Page 12 of Waiting for Tuesday

I laughed. “No, I’ve been working. Uncle Don had a few employees call in sick, and I said I’d cover. What’s up?”

She pulled in a deep breath, and I heard some of the tension leave her body.

“Good.” She cleared her throat. “Now, I need you to be honest with me about something.”

I furrowed my brow and grimaced, already anticipating where this conversation would lead. “Of course.”

“Did you ever call my friend Jennifer back?”

And there it was.I scratched the back of my head and began filling another pitcher. “Well… Like I said, Uncle Don?”

“You didn’t!” She raised her voice, cutting me off.

“You’re right.” I shrugged. “I didn’t.”

“John, she’s nice! You deserve nice.”

“I’m sure she is, Lis, but I’m not really into nice.”

She laughed. “What do you want then? Some witch to tell you what to do?”

I grinned and slid the pitcher across the bar to a customer. “Nah, I already have three of those.”

“Oh my God! I’m telling Penny and Margaret you said that.”

I laughed.

“Seriously, John. What are you waiting for? What will it take to get you to settle down?”

I glanced across the bar to Tuesday. “I like librarians.”

“TMI… Okay, you can stop right there. I’m sorry I asked.”

I chuckled, wiped my hands on a rag, and spotted Colin walking through the double doors to the back room. “Go to bed, sis. Your kids are going to be up in a few hours, and you’re going to be grumpy.”

“I’m never grumpy.”

“Bye, Lis.” I threw my cloth in the sink, gave the girls a quick nod to say I’d be right back, and hopped over the bar.

“Hey! Colin.” I pushed open the doors before they stopped swinging. “How’s my favorite co-worker in the world?”

Colin laughed but didn’t turn around. “What’s up?” He set a tray of empties in the sink then proceeded to fill a couple of pitchers with stout.

“Who are the girls you’ve been talking to in the corner?”

He grinned. “You’ll have to be more specific. There are so many.”

I rolled my eyes. “The one sitting with Xena. The one with the glasses. What’s her name?”

He grinned at my Xena reference then shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know, man. Tuesday, I think?”

Soshewastelling the truth. Okay. “Is she single?”

“I have no clue. Look, I gotta get back out there. You’ll have to grow some balls and figure that one out on your own.”

I grinned. “No problem, cover for me at the bar.”

Colin laughed. “Nice try.”

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