I sighed and went in back, flipping my phoneto selfie mode. I carefully adjusted my curls, rubbed the minor makeup smudges away, and realized the look was actually good.I decided to leave it and spun to go out front, only to bump right into someone.
“Oh.”Michael looked me over as he stepped back.
“What?”
“Nothing. You look nice. Go make us some money.”
I laughed and skipped past him, ready to do just that. I met Sean at the same section we’d worked in yesterday.“What’s first, boss man?”I asked.
“Your well is set up, so there’s no need to do that. Basically, we wait for a crowd to show up.”He leaned against the bar and looked at my hair.“Is your hair naturally like that?”
“Yeah. I straighten it, but this is the natural texture.”My eyes veered to the front door asAri walkedin.“Ari!”She looked in my general direction and bumped into something, then stumbled into something else.“Wait a sec, hun. Stay right there.”I hurried from behind the bar to help her. She’d taken her smudged glasses off.
“Thanks,”she said as I took her hand and led her to our section. She took a seat at the bar and set her glasses down while I went back to my side.
“New clothes?”Sean asked, grabbing a glass to make her a drink. She nodded and smoothed down the fitted shirt with minimal cleavage.“I like it.”
“Thanks.”She smiledatthe vodka lemonade he set down.
“Why’d you take your glasses off?”Sean watched her take a timid sip.“You have pretty eyes, by the way.”
“Thank you. I can’t see when they get rained on. Actually, I can’t see either way. I’malmost blind without them.Aren’t you cold?”She directed the last part at me.“I’m freezing.”
“Not really. I don’t think vampires get cold. My warm outfit is for nothing.”I watched as shetried to take another sip and missed the glass. I pushed it toward her waiting hand, then picked up her glasses and wiped them clean. “I have to close tonight. Stay late with us?”I gave her glasses back.
“You mean when everyone’s gone and it’s just you guys?”She put them on and finallytook in our surroundings. “It’s so empty in here. Also, can I even do that?”
“It’ll be fine.Richard’snot in todayso Michael’s in charge tonight.I’m sure he won’t care.”
“Wait, Michael’s in charge of things?”I asked.“I thought Richard’s our boss?”
“Richard’s the owner,Michael is his son and the manager.”
“Oh. Well that’s perfect.See, Ari?You should stay.”I straightened up whenacustomer strode up to the bar.“Hi. What can I get you?”
I fixed the drink she ordered, then left her tab open and served the next person who walked up. People started trickling in and there was a short rush. Eventually, all the patrons were situated at booths, tables, or playing darts or pool. I leaned against the bar and sipped a drink a customer had insisted on buying me.
“Can you do that?”Ari asked.
“What, get drunk while I’m working? Fuck yeah, I can. Emy’s rules.”I took another sip, then glanced over to see Dennis and Mateo arriving. I spotted the girl Mateo kept talking to and realized he was about to join her across the bar. I shouted his name before he could and waved him over.
“What’s up?” Hetookthe seat beside Ari.
“That girl you keep talking to. What’s her name?” I nodded toward her.
“Nariya.”
“So,”I didn’t finish, waiting for some gossip to start while Dennis took the next stool over. I wanted details. I wanted to be her friend.
“So tell me what you were thinking when you threatened Melissa last night?”Mateo changed the subject so swiftly, I almost didn’t notice. Almost.
“Nope. Don’t change the subject,”I said.
“I’m genuinely interested.”He folded his arms across the bar top.
“Everyone is,”Dennis said. “Most people are scared of her.”
“Why?” I made a face at the absurdity of his statement. “She doesn’t seem like she can do anything.”
