“I’ll have Angel explain everything when you get here. Please?”
The bathroom door opened and Connor leaned against the doorframe. I shamelessly took in every inch of his bare skin. I could get a lot done in an hour.
“I’ll be there,” I finally said. “But tell that husband of yours he owes me.”
The line briefly went silent before Raleigh said, “He says fine but he has limits.”
“And while I’mdyingto know what those limits are, I’ve got something more pressing to attend to.” Itching to be off the phone and on top of Connor, I reached for his hand. “He can buy me a drink later. See you soon,” I said into the receiver, then ended the call and threw my phone over my shoulder. I heard athunkas it hit something.
“Do you have to go?” he asked. He climbed onto the bed again, yanking the sheet away and straddling my lap.
I snaked my hand around his neck and yanked, eliciting a yelp of surprise. “Not yet.”
“This better be good, Jenkins-squared!”
The couple turned their heads as I stepped into the main area of the bar. I took in several oddities at once. All the lights were up, which only happened during inspection days. Stranger still, Angel was behind the bar setting up ring lights while Raleigh mounted Angel’s phone on a tripod on the other side of the counter. My steps slowed as I approached with narrowed eyes, taking in the shakers and liquor bottles displayed in front of Angel.
“What the hell are you two up to?”
“Angel fell down a rabbit hole,” Raleigh mumbled, ducking to avoid the cherry thrown in his direction.
Angel gestured in my direction but aimed his words at Raleigh. “I promise you—with Ryder in front of the camera, this will be incredible for business.”
“Mein front of the camera? What about your super scrumptious husband over there?”
Raleigh boasted a cheeky smile and puffed his chest out while Angel shot daggers in my direction. “People tend to keep scrolling when they see a wedding ring.”
I feigned offense, crossing my arms over my chest. “So you’re pimping me out?”
“Yes.”
I walked behind the bar, stepping into the camera’s view and squinting against the ring lights. “You still haven’t explained what it is we’re doing.”
I picked up the nearest shaker. Our usual ones were stainless steel—which got colder—but this was clear acrylic. As I flipped it over and pressed on the bottom, it lit up a neon pink. I turned it off again and set it down next to my container of red sugar and a pair of plastic fangs. Three bottles sat on the counter: raspberry liqueur, Absolut, and a bottle of Asti.
“It’s a TikTok contest,” Angel finally said. He buzzed around me, repositioning the ring lights and dragging me around until I was in a position he deemed appropriate.
“What are you—” I spun around and grabbed him by the shoulders, making him look at me. Raleigh laughed behind us. “Did you seriously call methree timesthis morning and ask me to come in several hours early to film a video for TikTok?”
“No.” Angel’s eyes darted from me to his husband’s. “Raleigh did.”
“Fine.” I scrubbed my hands over my face. “But stop running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and explain.”
Angel started to talk, but he ignored my instruction to stop running around. He went to the wall and dimmed the overhead lights, making sure all the neon signs splashed vibrant color across the bar floor.
He explained that there was a Halloween-themed contest going around on what he called “#bartendertok.” Whoever submitted the best video with the most creative drink won a twenty-four-hour feature on some account with millions of followers.
“And what doIwin?” I asked. “You know, as the actual hashtag bartender.”
“Fame and fortune?” Angel offered.
“Well.” Raleigh grinned. “You get the fame, and we get the fortune.”
I looked back to Angel, who rolled his eyes but agreed. “What he said.”
“You do have more than one bartender, you know,” I groused, still bitter over being pulled away.
“You’re attractive and single,” Raleigh chimed in. He’d stopped fussing with the phone, and was resting his elbows on the bar.
