“Oh, I must have missed it. I was here until midnight. That’s my shift. Four to midnight, five days a week,” I answer, nodding way too much. “How about you? What’s your shift, Mario, my man?”Fuck, Leo, just shut the hell up.
“Ten to six,” he answers before turning back to Todd. “I can’t see India taking it this year. Not without Singh.”
“Nah, you’re wrong. They’re still the number-one team in the world even without him. I know everybody gives him credit, but that bench is stacked with talent.”
“So I haven’t missed the match then,” I say for some stupid reason.
They both stare at me for a second, then Mario says, “No, it starts next month.”
“Cool. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool,” I answer, still nodding.Okay, Leo, stop nodding and never say cool again.
“Are you a big cricket fan?” Todd asks.
“Not so much. I do follow football though. Go Valcourt United!” I say, pumping one fist in the air with a little chuckle.
“Great,” Todd says.
“Yes, it’s quite exciting. Cricket, too,” I add, pointing at Todd as though he invented the sport. “Have you two worked here long?”
He nods. “Five years.”
Mario says, “Seven for me.”
“Awesome, Mario. So you must be next in line for bartending.”
He screws up his face in confusion. “Um. No, I’m head of security.”
“Ah! So you’ve already worked your way up already. Good for you, mate,” I say, hoping I don’t sound condescending. “Say, you wouldn’t happen to need another body in security, would you? This whole bellboy thing isn’t really my gig. I fancy myself more of a man’s man than a man’s boy if you know what I mean…”
Fuck. Did I just say a man’s boy?I don’t even know what that means, but it sounds very wrong. My mouth continues on without direction from my brain. “I’ve actually done extensive martial arts training, so I’d be a great fit in protection services.” Well, that’s not strictly accurate, but Ididpractice the crane kick a ton after I sawKarate Kidwhen I was eight. I even gave Pierce a bloody nose once.
“Oh, really? Well, that’s good to know,” Mario answers, scratching his neck. “At the moment we’re fully staffed, but if something pops up, you’ll have to put your name in for it.”
“Cool, cool, cool.” Managing to stop myself at three cools this time, I cup one hand over my mouth and speak out of the side of my mouth. “Because between you and me, I don’t think Brianna is my biggest fan.”
Todd gives me a mock-sceptical look. “You think?”
Both men bust out laughing, and I stand like an idiot, waiting for them to stop. Why did I come over here again? Oh, yes, to prove I’m an alpha like them. Mission accomplished. Todd’s keen awareness of Brianna’s hatred of me pops into mind. “So it’s obvious to everyone, then. Any idea what I’ve done to offend her, because I’d love to fix it.”
“I’m afraid it’s just your general existence,” Todd says, without a hint of apology.
Mario smacks him on the chest, then says, “Don't listen to him. Bree’s been under a lot of pressure lately. She’s actually a really sweet person.”
“I’m sure she is. Any idea as to how I can make her not hate me quite so much?”
“Brain transplant maybe?”
Mario cuts off Todd with a sharp glare. “Work hard. Help her out. She’ll come around.”
“Thanks for the tip. I’ll do that.”
***
“How did it go today?” Emma asks, pouring me a glass of sparkling water as soon as I walk through the door.
I flop down onto the couch with a big sigh. “Horrible. I’m not sure I’m cut out to be part of the workforce.”
“You’re being too hard on yourself.” She hands me the glass, then curls up on the enormous beanbag chair with Pierce. “Just because you’re new at it, doesn’t mean you’re bad at it. There is bound to be a pretty steep learning curve.”
