I shot a smile at the current lady who wanted to try something on the sweeter side. Her words, not mine. She was well to being drunk as the three girls around her giggled.
Just another girl’s night out, I thought.
Drunk girls got on my nerves. They were always laughing at the stupidest things. Or they tried to hit on me.
I never thought I’d have the chance to be hit on by girls, but this job proved me wrong. Actually, finding out that I was free to live my life had proved me wrong.
At least the men who came in here never tried to flirt with me. Or if they did, it always went over my head since I had more than enough to focus on.
What I told Noah was the full truth, though. I didn’t need a man to hold my hand. I didn’t need one to live a happy life. As long as I had my best friend, I would be content. I’d be happy. Would it always be enough? Who knows.
A few years ago, I’d never thought I’d be able to have a job, let alone be alive. Most people like me, stuck in the hands of a monster, didn’t see the outside world. We didn’t get to breathe fresh air or have our own thoughts. We’d die miserable and alone.
Somedays, it was harder to remember that that life was no longer what I had to deal with. I was free. Free to feel; free to do what I wanted within limits.
“Thanks, cutie.” The gal smiled.
“Enjoy.” I left her, and my thoughts, as I moved to the next person. This time, a beer that was easy enough to pour.
Soon enough, my thoughts were only moving from one person to the next, creating drinks and entering food orders. Sweat coated the back of my neck, wishing that someone would turn on the AC already.
Slipping the next drink across the top of the bar, I happened to look up just in time for Oscar and his brother to step up to an empty spot. I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing I was so busy, or not.
“Evening gentlemen.” I greeted, flipping a towel over my shoulder that I had just used to mop up a spill on my way down the bar. “What’s your poison of the night?”
“Surprise me,” Beckett placed an elbow on the bar top.
“Whatever beer is on tap for me,” Oscar answered.
I nodded. I turned from the two men, pouring the beer while trying to figure out what Beckett would possibly want. I didn’t know him well enough to know his tastes.
“One question,” I slipped the beer towards Oscar. “Sweet, sour, or something a bit stronger?”
“What do you recommend?”
Taking another second to look at Beckett, his dark work shirt unbuttoned and hair a bit messed up like he had had a hard day at work, I said the first thing that came to mind. Most of the time, my gut feelings didn’t steer me wrong.
“Strong. You’ve had a hard day, and need something to take the edge of something off.”
“I have had a stressful day.”
“Give me a moment.” I almost tacked on sir at the end, feeling like it needed to be there. Instead, I turned, glancing over the number of bottles that sat along the shelf before deciding to make something that I was a fan of drinking.
For once, we had blue-colored rum, which I mixed into the mixture of other liquors. The drink was a bit sweet on the surface but was strong in the end. It was one of the more fun drinks I enjoyed making, and colored types were more creative.
“That was a lot of ... everything.” Beckett eyed the blue liquid cocktail.
I didn’t reply, leaving him to it.
Turning back to the other customers, most were content with what they still had. A few tips were left under empty cups, so I took care of those.
“Hey, you have someone asking for you. I sat him in the back corner.” Kellie, the server who worked the area where the tables were, said as she got a cup of water. “Said you had to make the chocolate drink.”
I squinted at her, dark hair a bit frizzy as she ran all over the place. I didn’t envy her job at all. She didn’t pay attention to my look, knowing me well enough that I’d look in that direction.
I did so, seeing Noah sitting where he could see me. Even though he was too far away to see his eyes, his smile was a bit sheepish.
“Noah.” I sighed, not sure if his being here was a good or bad thing.
