Page 90 of Crash and Burn

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"Do you mind if I stay behind for a bit?" I asked Mason.

I'd slumped over the bar counter listlessly playing with a bottle of rum, flicking it back and forth between my hands.

"I don't feel like going home yet and I could use a drink or two," I continued.

Mason stopped in the middle of wiping down a table and gave me a concerned look. The last customer had left and we'd already put up the closed sign. Grant had the early shift today — we'd barely spoken two words to each other — and Evan had already taken off. It was just me and Mason left.

"You okay?" he asked. "You've been quiet all night."

I looked down at the counter, avoiding his eyes.

I hadn't told anyone what happened between me and Carling. I didn't want to have to admit how stupid I'd been, how naive.

It was just as my mother had said. The whole thing had been a scam.

Carling had used me.

I gripped the bottle with both hands.

"It's just been a bad week," I lied.

"I can imagine." I knew Mason was referring to everything going on with Grant and I didn't bother correcting him.

"I can take care of closing up," I told Mason.

"You expect me to let you sit in an empty bar and drink alone?” Mason shook his head. "No way."

"Is it any worse than sitting at home drinking by myself?" I countered.

He gave me a sympathetic smile.

"You don't have to drink by yourself," he said. "Come on, I've got something to show you."

Mason beckoned for me to follow him as he put down the cleaning sponge and headed down the hallway.

"Are you taking me to the back room to look at spreadsheets?" I half-joked. "I don't see how that's going to make me feel better."

He pulled something that looked like a key card from his pocket.

"You know what this is?" he asked as he held it up.

Despite my heavy heart, I felt a flicker of interest. I stood up from where I'd been slumped against the counter.

"Is that—?" I looked down the hallway to the locked door that led to the secret bar, the one owned by that Walt guy.

"If it's a stiff drink you're after, I know just the place," Mason said.

I'd never seen the inside of Walt's, not even once. It was an exclusive bar and only people with that keycard could enter.

"Are you sure I'll be allowed in?" I asked. "Won't they kick me out?"

"Not if you're with me," he said. "It's about time I showed you Walt's bar anyway."

I scurried down the hall after Mason. I'd always wondered what kind of place it was on the inside. An exclusive bar, only select customers allowed in, hidden away where no normal person could find it.

All thoughts of my bad day were pushed aside for this new, exciting experience, at least for the moment.