She finally stopped, her expression one of embarrassment.
“You would be doing me a favor,” he said. “Even if you’re just clearing glasses from tables. I’m desperate. Please. Take pity on me and take the job.”
She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, and he almost lost his damn mind with the need to tug it out. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Hell yes.
“Okay. Thank you.”
Relief slid through his veins, and he had no fucking idea why. He didn’t even know the woman, but he knew he wanted to seeher again. “Great. Wear black. Arrive at four and I’ll show you the basics before it gets busy.”
Her brows shot up. “Four today?”
He chuckled. “Yeah. Is that okay?”
“Yes. Of course. Thank you.”
“You got it, Storm.”
She frowned. “Storm?”
“You showed up in a storm, drowned in water…seems fitting.”
She held his gaze for another beat, giving him a small smile before turning and heading down the street.
He returned to the bar, unable to hide his own small smile of satisfaction as he moved straight back to the bottles he was stacking.
“Is that something else I shouldn’t ask about?” Kayden asked when Cody gave him nothing.
“Yep.”
CHAPTER 3
“ABud, please.”
Harper gave the man on the other side of the bar a small smile, hoping it saidI know what I’m doing, when really, she had no freaking clue. “You got it.”
She turned and grabbed a glass before looking at the beer taps. Bud…Bud…where was the—
There you are.She pushed the glass against the tap and filled it before sliding it across the bar.
The guy put some money down, then lifted his drink. “Thanks…”
“Harper,” she finished for him.
He smiled. “Thanks, Harper.”
This time, she beamed at him. There. See? She could do this. She may have zero experience working in a busy bar, but she could serve beer like she’d done it a million times before. Fake it till you make it. That was the saying, right?
Of course, she’d rather have gotten on the road the second she’d woken that morning to put more distance between her and her family, but she’d realized her serious lack of funds wouldn’t have taken her much further. This was as good a place as any to make a few bucks before leaving again.
“Good work, missy.”
She turned and grinned at Barry. He’d introduced himself when she’d arrived at the bar a few hours ago, and she’d instantly loved the older man. He was kind and funny and great at putting Cody in his place.
“I feel like I’m getting the hang of this.”
“It’s like you were born to work in a bar.” He bumped her shoulder before moving back into the kitchen.
