Page 105 of No Rules

“A few players from both teams and some fans have made this place their home for tonight. You were supposed to help me behind the counter, but considering the crowd, you’re going to take care of the room exclusively. Tony will serve in the left wing and you take the other side. It’s going to be tough tonight, are you ready?”

I nod and quickly get to work. I go back and forth for almost half an hour, feeling my little black shirt getting wet around my arms.

Super glamorous.

The service is going well, but it’s getting more and more crowded and, more concerningly, tempers are starting to flare. I nearly bump into a guy who must be twice my size when another one shoves him, drunk.

Fuck, I have a bad feeling about this.

I look around for Buck to let him know that things are going to get ugly in a few minutes.

“You’re the one who was playing like shit!” shouts the guy who almost ran into me. “Don’t complain about losing.”

“You’re the one who’s talking? You can’t even run without getting your feet tangled up, you fucking asshole.”

The first guy grabs the other by the top of his T-shirt while the latter hits him in the shoulder to get him off. Other guys stand up, some pissed off, some cheering. And that damn Buck is nowhere to be found. I elbow my way to the two guys who are about to fight, bursting with testosterone.

“OKAY, OKAY. Gentlemen, there are places to fight,” I say curtly, placing a hand on each of their forearms. “And this bar is not one of them.”

They turn their heads towards me in the same motion, which freaks me out slightly.

“Give us some beers,” yells another guy behind them.

“A light ale for me,” shouts yet another as he shoves me to get to his seat.

I take a deep breath, holding back from calling them names.

“I’ll get your beers if you calm down. I don’t need to know who has the biggest balls,” I continue firmly.

The two guys open their mouths wide but don’t answer anything, surprised by my reply. One of the guys behind them bursts out laughing and retorts loudly, “Just so you know, it’s me, if you want to come and check, honey.”

I roll my eyes and turn my back to them to reach the bar. Phew, we avoided the worst. At least, that’s what I tell myself before I hear a big crash behind my back…I turn and have the reflex to jump on the side to avoid the two guys who have finally come to blows.

Damn it, I can’t believe it.

“Buck,” I shout, seeing him in the distance.

“Tony, it’s an emergency!” he exclaims as he runs towards the fight.

Tony arrives and together they manage to separate the two drunken players. But not for long, judging by their tense muscles.

I’ve got to figure out how to stop this before the situation explodes.

In the distance, on the right side of the room, towards the pool tables, two other guys are getting angry too. I’m racking my brains, looking for a plan.

“This is going to be a real mess,” I mutter to Buck.

He walks over to the other group of guys and gives me a look.

“If you have a way to calm them down, please do. Every game day it’s like this.”

Then he walks away with a few shouts. I can see the bar counter about 30 feet away.

Find a solution. Distract them. Make them want to party instead of killing each other…I think I have an idea.

I don’t wait a second and head for the counter. As soon as I get behind the bar, I turn up the music to full volume, pick up two full bottles of vodka and put them on a corner of the counter.

“Don’t do it, Iris,” my conscience orders me.

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