Page 17 of Vodka And Virtue

Cock blocker.There was laughter in his eyes. No doubt he had watched us through the front window. I wondered briefly if Shannon had put him up to it. I wouldn’t put it past him. Carlisle jumped away from me, looking guilty as sin. The magic of the moment had been ruined. More than anything, I wanted that kiss. I would do anything for another chance.

“Goodnight, Rory.” He started to follow his brother inside but turned and said, “I’m looking forward to our next date.”

Not more than I am.

6

CARLISLE

Even with my back turned,I could feel the weight of his stare. His eyes had found me again. I was certain of it.

“Shannon asked me to tell you a man is here for a routine inspection on our liquor license.”

His deep voice rumbled like a clap of thunder before the lightning struck. I felt it everywhere.

I was seated at a booth in the lounge, going over my order for the restaurant supply company we used. “Please tell him I’ll be right there.”

I laid my pen down and scrubbed my face. It had been a long day, made longer by his presence. No matter where he stood in the bar, it felt like a solid weight by my side, sucking all of the air out of the room.

I was becoming hyper aware of him.

It was still early. The bar hadn’t even opened yet, not for another hour still. So why was Rory here? Part of me would like to think I was the reason, while another part of me was scared of the implications behind that. They carried too much responsibility with it. A responsibility to recognize his interest in me and return it.

After dealing with the liquor authority agent from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, I sat down to handle our accounts payable and receivables before the bar opened.

Friday nights were always good for business, and tonight was no exception. The bar was packed full of thirsty customers. It didn’t hurt that Kelley was performing his burlesque routine on stage tonight. He always drew a large crowd.

Around nine o’clock, a familiar face breezed through the doors, followed by her posse. Susannah took a seat at the bar with her friends and waved to me. She hadn’t said she was stopping by. A part of me was glad she was making an effort to see me, even though I couldn’t join her. Another part of me felt resentful that I had to divide my attention between her and my work.

She talked and laughed loudly, louder with every round of drinks she insisted on sharing with her friends.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s on the house. Carly is treating us,” she purred, taking full advantage of my goodwill.

I kept my mouth shut at first, not wanting to cause a scene. But she continued on, becoming more disrespectful with each sip.

“Carly, dear, pour another round for my friends. After all, what good is having a boyfriend who runs a bar if you can’t drink for free?”

I gritted my teeth and poured another round, against my better judgment. Now that I was holding a bottle of liquor in my hand that she didn’t have to pay for, I was suddenly her boyfriend again.

After I distributed the drinks, she hopped off her barstool and made her way into the lounge, where her friends followed. I was grateful for the reprieve, but it only lasted so long before she returned with a sour scowl on her face.

“Why did you hire that guy? I’ll never understand it. A man wearing lingerie? Ugh!”

She made a face, pretending like she was sick to her stomach, and I literally became nauseous. Clearly, she had contempt for feminine men, despite her repeated claims to be accepting of the gay men in my family. But my bisexuality was something she never felt comfortable discussing. Maybe she was okay with my family because they all presented masculine? Whatever her issue, I refused to tolerate it another second.

“Susannah, it’s time you leave. Your free ride has run out. Take your friends and go.”

“You’re cutting me off?” Her voice was rising higher, drawing curious stares from others. “Why did I think things would be different this time? You’re never going to be good for anybody. There’s something broken about you.”

In an instant, Rory was behind her, physically escorting her from her stool and out the door before she caused a bigger scene.

A friend of hers, I think his name was Tim, laid two twenties on the counter. “I’m really sorry, Carlisle.” And then he was gone.

I stared at the money as if it held no value. It certainly didn’t come close to covering the amount of alcohol they’d drank. Shannon slipped past me, grabbed the bills, and shoved them in the cash register.

It was a good time to take my dinner break. I walked back to the kitchen to see what Gordy had made. Whatever he had extra of, I usually snagged a plate full. Tonight, he had meatballs made of ground lamb, topped with a roasted red pepper purée, with a side of parmesan couscous and citrus-glazed Brussel sprouts. His food was so delicious that I actually looked forward to coming to work, just to enjoy it. I carried my plate to an empty booth in the lounge and ate as I watched Kelley’s performance.

He moved so sinuously, like a snake, and I was mesmerized, falling under his spell as he worked the stage like he owned it.

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