by Jude Ouvrard
He got up and walked away. I could see the hint of tattoos peeking out around his neckline and beneath his rolled up sleeves. His black Converse high tops were worn out, giving him a laid back look, and his perfectly fitted, washed-out jeans fell low on his hips, accentuating what looked to be the most perfect ass I’d ever seen. The black, long sleeve Henley he wore was tight in all the right places. There was something about his mysterious and inscrutable demeanor which made me wonder about him. He’d wanted to get my attention and, well – he’d gotten it.
Who the hell is he? I knew he was the guy Tyler had been excited to see, but I’d never seen him around the club before. I knew I’d have remembered that tantalizingly gorgeous mystery man.
He didn't give me his name and I didn't give him mine. Not that he had to ask - I wore a name tag with my name engraved on it. It was the strangest thing which had ever happened to me. My eyes continued to focus on him until he opened the door of the club and left. I found myself still watching the door, even after it was closed, as though I wanted to chase after him – which was insane. I shook my head, willing myself to move on.
I began wiping down the counters, pausing to watch Val entertain her groupies at the station next to mine. As I turned to grab more lemons, my eyes were drawn again to the door. Tristan sauntered in with a few of his friends hanging around him, laughing at something one of them had said. Tristan had admitted to never having visited Black Shakers before and, even after our dinner date tonight, I still hadn’t expected to see him turn up so soon. I couldn’t seem to figure out if I was excited by his surprise visit, or nervous about it. It felt like he was parading a bunch of his buddies around my bedroom, looking through my dirty laundry. This was my home away from home and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to let him in—yet. Not to mention I was still shaken up by the strange interaction with Mr. Mysterious.
Shouts from Val’s station caught my attention again. Val was lying on the counter and Bekka was squeezing some lime juice onto Val’s stomach. I wasn’t sure who was supposed to get the next shot, but right now, I needed it to be me. I made my way around the bar with determination as I kept the drink in my sights. Tipping my head back, I drained the liquor from the glass, and licked the lime juice and salt from Val’s belly. All eyes were on me now, as if I was some sort of prize. It was just a shot for heaven’s sake. The customers were used to this performance, most of the girls behind the bar were doing body shots throughout the night. The first time I visited Black Shakers to hang out, the waitresses did at least two shots each. As far as I was concerned, it really was no big deal.
I walked back to my section and was immediately surrounded by applauding and drunken guys, asking for my phone number. I laughed it off as I always did - none of them would get it. It was just one aspect of working in a club, dealing with the slobbering, horny drunks. At least I could handle their testosterone-fuelled innuendo now, and if anyone ever got out of hand, there were always bodyguards standing by to watch our backs.
Tristan walked directly up to the counter where I stood, his eyes unnaturally wide. ''That was different...'' He smiled a seductive smile, but I saw the intimidation on his face. ''I was in the area and I just wanted to drop by.''
''Thanks for stopping in, I'm happy you did.'' Hearing his voice and seeing that smile sent my pulse racing. ''Do you want something to drink?'' I watched him carefully, unsure if he had planned on sticking around for the night.
''No, thanks. I'm driving.''
''Of course. Well, how about a kiddie cocktail then? I make a mean virgin,'' I said, with a playful wink. My sudden confident demeanour surprised me, but I silently thanked the tequila for increasing my bravery.
He let out a deep laugh which lit up my soul. The beautiful sound made me smile so widely, my cheeks began to ache.
"I have no doubt, but maybe a little later." He paused for a short moment. ''I had a good time with you earlier. I hope we can do it again.''
I did, too, and I was hoping it would be soon. Tristan was smart, fun and everything I’d imagined. Our conversation at dinner had been exciting and rewarding - there was so much I could learn from him. He’d travelled to all seven continents and his grades were so good, he already had a guaranteed job when he was done with Law School. He was obviously born to succeed.
''Sure. I, uh, I’d love to. I work here most of the time, but we can arrange something on my next day off.'' My mind was racing faster than my tongue was moving. I had to stop before something fell out of my mouth and humiliated me.
''That's great!'' He took my hand and kissed the back of it. ''I have to go now, the textbooks are calling my name. I just had to see you one more time before I dive into my political science paper.''
“I’m glad you did. I’ll let you know when my day off is.''
He released my hand and nodded. ''Drive safe.'' He motioned for his friends and just as suddenly as they’d arrived, they were gone.
Bekka and Val were watching me and once more I found myself staring at the door, wondering about the man who’d just strode through it. First, the sexy-as-hell tattoo guy came out of nowhere and asked for a smile, and then Tristan’s surprise visit, asking me for another date. What a night!
Val and Bekka strolled across from their stations, both taking a brief break to come and interrogate me
''That was Tristan, right? Val asked.
I nodded, still struggling to process the last thirty minutes of my life.
''Well, now I understand why you keep the music store job! He is such a babe,'' Bekka said. ''What was he doing here?''
''He kind of asked me on a date... well, not exactly. But he wants to see me again,'' I squealed, trying to keep myself from jumping up and down in front of a league of frat boys.
The girls hugged me and squealed, and the night seemed to fly from that moment on. We danced, we sang, we talked and served the customers. It was why I liked this job so much - it was more of a party with my best friends each night, and it was an absolute blast.
The next morning I woke up on top of the comforter - still wearing the club uniform and with makeup smeared messily across my face. I hated mornings like this. The only cure for a hangover like this was a lukewarm bath, and with the scent of vanilla filling the steamy room, my mind wandered to Tristan. His smile, his kiss, his laugh. And then, without warning, my thoughts drifted until they were focused on the sexy stranger. He appeared to be a rebel, full of temptation and my ‘bad boy’ alert was screaming out warnings. I didn’t know who he was, or if I would ever see him again, but if I knew one thing for certain, it was that bad boys couldn’t be trusted. If our paths did cross ever again, I would be wise to keep a lid on my curiosity and stay away.
Chapter TWO
The fridge was filled with water bottles and nothing else, and the pantry contained a lonely bag of brown rice. How boring! We desperately needed to go grocery shopping, but none of us had the desire to go. We were going to starve to death if we didn’t go shopping soon, but instead, we decided to have breakfast downtown and enjoy a lazy morning together. The Sweet Iron was the best place to go by far; it was near the University and the food was delicious. They sold all kinds of delicious waffles. My favorite was the banana waffles with whipped cream and chocolate. What can I say? Warm and sweet, with a light-as-air sensation in the mouth, they were impossible not to love.
''Girls, can I ask for your advice? It won’t stop bugging me unless I talk to you about it,'' Bekka asked.
''Oh boy, I don't like the sound of that,'' I laughed.
''No, I'm serious.'' She sighed and rolled her eyes before she blurted out the words. ''It’s about Tyler.” I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was serious.
''What? Did he do something?'' Val asked, placing her fork down on the corner of her plate.
''No, he didn’t do anything. I think he likes me. The way he’s always looking out for me and he never lets anyone get too close. He’s always so careful around me when I’m working, so gentle. The way
he puts his arm around my waist when he comes to my station and how he stares at me while I’m working.” She raised her eyes to the ceiling, like it was going to provide her the words she was trying to find. “He isn't the same with you girls. Is it because he likes me, or am I just like a little sister to him? I'm so confused. I don't know what to do. He's my boss and I need this job. I can’t screw this up!''
''Rebekka Fleischer! Of course he likes you, he can't take his eyes off you! We told you already, I don’t understand how come you don’t see it. I noticed it right from the second shift we had at the club. The guy’s nuts about you,'' I proclaimed, but it was true, he liked her, it was easy to tell. Bekka was blushing ten shades of red.
''Really? What should I do?''
''I don't know. Like you said - he's our boss,” Val said. ''Maybe you should just play along with him. He flirts, you flirt. See how he reacts.''
''Good idea,'' I said, nodding my head in agreement with Val’s suggestion.
''Yeah, I think I'll try that... tonight,'' Bekka said, seriously. I could see the wheels turning in her brain, she was obviously already planning it out in her head.
She would succeed in capturing Tyler, I had no doubt. She was tall and thin, with beautiful almond-shaped brown eyes and long shiny brown hair. Her skin was the perfect natural tanned color I’d always envied. There was just something about her, her smile maybe, which made people like her instantly. Nobody could resist those eyes, apart from Val and me. We knew her too well.
Val had seemed stressed all morning and now, with Bekka’s announcement out of the way, it was clear something was on her mind. I was just getting ready to press her for more information, but she let out a big sigh and spilled her thoughts.
''John told me his father has spoken on my behalf to the University board and he says it might help me get my transfer. I hate to talk about it with you girls, because we just moved here, but I might be leaving soon. I’m so sorry, I...''
''Don’t be. We know how much you want this and you need to be with John now. We’ll always be there for you - that’ll never change,'' I reassured her, before she could keep apologizing. I understood her reasons for going, but I was going to miss her, a lot.
''I know,'' Val responded. ''I’ll just miss you both so much.''
''We’ll miss you too, Blondie, but it will give us a reason to travel and see you! Do you know when you'll hear from the University?'' Bekka asked.
''No, I have no clue.''
Bekka’s announcement put a damper on our morning and we ate in silence from that point on. We were so quiet you could have heard a fly buzzing, with all of us thinking about being separated. I pushed the food around on the plate with my fork, hardly eating another bite. We’d all been friends since kindergarten, and this would be a first, we’d been so far away from one another. It had never happened before in our long friendship. I would still be with Bekka, of course, but we would miss Val terribly. She was our little ray of sunshine and so much fun to be around.
We would have to find a new roommate and I hated the idea of having a stranger in the flat. I’d enjoyed the security which came from sharing with my two best friends, but I would have to get my head around the idea of living with a stranger. I thought about it for a few seconds, wondering if Val and I could manage the cost on our own, but deep down, I knew it wasn’t a possibility. We needed the extra income from sharing with a third person.
''Maybe we could hang out at the park today? Work on our tans, read magazines and enjoy the sun for a while. It's a beautiful day. What do you think?'' Val proposed.
''Sounds good to me,'' I agreed and Bekka nodded.
Leaving the restaurant, we walked to the park near the University. The sun was at its highest point and I could feel the heat against my skin, which I soaked up happily. Kids were running around all over the park and students seated at benches and lazing on the grass, studying for their summer classes. I loved this time of the year, it felt so good to finally be finished with school and I desperately needed the break. My life was in a transitional period, where I was trying to find my own way in the world. Settling in a shady spot, we lay back on the warm grass and read magazines, enjoying what might possibly be one of our last days together.
Bekka dug through her purse until she found her nail polish stash. Her purse was as big as a carry-on bag, which was fortunate as she had so many things inside it, including her makeup case, hair brush, and anything a girl could possibly need. She had nearly every color of nail polish in one shade or another, so we sat on the grass and gave each other mini-manicures. Bekka was always changing up her nails and was really good at it. She painted mine pale pink and drew tiny black designs on them.
My mind wandered to thinking about Tristan. I really liked him and I could imagine us together, I had visions of the two of us graduating, moving in together and simply enjoying the small things in life. I wondered if I would see him again at the club. I had to admit I hoped I would. Seeing him walking in the club had been a good surprise, I could definitely get used to seeing him there. I wouldn't be able to hang out with him since I would be working, but just seeing him would be enough to satisfy me, as he was really easy on the eye. I smiled at the thought of his kiss, the tenderness of his lips against my cheek, the way he’d licked his bottom lip right before kissing me and the red blush on his cheeks when he finally let me go. I wanted more kisses from him, and God, my heart was jittering just thinking about it.
''Why the hell are you blushing, Phoenix?'' Bekka asked, which resulted in making my cheeks burn even hotter.
''Shut up! I'm not blushing!'' I had to stop thinking about him, if I couldn't get my reactions under control.
''Yes, you are...'' they chorused in unison.
''Oh, come on! Give me a break!” I laughed. “I was thinking about Tristan, that's all.'' I hid my face behind my hand, feeling ridiculous. This wasn't me, I wasn't the type of girl who would normally go so crazy over a guy.
They let me off the hook when they realized how embarrassed I was, and we settled back into enjoying the afternoon. The sun was beginning to set and the air was cooling down when we finally decided we really needed to buy some groceries. We couldn’t keep going to restaurants for every meal and had put off the shopping expedition for long enough.
With a cart loaded with goodies, ranging from sweets for Rebekka to salty stuff for Val, we declared the shopping trip a success. We bought plenty of snacks – none of them healthy – and tons of frozen meals. I actually loved to cook, but life kept me too busy most days to indulge my passion. I bought the ingredients for my chocolate chip cookie recipe, they were to die for and I hoped to find time to make some soon.
We returned home and while we were putting away the groceries, the conversation returned to my date with Tristan, which only rejuvenated my friend’s giddiness over me finally liking a guy. Bekka and Val felt the need to give me a makeover before work, choosing my attire, including a short black leather skirt. This wasn’t what I generally liked to wear, but when those two were conspiring against me, I always lost. They kept assuring me that I needed to explore my girly side, even though I protested there was nothing special happening at the bar tonight. It was just a regular night at Black Shakers and I didn’t expect to see Tristan again so soon. This plan of theirs seemed a little ridiculous but because I’m an easygoing kind of girl, I let them have their fun. Bekka worked her magic, transforming me into a new, sexier version of myself. By the time I was ready to leave, my eyes were dark and smoky and my lips bloody red. I looked vampish, in the very best way.
There was one thing I put my foot down about—wearing high heels. I’d gone along with this ‘Barbie Doll’ makeover scheme for the most part, but they weren’t taking away my comfortable shoes when I had to be on my feet all night. In lieu of heels, I opted for black Mary Janes. I worked behind a bar anyway, so I argued that nobody was going to notice my shoes, right? I had to draw a line somewhere.
Tyler was waiting for us when we ar
rived at the club. He was expecting a crowd again tonight and wanted to ensure we were prepared. While he welcomed Val and me with a smile; he welcomed Bekka with a hand placed low against the small of her back. She was wearing skinny-legged black pants with a cropped version of the bar’s t-shirt. Bekka had a unique way of changing a boring shirt into something amazingly fashionable. From where I was standing, I could almost hear her heartbeat pounding and she blushed when Tyler whispered something in her ear. She chuckled shyly and he smirked at her in return.
As soon as he left us, Val and I rushed to her, both curious to find out what he’d said to her.
''What did he say?'' I questioned, with a giggle.
''He said I'm dangerously beautiful tonight.'' She tried to hide her happiness, but it was an epic failure. ''Girls, I think I'm going to die!''
''Bekka, he gave you the opening. Now is your chance, go for it!'' Val encouraged.
''I will... as soon as there are more people around. And maybe after a few shots,'' she laughed.
We all laughed and took our places at our stations, working to get everything ready for tonight. While I was busying myself with preparations, it occurred to me that I hadn’t heard from Tristan today. I wasn't really supposed since, we weren’t seeing each other officially, but I had still hoped he would text or call. My spirits dampened at the thought.
It was after 11pm when I noticed the stranger from the night before coming in the door. He nodded in Tyler’s direction, both of his hands pushed into the pockets of his jeans. My attention diverted to his low waist jeans, which sat perfectly on his slim waist. God! Why were his jeans making me weak at the knees? My stranger was hot, there was no doubt about it. I watched him walk across the bar, my gaze trained on him like I’d been hypnotized. He was wearing a red, short sleeved t-shirt with ‘The Doors’ emblazoned across the chest, giving me a good view of the ink on his arms. A lot of ink, actually. He had me so curious. I wanted to take a closer look at the intricate markings on his skin. I’d never known someone with so many tattoos and they captured my attention, wanting to know the story behind them. Tyler joined him straight away and they started talking. I was obsessed by the designs marked on his skin, but he was too far away to see them properly, and I was too busy with customers.