Page 36 of Melody

Although she’d had a rough night, she still seemed to have a little life in her, so Kyle decided to venture forward. “What time do you get out of here?”

“No idea. I have to close by myself tonight.”

“So you won’t be out of here till—”

“After two. The servers take care of the tables and floor, but I have to take care of the bathrooms and all the stuff back here at the bar. Usually, Al would have one of the servers do it, but Jenny would get overtime if she did and Amber had a party she was going to after work. I’ve never cleaned the bathrooms before so—”

“You’ve been working here how long and you’ve never had to clean the bathrooms once?” Kyle wondered how she’d managed that one. Maybe Al favored the pretty girls.

“Uh…it’s kind of a long story.”

“I got nowhere else to be—and I don’t see any customers lined up for a drink.”

With what seemed like a sigh, she gave a quick nod—and something in her eyes told Kyle she trusted him enough to tell him something she thought she shouldn’t. “I work for tips and tips only. I don’t get paid wages, and so, in exchange, I only take care of duties behind the bar, things I can do while earning.”

Kyle was curious as hell about why she’d made that arrangement, considering it seemed like everyone else was being paid regularly—but he kept his mouth shut on that subject. Instead, he said, “So tell Al you’re not going to clean the bathrooms.”

“No way. He’s been really good to me from the beginning, taking a chance on me when I doubt many other people would have. Besides, he offered to pay me extra cash under the table for doing it. He even gave me the spare keys so I can lock up and he told me how to close out the registers. Everything else he said he’ll take care of in the morning.”

Inspired, Kyle said, “Hey, I’ve cleaned my fair share of bathrooms in all my jobs. What if I did it?”

“Why would youwantto?”

“So you’ll have time to hang with me after.”

A tiny smile crept up on Scarlett’s lips. “Won’t you be tired?”

“Not even close.” After a show like the one they’d performed, Kyle had energy, and he’d never had an issue staying up late. What was hard was getting up the next day—but he’d managed just fine. And because tomorrow was another show night, he had the day off.

Meaning his focus was all on Scarlett. Nothing else mattered for now.

“Al might not be—”

“Al will never know unless you tell him. And I don’t think he’d turn down free help, do you?”

“I don’t know…”

Kyle arched an eyebrow. “Just show me where all the cleaning stuff is and I’ll get it done now.”

“We’d have to clean it again if you do it now.”

“Damn it, woman. I’m trying to help you.”

Scarlett’s pupils grew wide and she drew in a deep breath through her nose—but she didn’t say anything.

Had his words or tone scared her? He’d just been playing, but maybe he’d come off as really pissed off. “Hey—I’m just messing around. But Iamtrying to help.”

“Sorry. I guess I’m a little, uh, hypersensitive. Uh…my ex was—let’s just say he had a quick temper.”

“No,I’msorry. I really just want to help.”

“One sec.” Scarlett shifted her attention to a few stools down where customers needed her. While she tended to them, Kyle dwelt on what she’d last said about an ex and then Kyle reflected on himself. When he and Hayley’s relationship was at its worst, he’d probably had what Scarlett would call a “quick temper.” After more than a year of therapy, he knew that what he and Hayley had often done was trigger each other. And because Kyle hadn’t been good at expressing all the shit inside, it had been difficult communicating. Now, as friends, they did a pretty good job, but it had been a long, hard road.

And knowing that Scarlett had some possible trauma around—was it the cursing? The feigned angry tone? The way he’d contorted his face? Or was it a combination of all three? He’d tread as lightly as possible and hoped that there would be a point where she’d be willing to talk about it.

When she returned, she said, “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be sorry. You’re just doing your job. Anyway…please let me help you, okay? I want to. And if it makes you feel better, you can buy me a beer after.”

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