Page 48 of The Gin Lover's Guide to Dating

‘Oh, thank the amazing man in the sky!’ I clamp my hand over my mouth in shock. ‘I’m saved! She can’t sack me now.’

‘This is the best day!’ Reyes hoots. ‘We are free.’

‘Unless her replacement is worse,’ I say suddenly. ‘I don’t think I could cope with that.’

‘There’s no way he’ll be worse.’ Amir gives me a wink.

‘How doyouknow?’ I ask. ‘And how do you know it’s going to be a bloke?’

‘Yes, Amir,’ Reyes berates him. ‘You are sexist and a little man.’

‘Actually – now I’m thebigman.’ Amir stands as tall as he can and puffs out his chest. ‘You’re looking at the new Amethyst Bar Manager.’

‘What?’ Reyes and I cry in unison.

‘Yes, ladies. Aaron just grabbed me for a chat. With immediate effect, I’m now officially your boss. Was supposed to let him tell you that though, so don’t let on I said.’

‘That’s amazing!’ I’m genuinely elated for him. ‘That’s a big jump, managing all the bars.’

‘Actually, it’s just this bar,’ Amir clarifies. ‘Aaron’s decided to have a manager in each bar instead of one managing all three, so it’s not as big a job, thankfully. I’ll still be around to annoy you ladies.’

‘Amir.’ At first, Reyes sounds like she’s about to tell him off. ‘I must offer you formal Spanish celebration.Felicitaciones!This is excellent news. Though I will say that if you will continue to annoy us, I will continue to call you little man. Even if you are the boss.’

‘Fine by me.’ Amir grins at us both.

‘Congratulations. Really.’ I give him a hug. ‘Brilliant news. Now I can do my work without the continuous fear of attack and dismissal.’

‘You have no worries with that.’ Amir pats my shoulder. ‘I’ll be the opposite to the beast.’

‘I know you will.’ I smile at him. ‘Oh, here comes Aaron… sshh.’

Reyes and I turn back to our tasks, and Amir disappears into the storeroom, as Aaron strides through the door to the bar.

‘Afternoon.’ His tone is as clipped as usual. ‘Quick update. Is Amir here?’

‘I’m here. Two secs.’ He shouts from the storeroom, then makes a loud show of finishing his imaginary task, before joining us behind the bar.

I stifle a giggle, hoping he’s a far better Bar Manager than he is an actor.

‘I know news travels fast in this hotel,’ says Aaron. ‘And I wanted you to know this first…’

Reyes and I offer appropriately curious faces.

‘As of yesterday, Clara is no longer your manager.’ Aaron sways back and forth on the spot as he talks. ‘She has accepted an immediate transfer to another hotel where they need cover following the sudden resignation of their own Bars Manager.’

‘Right.’ I put on a shocked face. ‘Well, that’s a shame we’re losing Clara.’

Reyes nods along theatrically in agreement.

Aaron eyes us, leaving me in no doubt that neither Reyes nor myself will be in line for the Oscars.

‘So, I saw this as an opportunity to offer some staff promotions,’ he continues. ‘There will now be one manager in each bar, rather than one person overseeing all three. As from today, Amir is your new Amethyst Bar Manager.’

‘Oh, yay!’ I clap my hands together in fake surprise and excitement. ‘What brilliant news. Well done, Amir.’

‘Yes, this is… fantastic.’ Reyes’s thick Spanish accent thankfully covers some of the blatant fabrication between us. ‘Congratulations, Amir.’

‘Thanks, ladies.’ Amir offers us both a wink. ‘Technically, you’re now my beeatches.’

---