Remi steps up beside me, letting out a sigh of annoyance as she grabs a glass and pours beer from the tap into it. I glance back over my shoulder at the older man sitting there, his eyes now on the back of Remi, looking her up and down.
This is one of the reasons why my life isn’t perfect. I never imagined I’d be working as a bartender to support my daughter and I. Hell, I don’t know what I really had planned, but I know it wasn’t this.
It’s a job I’m so grateful for, though, because without this, I don’t know what I would be doing. I didn’t get a college degree and I have no other experience. The only thing I’ve ever been good at is painting. It’s what I had hoped I’d do as a career one day. However, the starving artist’s life as a single mom is not something I’m interested in.
“I’ve never seen him here before,” I say to Remi, keeping my voice low. “I just saw him checking you out now.”
“What a weirdo,” she mutters, shaking her head as she fills another glass. “Has he said anything weird to you?”
I shake my head at her, grabbing a glass to make a cocktail. “I’ve only taken his drink order so far.”
“Shit. Did he say he wanted food too?”
“He said he needed a moment to check out what we have.”
Remi scoffs. “I bet he did.” She spins on her heel, her gaze shifting directly to him. “Fucking creep.”
“Ignore him,” I wave my hand dismissively. “He’s my problem.”
“Wrong,” she says, glancing at me as she purses her lips. “If someone is a problem for you, they’re immediately a problem for me.”
A smile cracks across my lips. “Same goes for you too, you know.”
“Oh, I know,” she nods, smiling back at me as she starts to walk over to the couple who ordered the beers. “Besties for the resties.”
“Always!”
I finish mixing the cocktail and grab a bottle of beer from the fridge, taking it over to two other people sitting near the strange man. Dread rolls in the pit of my stomach and I walk back to him, plastering the fakest smile I can muster on my lips.
“Have you decided what you want to order?”
A smirk tugs on his lips and his oily cheeks lift. “I’m good with my drink. I think I’ll just hang out and enjoy the view.”
The hairs stand on the back of my neck. “Okay.”
“What time do you get off tonight?”
My stomach drops and my heart pounds erratically against my ribcage. “That’s none of your business.”
His smirk doesn’t falter. “Oh, come on. I don’t see a ring on your finger. We could have some fun.”
I swallow hard, resisting the urge to shrink back into myself. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to stop. I’m not interested and you’re making me uncomfortable.”
His mood changes. “Excuse me?” He snarls, narrowing his eyes at me. “There was nothing I said to make you feel uncomfortable.”
“Is everything okay over here?” Remi asks as she immediately appears beside me. She pins her gaze on the man as he abruptly gets up from his barstool and drains his drink.
“That one is on the house for poor customer service,” he snaps at her with a lingering warning in his tone. “I’d suggest you reevaluate your waitstaff here.”
“I think it’s time for you to leave.”
“Oh, I have no intention of staying, nor will I be bringing my business back to this piece of shit establishment.”
Remi raises her eyebrows and points to the exit. “Okay, buddy. Door is that way.”
He slams his glass down onto the bar, his eyes immediately meeting mine again as he stares me down for a moment. My heart beats erratically as my flight instincts engage, my body ready to run if I need to. He spins on his heel without another word, striding directly out of the bar.
Remi immediately turns to face me. “Are you okay?” She asks as her eyes scan my face. “What happened?”
