Page 26 of Find Me in the Rain
Mark grabs a binder from below the bar and flips it open. “Tonight, you guys will mostly be handing out drinks and running them to tables. Your mixing training isn’t till the next shift. That takes a little more time to get the hand of. But this binder is here when you need a quick reference if you can’t remember a drink. You’ll pick it up as you go from watching us to making your own.” He slides the binder back under the bar top. “We’ll get into that more next time.”
Char and I are intently watching him, trying to take in as much as we can. He shifts a couple of feet over to one of the computer screens.
“Here, I’m going to show you how to enter a tab and how to ring a customer out. You guys will help us out with that tonight while we mix the drinks; it’ll cut the time down between customers.”
We get up behind him and watch him tap through a bunch of buttons. It seems pretty simple; it basically walks you through it. The first option on the screen issingleortab. If you clicksingle, it just pulls up the screen to enter the drink and bill the card. If you selecttab, it will pull up all the already-open ones and has an option for adding one.
After we finish going through some quick computer training, he shows us how all of the tables are set up and how to figure out which drink goes where.
Near the walls of the room are round tables. Each table has a built-in mini ordering tablet—locked into the table, of course. Anyone who orders from them has to have a tab set up, so we don’t have to worry about handling any of the money. Each table is numbered with a light on the wall above it. I can’t believe I’ve never noticed them before.
Eli explains that they split the bar into a semicircle—two bartenders taking one half and two on the other.
He takes us through a mock order, and I’d like to say we are doing pretty damn good. After a couple more tips and tricks from the boys, Callie and Hannah join back up with us after doing some prep work on their half of the bar.
“How do you guys feel? You ready?” Callie asks, hopping up onto the counter.
Char answers for us, immediately going into conversation with all of them. It’s always been so easy for her like that.
I like the group though; it seems like we’ll all get along. And everyone seems nice so far, so that’s a plus. My gaze and mind shift back to the table numbers on the wall. I’m in disbelief that I didn’t notice them.
“… ass grab,” Hannah says, immediately grabbing my attention.
“Wait, what?” I ask.
“I was saying that if any guys—or girls for that matter—get a little too handsy tonight, let Claude or Axel know. They will get them out in no time. Honestly, they will probably be the one pulling them off you. They’re really good about keeping us safe.” Hannah pulls Callie off the counter as Mila approaches.
“Good to know. Thanks,” I tell her.
“No problem. We take care of each other here. If someone is making you uncomfortable, let us know. Mila doesn’t put up with that bullshit,” Callie adds in.
Mila leans back against the counter. “Damn straight. Five minutes out. Lights off in two.”
Someone near the door grabs her attention.
“Duty calls.” She pushes off the counter.
The last few prep minutes are spent laughing and joking around with the group, and before we know it, the lights go off, and the floor beneath my feet lights up.
With no one walking on it, except Axel and Claude, it reacts to the music.
Dear God, how much money does this place make?
The music above us is thumping, and if I thought that was loud, I stand corrected. Because the second those doors open, it sounds like thunder is booming through the room. I had no idea people could make such noise.
The first couple transactions are slow, but Char and I soon catch on, and after an hour in, we are killing it. It feels like I’ve been doing this forever. It is so easy to settle into.
“Laura!” Mark shouts to me over the music.
I take off for him, ready to input and process the order.
But when I approach, curly brown hair and blue eyes I recognize are looking back at me. His eyes drop quickly, taking in my body, and I feel my blush follow his stare.
Cam has a way of making me feel his gaze. But if Cam is here, that can only mean one thing—Alec is here somewhere too.
“I like the costume.” Cam winks at me. “Can I steal you for a dance later?”
Mark steps slightly in front of me, turning his face to me. “Do you know him? I can send him out if you don’t.”
