Page 20 of Dreaming of Dawson

“Yeah. If everything goes okay, you can have your evenings back.”

“That’s great. Not that I haven’t appreciated the extra cash.”But you’d rather be anywhere than here… with me. I get it.

Karl and Ned left about forty-five minutes later, having finished in the kitchen, so I’ve been alone for the last hour or so, with only a few customers for company.

That’s been just fine with me, though. It’s meant I’ve been able to keep my glass topped up without having to worry about who’s watching.

I’m just wiping down the bar, when I spin around as the door opens, bringing with it a blast of icy wind. I asked Macy to come in at five, and here she is, ten minutes early, which is promising.

“It’s freezing out there,” she says, although I notice she’s still smiling.

“Yeah. It’s kept the customers away for most of the day.”

“Oh dear,” she says, unwrapping her scarf and removing her coat to reveal she’s wearing skin-tight jeans instead of the black pants she had on earlier, and she’s changed her sweater for a blouse. It’s low-cut enough to hint at an enticing cleavage, but it’s not so revealing as to be embarrassing, which is a relief. I don’t want any of my customers getting the wrong idea… not just about her, but about my bar.

“Shall I show you where everything is?” I suggest, my eyes settling on her hair for a moment. She’s put it up, and while I recall liking the way it looked this morning, I have to say, this is probably more practical… and just as pretty.

“I guess so… before it gets busy.”

“You think it’s gonna get busy?”

“You never know, it might,” she says, her ever-present smile widening still further, and I shrug my shoulders.

“If you follow me…” I say, moving toward the back of the bar. “This is where you can leave your things.”

I open the door marked ‘private’, waiting for her to step through ahead of me, and then turn to the door on the left. It’s unmarked, but I open it and flick on the lights, revealing the break room. It’s small, but adequate, with lockers to one side, which Maggie insisted we put in about five years ago. There’salso a table and chairs in the center, and a small kitchen area to the right.

“Shall I put my things in a locker?” she says, and I nod my head.

“The two at the bottom should be available.”

“Okay.”

She bends, opening the one on the right, and I suck in a breath, gazing for a second at her perfectly formed ass, as she folds her coat and places it, along with her purse, inside the locker.

“There’s a key in the lock,” I say, clearing my throat, when my voice comes out a little strangled. She bends again, and although I’m tempted to look, I avert my eyes, staring at the coffee machine until she stands and I step back, watching as she puts the key in her pocket. “We’d better get on,” I say as I exit the room, holding the door open until she’s followed me outside and then I close it behind us.

“What’s through there?” she asks, nodding to the door behind me.

“That leads upstairs to my apartment.”

“Oh. Okay.”

I take her back outside, pointing out the doors to the restrooms and the kitchen, and explaining that we don’t serve meals in the evenings, so she probably won’t need to go in there. She nods her head and then accompanies me back to the bar. The place is still empty, but that’s roughly what I’d expected, and I take a few minutes to explain how everything works. Not that she needs telling. She seems to get it and looks really at home.

“If you’re not sure about anything, just ask,” I say, coming to the end of my explanation.

“Okay.”

“And although we rarely have any trouble, if anyone says anything, or does anything that makes you uncomfortable, let me know.”

“I will,” she says, smiling up at me. “Thank you.”

I’m not sure what she’s thanking me for, but before I can ask, the door opens and our first customers of the evening walk through the door.

Macy was right. It got busier.

By seven-thirty, the place is humming, and two hours later, I’m positively relieved to have her here, and to discover she’s so capable. I haven’t had to help her at all. She’s just got on with it… perfectly.

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