Page 15 of Shortcake
I narrowed my eyes as Stephanie tapped the edge of her glass to one of the guy’s and finished almost all of it in a few gulps.
“Yeah. Yeah, everything’s fine.”
* * *
Everything wasnotfine.It was closing in on one a.m. and while almost everyone else had already left to go home, the bachelor party had amped up. Tim had long since closed down karaoke night. So it was just me, Keith, and Enzo left other than the six-man bachelor party. And of course, Stephanie.
I had cut her off about an hour ago, even though she had only had about three drinks.
She was nearly passed out at the table with the guys and they were leering over her way too much for me to be comfortable.
Keith, Enzo, and I were also wildly outnumbered.
“What do we do?” Enzo hissed.
Heat rose in my chest. They had already settled their tab, but were all lingering. No doubt, planning to take Stephanie home with them. One guy in the party was particularly interested in her and sat next to her, stroking his hands across her bare knees.
I yanked my apron off and stormed over there. “We’re closed,” I shouted. “Everyone out!”
“What? It’s not even two!”
“Yeah, I know. We close at one.”
“But that’s so fucking early!”
I rolled my eyes, but stood strong. “State laws, look it up.”
“Maybe I will look it up,” one of the drunk guys challenged me.
I was so fucking angry, I could have spat fire in that moment. Instead of backing down, I stepped forward, pushing onto my tiptoes to get in his face. “Are you fucking deaf?” I hissed. “We’re closed. Now are you going to get out, or do I need to get my gun out of the fucking safe to make you?”
Apparently, seeing a tiny redhead lose her shit and threaten assault was enough to spook them. All the guys started grabbing their shit and scrambling for the door.
The blonde guy that was in my face immediately backed up, grunting, “Jesus. Okay. We’re going.”
The darker haired guy sitting next to Stephanie stood as well, taking her hand and trying to pull her to her feet.
She groaned as her platinum hair, now stringy and sweaty, fell in her face.
“C’mon, baby. Time to go.”
“Nuh-uh.” I stepped forward, taking her hand from the guy. “She stays here with me.”
“What are you, her mom?” he asked, taking a step toward me.
He may have been double my size, but I wasn’t fucking backing down to some drunk Masshole who could barely carry a tune.
I held my ground, standing taller and lifting my chin. I felt Keith move in closer behind me, which didn’t hurt, either. But he knew I could hold my own. You didn’t buy a fucking bar without knowing at some point you’d be fighting drunk idiots.
I just didn’t expect that to come so quickly on my first night open.
“I’m her fairy fucking godmother.”
“She’s a consenting adult. Let’s see what she wants.”
“First of all, in this inebriated state? She can’t consent. So there’s a free little lesson from me toyou.”
“Your lesson sucks.”
