Page 39 of The Barkeep and the Bro

“Not with my bottles, I hope.”

“Amos’s empty wine bottles at home.”

We weathered the rush of business together. I stayed behind the bar and served customers alongside Charlie. We were like ballet, moving and gliding around each other with ease. We’d learned how to navigate these tight quarters. It was a blast, and I remembered what I enjoyed about bartending. I almost found myself blatantly flirting with Charlie against my better judgment. A hand on his lower back to hear him. Answering his questions by whispering in his ear. His body was a sheet of metal, and I was a helpless magnet. He reciprocated, too. A touch of my arm when he needed to get by, whispering comments about customers in my ear.

I had to get this shit under control. Charlie was my employee. The last thing I wanted was for him to feel he had to flirt with me in order to keep his job. I went back to circulating through the bar, far away from the bartender. Leo shot me a shit-eating grin when I passed him.

That fucker.

* * *

It was a Monday,and I was exhausted. What a great night.

Natasha, Penny, and I thanked the final customers for coming in and guided them to the exits. The girls sat at a dirty table and counted their tips, gasping at the amounts. Happy staff, happy boss.

“Have I mentioned that I love Musical Mondays?” Natasha put her wad of tips into her apron. “Gay guys tip well and don’t hit on me.”

“Same with the lesbians. I got so many compliments on my hair, but not in a creepy way,” Penny said.

“Mitch, we should turn Stone’s Throw into a full-time gay bar,” Natasha said, and Penny nodded in agreement. “You’re gay, so that gives it extra cred.”

“I’ll take it under consideration. Have you seen Charlie?” He hadn’t come back from taking out the trash.

“You’re always wondering about Charlie,” Penny said.

“What?”

“You’re always bringing him up,” Natasha said. “He’s your golden boy.”

I wasnotgoing down this path. “Charlie took out the trash a while ago. It doesn’t take that long to throw a bag into a dumpster. He still needs to close down his bar.”

That sounded responsible, right? I was concerned for my employee.

“He’s probably smoking.” Natasha shrugged.

“He smokes?”

“No, but it’s only a matter of time.”

I didn’t want that to happen. I didn’t want to kiss an ashtray. Err, I mean, smoking kills, and I wanted him alive.

Fuck.

I left the girls and rushed through the kitchen to the dumpster area, where I found creepy Mr. Horndog cornering Charlie against the wall. He had several inches on Charlie and used that height difference to corner his prey.

“Relax,” he cooed. “Why are you so nervous? I miss that smile of yours.”

“Buddy, I have to close down my station.” Charlie tried to maneuver out of his grip, but the creep was big and tall. His hands and feet were like a net that entrapped my bartender.

At that moment, I saw red. Only red. Didn’t care if I got sued and lost my business red. I grabbed the creep by his collar and hurled him against the dumpster, where his worthless body clanged against the metal.

“What the fuck!” the creep yelled. “You again?”

“Yeah, it’s me. The owner of this fucking establishment.” I stepped forward, this time not self-conscious about my balled-up fists. “We are closed. Go home.”

“I was just chatting with Charlie. He’s off the clock.”

“Go home.”

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