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“So, you work here?” she asks. Her voice brings me out of my ogling before it can go any lower.
“Yeah. I've worked here since I was seventeen,” I tell her, as my eyes hold her gaze. Soft snores from her right have us both glancing towards the sound. Ally is fast asleep with her head flopping onto Sophia’s shoulder.
“How did you ladies get here?”
“We caught a taxi so we could both drink,” she explains, as she looks at Ally. Her nose scrunches like she’s regretting them both drinking now.
“Do you want me to call you a taxi?” I offer, trying to be of some help.
“I don't know how I would get her out of the taxi when we get to her place,” she tells me. To reinforce it, she lifts Ally's hand then let's go and it instantly drops. Ally sits there snoring away, undisturbed.
“I would offer to drive you, but I have my bike.”
“The same motorbike you had from school?” she asks.
“Yep, the same one. I've had her fixed up quite a bit since then. But still the same body.”
“Wow.”
“She is getting a bit old, but she's still got life left in her,” I tell her, with a smile on my face as I think about how Gramps helped me fix her up originally before he passed.
“Lorenzo.”
I twist my head in the direction of Ted's gruff voice. I'd forgotten for a minute I was working.
He glances towards Sophia and her friend before yelling, “You can finish for the night. Make sure your friends get home safe.”
“Thanks Ted,” I nod, in appreciation.
Looking back at Sophia, I realise I don't want our time to end yet and the words slip from my mouth, “I actually live above this bar. I’ve got a bed and a couch if you guys want to crash for the night and then taxi home in the morning when she's more awake.” Biting her lip, she looks at me, mulling it over. Her eyes flick to Ally who is still in the same drunken position she was a minute ago.
“Okay,” she sighs, giving in to the only viable option she has. “Can you help me get her up there?”
“Sure,” I tell her. Sophia slides out and before she attempts to move Ally across the vinyl seat, I place a hand on her arm, halting her. “I’ve got her.” She steps aside, giving me access to Ally. I lower myself and manoeuvre one hand under her legs, keeping her dress securely in place, while my other arm goes behind her back. Wriggling her out of the booth, I lift her into my arms, her head flinging backwards.
“How much did she drink?” I ask.
Lightly laughing Sophia says, “Ally is a lightweight. Always has been. I think she underestimated how much alcohol was in her cocktails.”
I nod in agreement, as I make those when I tend bar and they have a high alcohol content, but you can't tell because of the fruity flavours.
“Stick close to me,” I tell her, as I lead her around the back of the bar towards the kitchen.
We bypass the main cook Jerry and a couple of servers who are working tonight. Jerry’s eyebrows raise as he sees me carrying an unconscious girl with another girl following behind, nearly jogging to keep up with my long strides. I give him a shake of my head as I slip down the hidden hallway which leads to my stairs. Taking the stairs one at a time so as not to fall while carrying Ally, it gives Sophia a chance to catch up with me.
Once we reach the top, I realise my predicament as my keys are stuck in my front pocket, but my hands are full. Glancing down, I see how much shorter Sophia is to me now. I knew I’d grown a lot since school finished but I didn’t realise how much until right this minute. Sophia must notice the difference too as her eyes take a lot longer to glide up my body and reach my face.
“My keys are in my front pocket. Are you comfortable grabbing them?” I ask her, as I visibly swallow. She stares at my eyes for a beat before nodding and stepping forward. She anglesherself around Ally’s feet and slips her hand into my pocket, feeling around for the keys. I’m so distracted by her touch; it isn’t until she raises an eyebrow at me, I realise my mistake and throw my head back laughing.
“Sorry Soph, I meant the other pocket.”
A deep shade of red spreads quickly across her skin and down her neck. She moves around Ally and this time, steps right into my other side as she pushes her small hand into my pocket. Clutching the keys, she drags them out with her eyes cast down in concentration while I keep my eyes on her face. She dangles them in front of me once she’s retrieved them.
“It’s the biggest key,” I tell her. She searches through the bundle of keys, sliding them through her fingers until she finds the right one. I take a step away from the door to give her room and she pushes the key into the lock, turns it and pushes the door open. I send a prayer to the heavens; grateful I cleaned up this morning. I try to do a thorough clean on a Thursday morning when I have the time.
“You and Ally can take my bed and I’ll take the couch for the night,” I suggest, as we stand in the foyer of the apartment. From the bar, you wouldn’t think an apartment up here would be this nice, but Ted had it renovated a few years back. They ripped out all the walls so it’s an open plan living area now. With one bedroom, it’s all I need as it’s just me. I stay here on the nights I work here because I still have my gramps place. Ted likes having someone here to watch over the place when it’s busiest, so it gives him peace of mind and he gives me a discount on rent. She’s glancing around, taking in my space but whips her head around at my suggestion of sleeping arrangements.
“Oh, you don’t have to give up your bed for us,” she says.
