Pushing through the door, he walked out. He was one more step closer to settling in Slag's new location. Soon, their presence would be felt by everyone.
***
FOUR HOURS LATER, AFTERtaking her half-hour "lunch" break at eleven o'clock at night, Lizzy finally found two minutes alone to speak with Coco. She'd sent the other three women for their lunch break together—since the bar was slow, and they'd decided to leave the building, going out the back door.
There were no customers in the bar. No sense in all of them standing around.
Since opening at seven o'clock, only a dozen men had wandered over the last four hours. It made for a long, boring night. To top it off, Roar never came back and checked in to see how things were going, or she might've suggested advertising the bar's opening online or in the newspaper.
"What did you find out about the tips?" asked Coco.
"Roar tested us, or me. Last night was his version of training to see if we could work together and make the customers happy." Lizzy stood at the end of the bar, keeping an eye on Peer. Between the music and the distance, she was sure their conversation remained between her and Coco.
"That's sort of brilliant if you think about it. No one else would have enough friends around to fill the bar." Coco planted her hands on her lower back and stretched. "I can't help but wish some of the members of Slag would come in and order something tonight. The hours are creeping by with it so slow in here."
"I wonder what they're doing for advertising." She stared into the flames of the fire in the middle of the room. "I didn't notice any sign on the window outside announcing a grand opening."
"The overhead sign that's lit up with the new name should start getting attention from those traveling the street. By this time next week, we'll probably wish for nights like this." Coco turned her head and whispered, "Did you see that Monica, Kelli, and Heather went out the back door? Do you think all the bikers and their women are staying in the warehouse?"
She lifted one shoulder. "We've both been in there, getting supplies for Mr. Reeves. It's basically a huge one-room building. That would be a little awkward for all of them. What are they going to do, throw a sleeping bag on the concrete floor?"
Coco snickered. "The way those guys go at it, it'd be one big orgy. I don't think they have boundaries going by how they handled the women last night. Even Monica and Heather shared their attention with many of them. It surprised me that Kelli stuck with Peer."
She laughed and exhaled heavily trying to contain her enjoyment at Coco's assessment. "I guess we should be happy the men left us alone."
"Or depressed." Coco widened her eyes and drawled, "Are we not pretty? Don't we deserve men?"
Lizzy snorted at Coco's sarcasm. "Girl, we're too pretty. They couldn't handle us."
They looked at each other and laughed loudly, drawing Peer's attention. Once again, she was glad she had someone who understood her humor and had the history with her they could find ways to entertain themselves when there was nothing else to do.
Two male customers walked in. Lizzy smiled, letting them seat themselves. While the others were on lunch break, she'd take care of their designated areas.
"Time to work." She squeezed Coco's arm and walked over to get their orders.
Only four more hours to go and she could sleep. The change in schedule and after last night's busy 'training' session, she found herself starting to drag.
"Order up." She clipped the paper onto the wheel and went over to Peer. "I need two shots of Duck Fart."
Somehow, she'd kept a straight face while she took the order from the customers. She hung around behind the counter, curious about all the different drinks that she'd never heard of before.
Peer grabbed three bottles off the shelf and placed two skinny but tall glasses down. "Do you want to learn?"
Surprised he'd asked since she wasn't hired to mix the drinks, she nodded and stepped beside him.
"This is Kahlua." He held up a bottle. "Think of the glass in thirds, with this one at the bottom. You want to pour in the middle and not let it hit the glass."
After he'd poured, he handed the bottle to her. She copied him until the dark liquid was below the halfway mark.
"This is Bailey's Irish Cream." Peer poured. "Pure candy to those who like it."
"Do you?" She repeated what he'd shown her in the glass he gave her. "Like it, I mean."
"I'm not a drinker." Peer leaned closer. "But I'm dying for a cigarette."
"Do you ever get a break?" Aware that Peach in the kitchen and Peer behind the bar were not her responsibility, she hadn't even been aware of him leaving the room.
"Soon." He picked up the last bottle. "This is whiskey, which will top off the shot. Pour slowly."