Page 11 of The Barkeep and the Bro

Charlie strolled over to the bar and admired the rows of alcohol bottles like it was a museum exhibit. “What kind of drinks do people order? Is it mostly beer?”

“Beer, wine, cocktails. It runs the gamut.”

“I’ve drunk all three!” Charlie stepped behind the bar and eyed the tools of the trade. I shuffled after him. He was already breaking a few codes.

“Listen, Charlie, I appreciate you coming in, but I don’t think it’s the right fit.”

“I think he’d fit in great,” Natasha said. Traitor.

Whatever heat I felt when I touched his shoulder could not be repeated. Not with an employee. Not with my daughter’s former boyfriend.

“I’m a fast learner, and I work hard.” He flashed me a confident smile, which made my resolve melt. Charlie leaned on the bar, making his shirt tighten around his arms. Why was I looking there?

“Look, I’m sure other places are hiring for bartenders, ones that are busier than here.” I walked down to the edge of the bar. Charlie followed me. He did look like a natural behind there.

“That may be true, but I don’t have the experience or connections to work at any of those places. You know me, Mr. Dekker. I was hoping you could take a chance on me.”

That was the last thing I wanted to do. Charlie was a fratboy through and through, always down for a good time. Did I want someone like that serving alcohol?

“I know you like to have fun, Charlie.”

“I’m very responsible at work.”

I scanned his application. “You don’t have professional references on here, just friends who will vouch for you.”

“You could vouch for me.”

I looked at him aghast. Was he being serious?

“You know me. We go way back.”

Way back to him meant four years ago.

But he gazed up at me with those big, brown eyes that weakened my disdain for him. He was being serious.

“If I recall, you broke up with Ellie. That already tells me you have poor judgment. Told her you two were on separate paths, from what she shared with me back then. There were a lot of cliches in there.” I flashed him the barest smile. It was all water very much under the bridge, but it did irk me that my baby girl was dumped by a guy who wanted to explore greener pastures. I knew how guys operated. “I need someone who can be responsible. Being a bartender isn’t about being a master of ceremonies. You have to be in control. You have to juggle multiple orders. You have to know when to cut someone off. I’m sorry, Charlie, but I’m not hiring you for this position. Best of luck with your search.”

I grabbed a clipboard off the bar that I’d used for doing inventory this morning. Another responsibility to juggle. Then I left him to go upstairs. Charlie stepped out from behind the bar and followed me.

“Let’s back up there a hot minute, Mr. Dekker. Is this about my skill set or Ellie?”

“Both,” I said without turning around.

“I was a great boyfriend to Ellie. I treated her well. It didn’t work out like most relationships. Was it the most delicate breakup? Could I have handled it better? Could I have done more than Google ‘best breakup speeches’? Probably, but that’s in the past. Ellie’s past it. Why aren’t you?”

“If you ever decide to have kids, then you’ll realize that when someone hurts them, it hits you ten times as hard.” I climbed up the stairs, wincing slightly at the creak in my knees. Twenty-five years going up and down these stairs will have that effect. Charlie bounced up the stairs in my wake like they were nothing.

“I dumped her because I knew she was too good for me.”

I stopped at the top, my back to him. I looked over my shoulder, and his expression was nothing but sincere.

“I didn’t want to hold her back. She’s someone who has her life figured out and goes after what she wants. Law school, partner, up, up, and away. And I’m…still searching. I was in no position to have a serious girlfriend then.” He sighed. “Or now.”

His forehead creased with thought as if he were coming to this realization on the spot.

“I didn’t want to be this stumbling block and mess up her law school years. So I gave her a bullshit breakup excuse, made myself the asshole, and set her free.”

I strummed my fingers on the banister, but I couldn’t detect any bullshit wafting off him. He was telling the truth, and I could tell it seemed hard. Ellie had been in love with Charlie. Would she have given up law school to follow him?

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