Page 58 of Glass Half Full
I lower my head over the pieces of paper in front of me, determined to get this tip out done as fast as possible. I get so caught up in double checking my calculations I jump in surprise when the bar’s phone rings.
“Taverne Toulouse,” I answer. “Renee speaking.”
“You sound really cute when you answer the phone all official like that.”
It’s pathetic, but I actually feel my knees go a bit weak at the sound of his voice.
“Cute?” I reply. “I was aiming for competent and professional.”
“That too,” Dylan assures me. “I’m just calling to check on how things are going tonight. I thought you’d have closed by now. Did it get busy? Are you and Sam all right?”
“It’s been pretty dead,” I inform him. “There were just a few diehards lingering over their beers, but they’re on their way out.”
“The busser left, I take it? Who was on tonight? Pat?”
“Yeah,” I reply. “We sent him off a while ago. He worked really hard. Sam just took off, and I’m almost done my tip out, so—”
“Sam just took off?”
I freeze at the threat in Dylan’s voice. I wasn’t going to mention Sam leaving; it’s not like I needed him here, and I didn’t want him getting in trouble, but I have a hard time keeping a handle on what I say around Dylan. I just want to tell him everything.
“I told him he could go. He had somewhere to be, and we’re basically closed already—”
“He had somewhere to be? He had a job to be at. He knows the two person rule. He knows how important that is. You’re telling me there are still customers in the bar and he just walked out? He left you alone?”
“Dylan, it’s fine. Something urgent came up with his girlfriend, and it’s just three guys in here—”
“Just three guys? I’m going to fire that asshole. I’m going to call him tonight and fire him, but first I’m coming over there and making sure you get home safe.”
“Dylan.” I try to talk some sense into him. “Sam’s girlfriend had a medical emergency, and I am perfectly capable of closing this bar on my own. I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m not a damsel in distress. I don’t need—”
“I know,” he interrupts. “I know that, but this is not how we work at Taverne Toulouse. You have to believe me when I say I’d do this for anyone. Hell, if Zach ended up alone on a shift at one in the morning, I’d be there. I’m the manager. It’s part of my job to make sure the staff are safe, and we have the two person rule for a reason. I’ll be there in ten minutes, okay? Please stay safe.”
The last sentence comes out on a whisper, and I realize just how serious he is, how much this means to him.
“Okay. I’ll see you in ten minutes.”
I hear his breath catch on the other end of the line, like there’s something else he wants to say, but all he does is hang up. I set the receiver back in place and stand there for a moment. I know he meant what he said; he’d be here for anyone. That’s the kind of person he is. I also know his voice wouldn’t tremble like that for anyone else. That’s just for me.
I make my way back to my tip out, glancing at the time and noting when ten minutes from now will be. I’ve just pulled up the calculator on my phone when the rap of someone’s knuckles on the bar makes my head jerk up.
“Knock, knock, doll.”
It’s the man who went to the bathroom. I peer past him and notice the other two are gone.
I do my best to sound pleasant, to keep the spike of fear that shoots through me a secret. “Can I help you with something?”
“You sure I can’t get just one more beer?”
“Sorry, sir. We’re all closed for the night. I’m about to lock up.” I reach for the keys where they’re hanging on a hook behind the bar and lift them up where he can see them, hoping he’ll take the hint to get the hell out of here. When I lower my hand out of sight, I make sure to slide the keys between my knuckles.
“Come on. You can have one too. Just you and me. I’d love to buy you a drink.”
“Like I said, I’m closing now.”
I wait for the panic to rise up, for the situation to overwhelm me, but there’s a certain kind of clarity to this fear. The threat isn’t inside my head; it’s right here in front of me, and I need to remove it. Survival instincts start kicking in.
“Playing hard to get, huh? Do you need me to tell you how pretty you are? You are pretty. I’ve been staring at you all night.”
