girl with dark, curly hair asked, giving me a genuinely apologetic smile.

"Fine," I said, offering a tight smile as I divided the total on the screen.

One by one, her friends stumbled over, struggling with their phones. Eventually, the short girl corralled the last of them. "All paid?"

"Yes, sweetheart," I said, feeling a genuine wave of relief. She smiled softly, reaching for her drinks. On an impulse, I reached out and stopped her. With a playful wink, I poured a quick vodka shot. "You need to get on their level," I murmured, pouring one for myself.

She grinned, clinking her glass against mine before we both downed them. "Thanks," she said with a shy smile, skipping back to her friends.

I turned around and nearly walked straight into Mia. She had body-blocked me, her arms crossed, glaring down at me like a vengeful goddess.

"What?" I shrugged.

"What the hell are you doing, Lex?" she hissed, glancing toward the tills. "You can be a lesbian whore all you like, Lex—you know I usually support the lifestyle—but you are in a relationship now! You can't be pulling girls whenever you fucking feel like it."

I immediately felt sick, putting my hands up. "Mia, I wasn't! The girl was nice, and I was just trying to be friendly. Not flirtatious."

Mia assessed me, searching for a lie before she shook her head. "You need to be careful. From where I’m standing, it didn’t look friendly. It looked like the old Alex. You and Dr. Vixen are... you’re meant to be. I am not standing by and letting you fuck this up."

My jaw dropped. The fact that she thought we were 'meant to be' caught me off guard. I stepped away from Mia to make more of those goddamn cocktails, my head spinning. I was a bit of a whore sometimes, sure, but I could never cheat on Carrie. Just thinking about it made me want to punch myself.

The rush finally slowed to a manageable simmer. Mia leaned against the back bar, wiping a stray splash of vodka from her forearm. "So," she started, her voice dropping. "Seriously. What’s it been like? The last week with her? You’ve been suspiciously quiet."

"Busy," I said, reaching for a rag to polish the counter. "Just... really busy."

"Busy? That’s it? No scandalous tales of being bent over a mahogany desk?"

I let out a dry, slightly exhausted laugh. "I wish. Honestly, it’s been the most boringly adult week of my life. I’ve seen her in lectures, obviously, and she’s picking me up tonight, but that’s about it."

I’d been buried under this term's final coursework deadlines, and Carrie had been even worse, marking non-stop to clear her mountain of grading before the holidays.

"So you're both just... working?" Mia asked, surprised. "Like a normal, functioning couple?”

"Yeah," I muttered, the word feeling strange in my mouth. "It’s weird. I miss her, obviously, but it’s actually kind of nice? Knowing she’s doing her thing and I’m doing mine, but she’s still the one waiting at the end of the shift."

Mia grinned. "Well, you better hope she’s finished that marking, Lex. You look like you’re about ten minutes away from a total meltdown, and I think we both know the only cure for that is a very stern Dr. Carter."

"LAST ORDERS AT THE BAR! FINISH YOUR DRINKS!" Mia bellowed over the music.

The trickle of customers turned into a literal tidal wave. I didn’t even have time to think. It was just muscle memory now—scooping ice, pouring vodka, shaking, straining.

Then, a prick appeared at my station. He was tall, wearing a shirt that was buttoned one too low, sporting a sly grin. As I reached for a glass, I felt his eyes drop, lingering heavily on my chest. "Nice view from over here, darl," he drawled. "How about you put a little extra sparkle in mine? I might make it worth your while."

In any other week, I would have shredded him. Tonight, I just felt a weary detachment. I bit my tongue so hard I could feel the sting.