Page 10 of Silver Edge
“None taken. I prefer honesty.” He slid his hands into his front pockets and propped his elbows on the bar behind him, crossing one leg in front of the other and resting his toe on the floor. Did he mean to pose like a demon ready to take my soul through sex appeal?
I shook off the image and crushed the plastic cup in my palm. Sticky red juice flowed down my arm. I passed him, my eyes on my fingers, unable to concentrate on anything until I removed the gooey substance from my hands. I flipped the water faucet on. Cool water showered me with relief for a second until the coldness penetrated my skin with icy bullets.
Hawaiian gathered the edges of the large black trash bag and yanked it from the bucket. “Listen, I know it’s none of my concern, but she’s awesome. We did twice the business as usual. Thanks to her mad calculation skills, the bad register didn’t slow us down. Not to mention her focus. I mean, she didn’t get one drink wrong.”
Drake’s lower back still leaned against the bar top. His head lowered and I heard the squeal of his shoe against the floor. I eyed his frame, the perfect V shape from his shoulders to his thin waist. Strong arms beckoned to surround me. Not Schwarzenegger big like Ton, but powerful enough to lift me into any position. His T-shirt didn’t hide his delicious chest, either. I loved muscles. But it was more. An unspoken promise of…comfort.
Overhead lights turned on. I blocked the blinding white with the back of my hand and eyed the sludgy mess remaining on the black floor. The stabbing knives of brightness to my brain broke through my lust.
I inhaled a deep breath, attempting to ignore the stomach-churning fumes and focus. If I didn’t do something, I’d lose this job. “I’m a hard worker.”
“I have no doubt. If Walter recommends you, that’s as good as it gets.”
“Really?” My insides floated with the promise of a better life, one where I controlled my fate. Not some foster parent or Straight Edge rule. No, I’d take care of myself for once. “Wait, Walter? That’s your name?”
Walter shrugged. “You can call me Hawaiian if you want.” He halted by Drake’s side. “Only she can call me that, though.”
Drake held up his hands in front of him. “Hey, I wouldn’t even think it.”
Hawaiian shuffled out the door with trash bag in hand.
“So, I’ve got the job?” I shuffled left and right, trying not to squeal like a little girl about to get her first Barbie doll. The dream of any toys ended a decade of Christmases ago when I realized Santa didn’t visit foster kids.
He squeezed his temples between his pointer finger and thumb. “How old are you?”
“I’m twenty-one,” I blurted.
He held out his palm. “Show me your ID.”
I pulled my duct tape wallet from my back pocket and retrieved the ID.
He scanned it for about two seconds. “Now, hand me your real one.”
Flames licked the back of my neck. Busted.Shit.“What do you mean? That’s my ID.”
“I’ve been a bouncer since I faked my age to work as one. Now I own a club. You don’t think I can spot a fake ID?”
I froze. If I showed him my real ID, I’d never get the job. “What’s it matter? You have proof I’m twenty-one. Now you can have me work at your bar.”
“You might think I don’t know how to run a business, but I do. And when I run your social and do a background check, I’ll know your real age. Save me the hassle and tell me the truth.” He handed me back the ID and put his hands on his hips in that God-like statue pose. His charm, or spell, distracted me enough to pull my real ID from my wallet.
“As I thought, nineteen.”
“Almost twenty,” I added.
“It doesn’t matter. You’re not twenty-one, which means you’re not old enough to drink, which means you’re not old enough to work as my bartender.I won’t lose my business by hiring an underage girl to work behind the bar, no matter how beautiful she is. Heck, you’d probably bring half the guys in the city to this bar. I’m not stupid; I saw the men lining up to buy drinks from you. The bar just across the dance floor only had a handful of patrons, but you, you had them drooling on themselves.”
Me? What the hell was he smoking?
“Trust me, if there was any way I could hire you, I would.” Drake shook his head. “I’m sorry about what happened at the restaurant. Margo can be a little diva-ish at times.”
“A little?”
“Okay, she’s over the top.” He handed my ID back and rounded the bar. When he turned, I saw deep creases between his eyebrows. Lines of concern? No. Why would a complete stranger be concerned about me? I never was very good at reading expressions.
“Listen.” The dip in his voice told me one thing?no job.
The realization that I’d be back on the pavement begging and stealing food tomorrow made my mouth dry. I couldn’t let him finish that thought. “Why are you with her if she makes you miserable? I learned a long time ago, if something ain’t right, leave, or it’ll only get worse.”
