“It’s a strawberry and banana daiquiri with a twist.”
“What’s the twist?” she asks.
I tap my nose, and she rolls her eyes. “You bartenders and your secret ingredients.”
“You know it.”
I love the quiet time before we get the post-work drinkers. It gives me time to catch up with Penny and experiment with my cocktail recipes while I prepare the ingredients I know I’ll need to create the most popular drinks.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, so I take it out in case it’s Liv calling about Ava. I look at the screen and see my old college friend’s name pop up.
Penny gives me a thumbs-up, so I go to the corner between the glasswasher and the kitchen door and answer it. “Hey, gorgeous.”
“Hey, babe,” she says. “I’m calling about the wedding.”
My heart sinks, and I wait for her to continue, already knowing the job is off.
“Apparently, the groom is in a secret relationship with the brother of the bride. There was a whole shit-show during the cake tasting. You should have seen it. Anyway, the wedding is off.”
I sigh. “It’s okay. Let me know if anything else comes up.”
“Will do, hun. Speak soon.”
I end the call and refresh my emails before I put the phone away. There aren’t any inquiries for my photography services. Now that I’m back in Connecticut, maybe I need to update my website and check out the local wedding planners.
Weddings aren’t really what I want to photograph, but they pay well.
All I want is the chance to get back behind the camera and photograph people, landscapes, the weather. Anything that can be captured in its natural form.
I turn to get back to the bar and see Penny juggling a couple of trays with empty glasses. I take one from her and put it down on the counter.
“Thanks, hun,” she says.
“Anytime, Pen.”
“What’s going on? You look like someone kicked your puppy.”
I wince. “Fuck, I thought I’d managed to put my happy face back on.”
“Sure, if your happy face is like someone shoved something unpleasant up your butt,” she laughs.
“The wedding I was meant to photograph in Chicago fell through,” I explain.
“Shit. I’m sorry to hear. I know you wanted to get Ava’s birthday present with that money.”
I shrug. “I have the money for it. I just didn’t want to use the house savings. I’m keeping an eye on a couple of places close to her new school that have just been listed.”
“You know, she probably won’t mind not having a super present if she gets a whole backyard to play in.”
Penny’s right. Ava is a great kid, and she’s never been demanding of toys. She’s as happy playing with an old toy as she is making her own from random things she finds.
“Yeah, maybe you’re right. Thanks, hun. I better get back to work. If I can’t get freelance jobs, then I may as well work on getting good tips.”
I turn back to the bar and stop when I see a guy sitting there with a plant next to him. Not just any old plant…this one looks like it’s growing dicks.
“I guess I can say I’ve seen it all now,” I comment, placing a coaster in front of the guy.
“Huh?”
