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We aren’t there long before a waitress, Martha, appears, bringing glasses of water, inquiring if we’d like anything else to drink. I order a beer while Nora sticks to what’s in front of her, and I ask for a minute to look over the menu.
Our beverages are dropped off with a reminder to let her know when we’re ready, then she walks off to check on her other patrons. Nora recommends the cheeseburger when I ask for suggestions, and the thought of it with tater tots sounds delicious. She flags down Martha and we tell her our choices, then spend our wait chit chatting after she leaves.
As the time passes, the food just as scrumptious as she promised, I find the cares that are still weighing me down, despite my best efforts, fading. I’m sure they’ll return, just not tonight, and I’ll gladly take that reprieve.
“Well, well, well. You’ve gained the attention of the elusive Curtis.”
“Is that the name of a superhero or something around these parts?”
She snorts the sip she’d just taken, then hastily wipes her nose and the tabletop with a couple napkins. “Not a bad assessment. Curtis is just as mysterious, so that works as well as anything else,” she shrugs.
I watch him, without letting it be known that I am, and I silently disagree because I’m discovering things by watching him. He’s steadfast, wants to appear unbreakable yet he’s currently mending rips within himself, good at his job. He dispenses drinks, without lingering so as to not risk ignoring other customers. He’s professional yet personable. Aloof while being friendly. It’s the perfect balancing act. There’s no malice behind it, no flirting either. He’s simply doing what he’s paid to and appears to be enjoying it.
“Earth to Cydne,” Nora observes, and it’s clearly not the first time she said it.
“Sorry, I, uh, got distracted.”
She snickers, making my heart beat a little faster when she gives a head tilt in the direction I’ve been staring, and whispers, “It’s mutual.” I peek up from beneath my lashes. So it is.
Moving on, though I’m nevernotaware of Curtis, we sit there and bask in the smooth melodies surrounding us, the atmosphere her husband has created, and the bond we’re forging. When Declan joins us, Nora is already lagging, her pregnancy having her ready to call it a night. It’s their first and they’re over the moon about it.
I remove cash from my wallet, enough to cover both our meals and drinks, but Dec, as he told me to call him, waves it off. “My wife doesn’t pay.” So, I put half back, then attempt to hand over what remains, namely my share. I get the same response followed by an exasperated sigh, almost in sync, from each of them. “You are her guest, therefore, yours is on the house, too.”
“Thank you, kind sir,” I retort, making Nora groan.
“Oh man, that’s gonna go to his head.” Then she turns to him and informs him, “I am not calling you sir when we get home.”
“I’ll take that as a challenge, and you know I love to win,” he murmurs to her. I’m trying not to intrude on their private moment, but it’s kind of hard not to as the entertainment is between songs and there’s a lull in the noise.
Seizing my chance, I say, “I want to stay a little longer, so I’ll leave you two to your negotiations,” I grin at Nora to let her know I’m teasing, “and talk to you later. Dec, I appreciate the hospitality. I’ll definitely be back, and you will let me pay for the experience.”
A nod to acknowledge my statement, then I head toward the bathroom, unsurprised to find our booth occupied by newcomers when I return. Changing directions, I stride to the bar and, as gracefully as my short ass can, try to hop on a stool. I misjudged the height difference, so the struggle is real, but it’s also quick.
Strong hands grip my waist and lift me up, placing me on the seat as if I weigh no more than a feather, and I shift to see who it is. Curtis. His palms remain, the heat of them warming my skin through my shirt, and I try to absorb it. After feeling cold for so long, it’s like a balm to my soul, and when he lets go, I wonder if I dreamed the whole thing.
But no, he’s actually standing next to me, eyes full of curiosity and…interest. The two words may be synonymous, yet in this context they are very different things. Without speaking, he returns to his station and resumes his job. Okay. I’m not sure what to make of that.
I’m not sure what it means, though I don’t dwell on it too long because he continues to watch me, giving me drinks as I request them. Snacks, too, in hopes of absorbing it. With Dec gone, having taken Nora home shortly after I left them, Curtis is in high demand.
Stopping an impending argument.
Helping an employee locate a case of bottles they can’t find.
Answering calls.
Urging the singer to eat while she takes a break, earning a nod of appreciation from the man glued to her side.
But after every interruption, his eyes always seek me out, as if he’s reaffirming that I’m still there. He isn’t the only bartender on shift, and the difference in their techniques is obvious when that one hands me a Long Island iced tea. Instead of the balance I’d come to expect from Curtis, these are not perfectly prepared. The liquor is much heavier than it should be, making me wonder if the other guy is new.
Because of it, I reach my limit much faster than I should, the sleepless nights catching up to me, and my eyes begin drooping. Once again, that same heat infuses me, and this time, there’s a deep voice whispering in my ear, a nose seemingly buried in my red hair and inhaling the citrus scent I prefer, before it says, “I’ve got you.”
Chapter Three
Cydne
March 20th…
My head is killing me. I don’t know if it was the second glass I downed last night, but I definitely know it was the fourth. I oh so slowly open one eye to that of a slit, just allowing me to see through it without sending the jackhammer already pounding away on my skull into a frenzy. When I can tolerate it, I take the risk and do the same to the other. I survive, which I can only attest to the fact that the curtains are sealed, blocking the intensity of the sun I can see trying to blind me.
