Page 41 of The List
“Your secret is safe with me.” She winked.
Barry narrowed his gaze and watched her as he walked to the other end of the bar. The stool next to her shifted as Cleo sat down.
“You guys want another round?” Mandee asked.
Addison shared a look with Cleo who eagerly nodded. When she turned back to Mandee, she parted her lips to respond but was quickly interrupted.
“How about me? I’ve been waiting for the last ten minutes!” the older man across the bar shouted.
Mandee sighed. “What was it that you wanted?”
“Jesus.” He stretched his speech for a dramatic effect and evoked snickers from both her and Cleo.
“An old-fashioned,” he said.
Mandee snapped her fingers and walked over to the wall of liquor. “Right.”
It was always interesting watching others in her field do the job. However, it quickly became obvious,thiswasn’t Mandee’s profession. She wasn’t a seasoned bartender. In fact, this might be her first day. It was almost painful to watch, and Addison had to clamp her lips several times to keep from offering some assistance.It’s not my place. Mandee had the bottles of alcohol pulled down with a key ingredient missing. As she mixed the drink, Addison internally cringed at the incorrect measurements of alcohol.I hope you like it strong, buddy.It was hard not to pass judgement. The girl wiped the glass as if she was about to serve it. Addison couldn’t hold back any longer.
“You forgot the simple syrup.”
She knitted her brows, glancing down at the glass. “The what?”
“The simple syrup. It’s an intricate part of an old fashioned. It gives it a rich sweetness, and balances out the whiskey.”
“Oh, okay.” Mandee scanned the shelf, passing over the bottle. Twice. At this rate, the man would be waiting another hour for his drink.
“The red topped plastic squeeze bottle on your right.”
The girl laughed. “I’m not a bartender.”
No shit.
“Barry’s making me work up front since he broke his hand. Shaking my ass and flashing my tits is way easier than this. How am I supposed to remember everything?”
Cleo leaned closer. “She’s a dancer.”
Yeah, I got that, Cleo.
Addison widened her eyes watching her squirt a generous amount of the syrup into the glass. Mandee didn’t even bother mixing it before presenting it to the customer.
This should be interesting.
The man lifted the glass, sipping and immediately twisted his lips. For a brief second, she thought he might spit it out. He sent a seething glare at the woman. Mandee was completely clueless.
“What do you think? Good?”
“Barry!” the man shouted. “This tastes like shit.”
The owner walked over, shifting his scowl between the customer and Mandee.
“I followed the recipe,” she shrugged. “I think.”
Barry’s jaw squared and his gaze narrowed. This man really needed to work on his patience. She sensed a berating coming and wouldn’t allow it.
“It’s not an easy drink to make,” Addison said, gaining everyone’s attention. “Portion control is key and you added a little too much simple syrup.”
Barry whipped his head and tossed the rag on the counter. “You think you can do better?”
