Page 3 of Pallas & Kawehi

“So no throwing each other down the lanes,” Number one said. “Boring, but whatever.”

God, she hoped he was joking.

“Do you want to leave a credit card for your games?”

Number two gave her a look. “Like a bar tab?”

“Absolutely.” She gave them her best customer service smile.

“What about the bar,” Number three gave her a sly smile. “We can have drinks, right?”

She nodded. “Sure. Did you guys drive here?”

Number one took offense. “What business is it of yours?”

“I believe it’s my responsibility to care for our customers and that means making sure you’re good to drive before you do.”

“What?” Number one continued on. “How do you do that?”

“Well, first, I cut you off if I think you’re drunk. If you want to prove me wrong, I have a PBT behind the counter here.”

“PVT?” Number three scoffed. “Isn’t that a kind of solar panel?”

Number two rolled his eyes. “She’s talking about that little thing you blow into so they can find out how much you’ve been drinking.”

Number one leaned in against the counter and met her gaze. “You gonna blow me, too?”

“Credit card, guys?”

Number two pulled out his wallet and put the card on the counter. “A round of beers, please.”

She looked at the credit card. “Picture ID for all three of you.”

Number one looked like he was ready for his head to explode. “The fuck!”

“Hey!”

Shocked, all three men turned to look at the counter of the bar.

The guy who had come in on his own was standing beside the stool he’d been sitting on.

“Mind your manners.”

The way he said it wasn’t a request. It was an order.

The guy standing in front of her set down his ID. Two more IDs came a moment later and she looked for the date of birth on each license. “Here, thank you.” She handed the licenses back to their owners. “Thanks guys.”

She put the credit card in a tin cup on the back counter and gave all three a smile. “I’ll get that pitcher and a few glasses for you guys. Enjoy the game!”

She made it all the way back to the bar counter before she blew out a breath. The man who’d been perusing the menu sat back down.

“Thanks for that.”

He gave a half-hearted shrug. “I didn’t like the way they were talking to you.”

That made her smile. “That’s never happened before.”

“What hasn’t? Jerks coming in here like they own the world or-”

---