* * *
“So, have you ever bartended before?”I wiped down the bar while trying to get to know Keira, our newbartender.
She shook her head, her long blonde hair swaying around her shoulders. “I was a server in Des Moines, but I have never worked behindthebar.”
Crickett grabbed her bag from behind me, putting her hand on my shoulder. “Raine is great, you’re learning from the best.” She winked at me before starting to head to the back door. “Holt will be in soon to take over as manager, you ok with holding down the fort foranhour?”
I nodded. “Igotthis.”
Other than a few members shooting darts over in the back corner, the bar wasempty.
“Is it always this slow?” Keira helped unpack a few boxes of beer bottles into thetroughs.
“It’ll pick up once dinner hour is over and the guys finish attheshop.”
Trent slammed his empty beer bottle down on the bar top. “Hey, you. Anotherheavy.”
I whipped around to see Trent eyeing Keira up and down, lickinghislips.
“That ain’t a way to talk to us, Tre, and you fuckingknowit.”
He threw his hands in the air. “Sorry darlin’. What’syourname?”
Keira blushed as Trent started to lay on his sweet, thick southern drawl that always had northerners soaked within seconds. Trent was hot as fuck—tattooed, rippling muscles, tall, thick black hair with the burly beard to match—but his crassness and vulgarity seeped througheverypore.
I popped the top off the Budweiser, handing it to him. “Playnice.”
“I just asked for the younglady’sname.”
After looking up at me, Keira smiled sweetly at Trent. “Keira.”
“Oh, you’re Jesse’s newestmember.”
She nodded. “Got into town lastnight.”
“Well, I hope you like our little town. Maybe I could show you aroundsometime.”
That’s where I drew the line; I wasn’t about to let this new, innocent chick be swooned by that scumbag. “Trent, don’t you have a game to getbackto?”
He smirked at me, nodding. “Yes, ma’am, I do. Keira, it was apleasure.”
I could see her cheeks flush as he winked and shoved away fromthebar.
“Everyone around here seemssonice.”
I laughed. I couldn't help it, that shit was comical. How could she not see through that act? “Just be careful. There’s only one thing on Tre’s mind and that is not showing you around our town in any sense of what it might mean back in cowcountry.”
The shift kicked off and the bar started to get full after Holtshowedup.
“Keira, this is the other manager, Holt. He’s my father’s righthandman.”
Holt shook her hand. “How are you liking itsofar?”
Keira beamed up at him while making a Jack and Coke for her uncle. “It’s been great. Raine’s a goodteacher.”
Holt winked at me. “That she is. Raine, we’re running low on lemons, grab some from the back? I’ll cover your section for a bit and see how our new girl isdoing.”
“Ok, great. Don’t worry, he doesn't bite. Holt taught me everythingIknow.”
