“I’ll be fine. You said I was safe here.” Noah huffed, moving around so he was leaning against the arm of the couch, legs spread out before him. “I’ll most likely stay right here. Not like I can run off. And even if I could, I don’t want to leave.”
“Maybe I don’t want to go.” I really didn’t.
My two days off weren’t enough. It never really was, even though I enjoyed my job, today seemed like a good enough day to not go in. I wanted more time with Noah. After not being able to just hang out with him for so long, I wanted to have more time.
Between the two years of college, then the tiny moments we got here and there afterward when he moved to be closer to me, there wasn’t much time we got to be closer. I missed the days when we could just lay and hold one another, with no waiting responsibilities.
“Go, Ash. I’ll be fine. I have a phone, which I know how to use. And you don’t work all that far away.”
“I’ll try to at least get out of work early.” Mondays were always slow. It’d be easy to talk to the other bartender to close an hour early.
“Asher. Just go. I’ll be fine. You’re worse than a mother hen.”
My lips twisted into a half smile, glad that the Noah I had always known was still in there. Not much dragged him down for longer than a day or two.
“Alright, alright. I’m going.”
I double-checked that I had my phone and keys before leaving. I dragged my feet long enough for Noah to change his mind. Which, he didn’t.
I knew, logically, that Noah would be fine. The door was locked, and he wouldn’t dare answer it while I was gone.
Pushing away my worries that really didn’t need to be there, I walked towards the bar. My second home since that’s where I tended to be almost more than at the apartment.
It had been with Collin’s help that I got this job to begin with. No one had wanted to hire me, since I looked so young, and mixed in the near falling out of high school issues I had. Although, that last thing wasn’t all my fault.
Scarlett, of course, would have used her name to get me to work just about anywhere, but I knew I had to get out of town.
It sort of wasn’t the greatest to be tied to the Voss’s. The well-known family that may or may not have hidden a body on their property. That, right there, was not something I was ever going to ask about. Rumors were better left at just that.
Soon enough, I clocked in and nodded hello to the chef and a few servers. Some sort of country song played low in the background as I made my rounds. Right now, it was just the regulars. The old men who weren’t quite ready to head home to an empty house. The one stray younger adult who wasn’t sure what to do with their life.
The same as almost every Monday.
I didn’t mind working here. Heck, most of the time, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed knowing the customers. I enjoyed hearing the stories they were willing to share. And even the ones that overshared. There was a lot of that- oversharing. But those were more on the nights it was busier.
Mondays were quiet and slow. Unless there happened to be some sort of sports game on. Thankfully, those were far and few between this time of year. I hated sports, but the tips were worth dealing with such things.
Pressing my hand against my pocket, making sure I wasn’t in fact feeling the vibrations that weren’t there, I turned back to pouring another beer before handing it over to the customer.
“You keep looking at that phone. Waiting on someone?” I jerked, stuffing my phone back into my pocket. I hadn’t even realized I was checking it. Again.
“Sorry?” I lifted my eyes, finding Oscar sitting at the bar, hands loosely clasped against the bar top.
“You have a hot date at your place or something?” He went on, seeming like he didn’t entirely care.
“No.” I huffed. “Just....” I debated on what to tell him. The truth would be the best option, but I didn’t want to risk someone overhearing something that they didn’t need to know. Looking around the area, there was no one new here so far. “A friend. He’s staying with me for a bit. I know he’s fine, but...” I waved a hand in the air. “Anyhow. What can I get ya?”
“Two glasses of water, please. My brother should be here soon.”
“Sure thing.” I turned, getting two clear glasses from the shelf below. At that time, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. So, with my back turned to the room, I pulled my phone out.
Opening up the text message, I saw a meme that Noah sent about a cat, causing me to smile. I hadn’t known I needed to know he was, in fact, okay being left alone.
Hurrying to finish getting the two drinks, I got the glasses filled with ice and water before setting them down on the bar top.
Oscar was no longer alone.
I blinked, my mind trying to...well do anything but be blank all of a sudden.
