Page 26 of The Gin Lover's Guide to Dating

I look at her with wide eyes, a fear she knows nothing of etched across my face. She simply takes me by the hand and leads me to one of the changing benches.

‘Please, sit down. You are white.’

‘I… err… I’m fine,’ I say finally. ‘Just feeling a bit queasy. Must be something I ate.’

I take some slow deep breaths to calm myself. Reyes sits quietly beside me while I recover. After a few minutes, I get to my feet.

‘OK, I think I’m ready to go.’

‘You are sure?’ Reyes peers at me. ‘You still do not look good. You could go home and start tomorrow instead?’

As appealing as delaying the inevitable sounds, I know I have to do this, or I’ll lose my nerve completely.

‘I’m fine, honestly.’ I give her an appreciative look. ‘Let’s do this.’

We get up and walk through to the bar area, which thankfully is empty.

‘So, you remember what I show you last week?’ Reyes queries.

‘Yes, I do, thanks,’ I confirm.

‘That’s good.’ Reyes starts to empty the glass washer and I pitch in to help her. ‘I am sorry to tell you this when you do not feel good, but I must warn you about the one bad thing here – so you can protect yourself.’

‘What’s that?’ I’m unsure if I can take anything more.

‘The beast.’ Reyes’s face is serious.

‘The what?’ I look at her, perplexed.

‘Thebeast,’ she repeats in a lower voice. ‘Amir, our other bar colleague, create that name.’

I start to wonder if I’ve wandered into a children’s fairy tale.

‘What’s the—’

I’m immediately cut off by a swoosh of air from the door to the bar suddenly opening and closing, and the instantaneous voluminous presence of a young woman in a suit. She’s a lot taller and younger than Reyes and me, with long legs, an athletic figure and cropped dark hair. Her facial features are attractive, but emphasised a little too sharply by her hairstyle. She also has an unfortunately pointy nose.

‘You must be Liv. I’m Clara, the Bars Manager.’ She sticks her hand out, almost aggressively, across the bar and I shake it, my habitual corporate style this time feeling far more fitting.

‘Hi, Clara. Nice to meet you.’ I smile at her politely, then glance across to Reyes who theatrically mouths ‘the beast’ at me, before quickly breaking into a fake smile as Clara’s eyes land on her.

‘I’ve prepared your induction.’ Clara’s demeanour is stiff and overly professional. ‘Follow me and we’ll get started.’

‘OK, sure.’ I make my way out from behind the bar to join Clara, who’s already ascending the steps two at a time towards the back of the bar.

I look round to give Reyes a little wave as I go and find her doing an impression of a fierce animal, her hands raised baring pretend claws, her face contorted in a vicious-looking, but silent, roar. I give her a desperate look and find myself having to stifle a laugh.

‘Right, here we are.’ Clara stops next to one of the trendy white bar tables with a stack of folders on it. ‘Take a seat and we’ll get started.’

I slowly sit down on the comfortable purple fabric chair, which is more armchair than bar seat.

‘So, Aaron tells me you’re going to be working full-time.’

‘That’s right.’ I nod.

‘I can’t say I’m happy about him just hiring into my area like that, without even consulting me,’ she continues. ‘But he seems to think you’re good, so I guess we’re stuck with each other.’

Caught off guard by the harshness of her words, I scrutinise Clara’s face, trying to work out if she’s joking. She’s not. I say nothing.

---