by Sierra Rose
“I know, but I can’t stop the attraction. I’m addicted to him…bad.”
“We’re in college, Juliet. We’re here to have fun and date all kinds of guys. I’m in no hurry to be married and shackled down like my sister. She can only take a few classes here and there, and she’ll never get her degree like that. That’s what happens when you get married and have kids.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed she’s been a bit down lately.”
“She and Tom just aren’t working out. I gotta wonder if he’s tapping someone else. I mean, he’s a good-looking professor, and all those coeds are always hitting on him. He sure as heck isn’t getting any at home. My sister said she has to practically beg.”
“I think they married too young,” Juliet observed. “Maybe he wasn’t ready, really didn’t know what he wanted.”
“Yeah, sixteen was way too young, but she was knocked up too.”
“At least Morgan’s still going to college, even if it’s part time.”
“She works so hard. I can’t help but be proud of my little sis, even if I don’t agree with all her choices. She’s only a year younger than me, and she’s a college student, a wife, a mother, and has her own house. I still don’t even know what I want in life.”
“It’s gotta be hard, but she seems to be making it work somehow. As for you, you’ve got plenty of time to figure things out.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
She suddenly smiled.
“What?”
“Gosh, I can’t get over those pictures of Brad with lipstick all over his face.”
I laughed. “He deserved it. He wanted me to do him at a frat party, handcuffed.”
“Yeah, and you know if you or him passed out, everyone at that party would have found you stark naked. He’s freaking shameless…and selfish.”
“Exactly. He’s a jerk. Who does that on the first date in a house full of people anyway?”
“Meh, I doubted he thought he’d need your consent, especially if you were unconsciousness and drunk.”
“I’d hate to see that happen to any girl,” I said.
“Exactly. I’m glad I know my limit, when to stop. Otherwise, I might do something stupid.”
“Me too, because I don’t think I could do anyone more stupid than Brad!”
***
Monday, after all my classes for the day were done, I went to work. I had worked my way up to manager at The Blue Star, a bar and restaurant, and I’d been told I was doing a great job of running things. It was hard to go to work after being in class all day. I didn’t have to worry about rent, since I was living in one of my mother’s rental houses, but I still had to cover my car payment, gas, car insurance, electricity, food, and other stuff. I didn’t have a trust fund or unlimited plastic like Sophie, so I was forced to work while I attended classes.
On my desk, I found a pile of job applications and résumés. The owner, Lois, had left them there so I’d be prepared when the interviewees came in, hoping to fill our open positions of waitress and bartender. I still had twenty minutes before the first candidate was scheduled, so I figured I’d help with the lunch rush.
“Alexis!” Debbie shouted.
Whipping around, I practically dropped the drinks in my hand.
She grabbed my arm. “Oh my gosh! Did you see the guy you’re about to interview?”
“He’s here already?” I asked, glancing at the clock.
“Yeah, he’s early…and he’s flippin’ gorgeous!”
“Tell him I’ll be out in a minute.”
Her entire face lit up like a Christmas tree. “You gotta check him out! He’s hot! I can only imagine the tips he’ll get.”
I glanced over to where Debbie was pointing. “Fuck!” I shouted, a bit louder than I intended to.
“I know! He’s hot, right?”
I blew out a long breath as I realized I would have to interview Art, my old flame that had so quickly fizzled out.
“You’re gonna hire him, right?” she asked.
My gaze narrowed. “I don’t hire anyone for good looks, Debbie.”
Ignoring me, she continued to stare at Art, practically drooling onto her tray. “Look at all those muscles.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. Brad’s built too, and he’s still a jerk.”
“Ooh! He’s looking over here,” she said, grabbing my arm again. “He’s coming this way. How’s my hair?”
“Seriously?” I asked.
He walked over and smiled at me. “Hello. I’m Art Andrews, and I’m here for the job interview.”
I stared into his beautiful brown eyes and smiled. “Oh, yes,” I said. “Let me, uh…I’ve just gotta get your application.” I then hurried into the back office of the bar and reached for his application.
“You’ve just gotta hire him, Alexis,” Debbie said when I walked back out.
“That all depends on his qualifications.”
“Well, he damn well looks qualified to me,” she said, staring. “All kinds of qualified…”
I walked over to Art again, and he shook my hand.
“Hi, Alexis. I had no idea you’re the manager.”
I cleared my throat. “Yeah. About last night…well, I guess I was, uh…a little intoxicated,” I said, trying to remain professional. “I’m so sorry for blowing you off the way I did.”
“Let’s not even dwell on that.”
“Right. Today is a new day,” I said cheerfully.
“Alexis is a very beautiful name.”
“Thank you. Listen, uh…this is a little awkward,” I said. “I don’t usually party with job candidates before the interview. I had no idea you applied here.”
“It’s a fluke. Let’s just make the most of it. I deserve a fair shake, right?”
What you deserve is for me to shake the life out of you, you prick, I thought, but I knew I had to be polite and courteous; it was in my job description. “It’s so ironic, isn’t it?”
He looked deeply into my eyes. “I know. It’s like we were destined to meet again.”
Maybe it was once, but you screwed it up, I thought. I took a deep breath and considered my options for a moment. Hiring him could be the perfect revenge, because it would afford me the opportunity to really make him pay for what he’d done to me. He wouldn’t last long; I would make sure of that. “C’mon,” I said, leading him back to the office.
He sat down in a chair across from me.
“So…what is your greatest strength?” I asked.
“Well, I pride myself on great customer service, and I have the ability to resolve what might be considered…difficult situations.”
“What did you like about your old job?” I asked, glancing over his application.
“Mostly, I enjoyed the people I worked with. It was a friendly, fun atmosphere, and I liked going to work. The management knew all the employees on a first-name basis and tried to make personal connections.”
“What did you dislike about it?” I asked.
“I am looking for other employment because I just didn’t feel like I’d ever realize my full potential there. While I did enjoy working there, and while I appreciated the skills I learned and developed working with that company, I feel my skill set can be better utilized elsewhere, a place where my unique capabilities are more recognized and utilized. I can make any drink. I am happy to offer you a demonstration if you’d like.”
“Good answer.”
“Can I ask you a question?” he asked.
“Hmm. That’s not usually the way it works,” I said, though I admired him having the balls to turn the tables on me. “But shoot.”
“What do you like about working here?” he asked.
“Well, I’m all about socializing and working hard, and here, I can do both. My schedule is pretty flexible here, so I can fit my classes in. Lois, the owner, is very understanding and great to work with.”
“As you know, I attend classes at Belmont University, so flexibility would be key for me.”
&
nbsp; The interview went on, and Art certainly aced it—so much so that there was no way I couldn’t offer him the job. He was confident, poised, and articulate, and I couldn’t trip him up, no matter what I asked. “The job as head bartender is yours if you want it, Art,” I said.
He grinned, and I hated him for having such a gorgeous smile. “That’s great.”
I explained the job to him and gave him an official tour. As he filled out the necessary paperwork, I said, “You’ll have an orientation first, then start officially next week. Does that work for you? We need to get someone in here ASAP.”
“Perfect.”
“You’re going to show up as scheduled, right?” I had to ask, our history considered.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
I bit my tongue, and instead of reminding him of prom, I simply said, “Well, we need someone we can rely on, that’s all.”
“I’m nothing if not reliable,” he said.
***
I stopped at Morgan’s house and found my sister all alone; her husband was teaching at the university, and my nieces were over at Grandma’s, so we had the house all to ourselves.
“You hired Art? The guy who dumped you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“So I can make his life a living hell. Why else?”
“Oh. So it’s payback, for dumping you at prom?”
“Damn straight.”
“I’m sorry, big sis, but personally, I think you’re being a little childish. Growing up is about forgiveness. He’s moved on, and I’m sure he’s grown up a little.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because I’ve seen him a time or two, even chatted with him a bit.”
“You what!? You never said anything to me.”
She shrugged. “Why would I? It was just a hi-and-bye, not a serious conversation.”
“Did you happen to mention why he stood me up?”
“I brought it up, but he didn’t give me a reason. He just said he was sorry, that something important came up.”
“But the damn prom was important to me. Did he even bother to ask about me?”
“Yes, and I told him you attend classes here at Belmont. He said something about you guys maybe having lunch.”
“Not a chance.”
“Yet you hired him?”
“For revenge, I said.” I smirked. “Aren’t you listening?”
“Look, Art’s a nice guy. He made a mistake, but I don’t think he’s a player like Brad, and he’s nothing like Kyle.”
I blew out a long breath. “Yeah, well, speaking of Kyle, Juliet still has the hots for that Casanova. I don’t get it. She’s his best friend, so she sees how he is. Hell, he broadcasts all the details to her. That proves he only thinks of her as a friend.”
“No doubt about it. Kyle has always been a player.”
“Anyway, how are you and the hubby?” I asked.
“Still the same. I couldn’t get laid if my life depended on it.”
“I don’t know what to tell ya, sis, but you shouldn’t have to live in a sexless marriage. I think it’s time to get out. If there’s not some serious fucking going on, it’s not really a marriage, right? He’s more of a roommate and friend, if anything.”
“I know. On the outside, we look like the perfect couple, but there’s a lot people don’t see. My marital bed has now become my own private hell of rejection and hurt.”
“There are definitely big problems.”
She looked down. “I don’t know what to do. Sometimes, I wish I was just single, back to a carefree life.”
“You’ve either gotta fix this or put it out of your misery.”
“I know, but it’s hard. I do still care for him a little, and I’ve got the girls.”
“Well, maybe there’s still a chance, as long as he’s willing to make changes.”
“I have this hope that our situation will approve,” she said.
“Make him go to counseling again.”
“That hasn’t helped. It’s just a waste of time and money, just something else for him to be bitter at me about.”
“Things will get better, sis,” I consoled, patting her knee like our mom would do.
“I hope so.” She sighed, then changed the subject. “Anyway, are you really gonna screw Art over? I don’t think it’s right, Alexis. Maybe I should just tell him who you are.”
“It’s the perfect payback…and don’t you dare expose me. I can’t just let him get away with the hurt and embarrassment he caused.”
“You can. You just have to forgive him.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You aren’t the one he screwed over. I cried for months over it. He ruined my whole senior year.”
“You had a major crush on him. My question is, do you still have that crush?”
“Well, anyone can see how hot he is, and I guess there’s still some connection there, but…well, I’m just damn angry.”
“Why don’t you just tell him who you are and talk it out? I know you’re sarcastic and snarky, and I love that about you most of the time, but you’re also usually responsible and mature. You go to classes and even manage a bar. Quit being spiteful and childish.”
“I’m not being spiteful. I hired him, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, for ulterior motives.”
“He’s very charismatic and aced the interview.”
“So you like him but hate him at the same time?”
“Hate? That’s a strong word. I just…dislike him a great deal, but I guess there are things I like about him too. I know it’s weird. I’m totally screwed up.”
“So…you want to like him, but you’re still mad? You’re madly attracted to him, but you don’t wanna give him the time of day? It’s not weird. You’re just conflicted. It happens to everybody.”
“Gee. Thanks, Dr. Phil,” I said. “Yes, I’m conflicted.”
“By holding this against him, you could be throwing a good thing away. I think you two could make a great couple, but that’ll never happen if you’re just trying to lure him into some big trap.”
“Big traps are where rats belong. Ultimately, I hired him for one reason, and that’s to take him down.”
“Hmm. Them’s fightin’ words.”
“Please don’t tell him, Morgan.”
“Tell him what? That you want to take him down?”
“Morgan…”
“Fine. Go ahead and mess with him a little, but don’t fire him. He doesn’t deserve that.”
I looked down at my watch. “I’ve got rehearsal in thirty minutes. I gotta go.”
***
As Art tended the bar, I couldn’t help staring at him. Floods of old memories wafted through my mind, flashes of a high school princess, all dressed up in a royal blue gown and her first pair of heels. For the first time, I’d actually felt like a girl. My heart had never beat so hard as I waited for his knock, a knock that never came.
“He’s not coming,” my mom finally said.
I swallowed hard as I sat there reminiscing that painful nostalgia. I’d been dumped on prom, and I’d never felt so humiliated and rejected before or since.
“Alexis,” Art said, breaking me from my thoughts, “I’m gonna take a quick break. Is that okay with you?”
“No. The back room needs to be mopped. When you’re done with that, swab the restaurant and then the bar area. It needs to be done right, no questions asked,” I barked at him, like some old ship captain yelling at the deckhand.
“Uh…okay then.” He turned and left.
“Gee. Being a little hard on the new guy, aren’t ya?” Erin asked as she hopped on the barstool.
“Oh, hi, Erin. I didn’t see you come in.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s like you’re in your own little world. I can’t believe you even hired him. How can you stand being around him?”
“I have plans for him.”
She giggled. “I’m sure they’re not good. I know you too well, and you
never forgive or forget. So, tell me, what’s your game plan?”
“First, I’m gonna work that poor boy to death.”
“Be a bitch boss? Run him into the ground? Then fire him?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I’ve had a few bitch bosses, so I feel for the guy.”
“Isn’t it funny? He thinks he’s only known me a few short weeks, but in reality, he’s known me since elementary school.”
“He’ll quit far sooner than I fire him.”
“And then he can’t even collect unemployment for it.”
“Exactly,” I said, wearing my most evil grin.
***
An hour later, Art came back, all sweaty from his mop-a-thon. “I know I haven’t been here that long,” he said sheepishly, “but I was wondering if I could possibly have Saturday off.”
I smiled sadistically. “Sorry, but I need you here. The back room has to be cleaned, and we have inventory to do.”
“I wouldn’t be asking if I really didn’t need the day off.”
“Well, I really need you here. Didn’t you say something about being reliable?”
He pondered, then answered. “Okay. You’re right. I’ll be here.”
“The toilets need cleaned,” I said, handing him a toilet brush and some cleaner.
“You can’t be serious.”
“Toilets don’t clean themselves.”
He looked down and didn’t say anything.
“You look flushed,” I said, using a little toilet humor.
“I was hired to be a bartender, not to scrub floors and toilets.”
My gaze narrowed. “You were hired to do whatever duties you are assigned while you are on the clock. You can clean those toilets, or you can clock out.”
“Fine.”
“Oh, also, there’s lipstick all over the mirrors. Can you get that too?”
He pasted on a fake smile. “Sure, Boss.” He grabbed the stuff and headed toward the bathrooms, snapping the ugly yellow, latex gloves on his hands.
***
A few days later, Lori stopped by the restaurant with her date. She tore herself away to come say hello to me at the bar.
“Well? So what do you think of him?” she asked.
“He’s cute,” I said, looking at him. Bring him over.”
“I will when we’re done eating.”
Just then, Art came back from his break. He handed me a bag of fast food and a drink. “Truce?”