Page 7 of Break My Heart
‘It’s $2 beers,’ she says, cutting me off, or maybe she didn’t hear me. It’s really loud in here. She takes off.
Spotting a seat at the bar, I go over there and sit next to two guys I don’t recognize. In a town this size, I know just about everyone here, and if I don’t know them, I at least recognize them.
‘Hey,’ I say, getting their attention. ‘Is anyone sitting here?’
‘It’s all yours,’ the one guy says.
I take a seat, my gaze going to the bartender, to her round perky ass and how good it looks in the tiny black shorts she’s wearing. Her back’s to me as she fills a beer from the tap.
‘You live around here?’ the guy next to me asks, taking my attention off the girl. He’s probably in his mid-thirties, wearing a plaid flannel shirt, a thick beard covering his face.
‘Yeah, I grew up here. How about you?’
‘I’m just passing through. I drive a truck. I’m on my way to Indiana. The road I usually take was closed. The detour took me here. You know a good place to eat in town?’
I give him some options as my gaze goes back to the bartender. She walks to the end of the bar to deliver beers to Hank and Gerald. They used to be on city council with my dad. They’ve been at my brewery a few times but not since G’s opened.
I don’t get it. This place isn’t that great. Mine looks better. It’s more modern yet still has the charm of the original building. And it’s downtown, not out in the middle of nowhere. Maybe it’s the cheap beer. Is she really selling it for $2? There’s no way she’s making a profit on that.
‘Don’t bother,’ the guy next to me says. ‘She won’t even flirt with you. Probably has a boyfriend, although usually they’ll still flirt with you to get tips.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘The bartender. The one you’re staring at. She’s hot as hell but cold as ice when it comes to dealing with customers. I gave her a compliment and thought she was going to punch me.’
I turn to him. ‘What did you say to her?’
He smiles as he watches her return to the taps to fill another glass. ‘I told her all the shit I’d like to do with that tight little ass of hers.’ He licks his lips. ‘That’s a damn fine ass.’
He thought telling her that would turn her on? What a fucking idiot. I’ve used some bad pickup lines in my younger days, but never said anything that stupid.
‘I’m gonna get going,’ he says, getting up. ‘I’ll try thatbarbecue place you suggested. Good meeting you.’ He drops a quarter on the bar for a tip.
‘That’s all you’re leaving?’ I ask.
‘The beer was $2.’ He nods toward the bartender. ‘And that bitch was rude. I give a lady a compliment, I expect something in return, at least a fucking smile.’
He leaves and I realize how much different it must be for a woman to own a place like this than a guy. Most of Gina’s customers are men, and if she gets guys here like the one who just left, she’ll have to deal with a lot of harassment. She might even have to worry about her safety, especially being way out here with nothing but farm fields around.
‘What can I get you?’
I look up and see the bartender in front of me. This is the first time I’m getting a look at her face, and damn, she’s hot. Long wavy dark hair, big brown eyes, beautiful full lips in a shade of light pink. My eyes drop to her chest. She’s wearing a tight white t-shirt with G’s Brewhouse printed across the front. G’s is in a red script font and brewhouse is in black block letters.
‘My eyes are up here,’ she says, sounding annoyed.
‘I was just looking at your shirt,’ I say, which is true, but I can see why she thought I was staring at her tits. I’m a guy and she has great tits. High and round and definitely more than a handful. ‘What do you recommend?’ I ask, looking past her to the taps.
‘What do you like?’
‘Depends on the mood I’m in. I’ve been in kind of a dark mood lately so I guess I’ll take something dark.’
‘The Black Moon Stout,’ she says, going to get it.
I wasn’t going to pick that one, but I guess I could try it.
‘Is it really only $2?’ I ask.
‘Just for opening week. After that, everything goes back to regular price.’
