Page 4

I look up to see Phoenix waving for me to come over.

"Hey, where you been, sweetheart? The well is running dry." Phoenix holds up an empty glass and clanks the ice.

"Sorry about that. I took a break for a little while. Let's re-up."

"I'll take two more bottles. Grey Goose and Remy."

I quickly return with drinks in tow.

"Who's that girl you were with? She works here too, huh? Looks just like you."

I refill his drink. "Yeah, people say that. That's Sasha."

"At first, I couldn't tell who was who, but the hair gave it away. You're curly, she's straight."

I detect a slur in his words. "Crazy right?" I reach for a coil of my hair to wrap my finger around.

"Time for another shot!" Phoenix happily and drunkenly points to the ceiling.

"OK! Another shot it is," I concede.

"What are we toasting?" The grin plastered on his face is comical.

He's cute.

I find myself giggling. "Well in one hour, I'll be off duty. A free woman! I'm so happy I can taste it."

"What? You're leaving me?" His grin turns to a frown. He genuinely looks hurt.

Why is he wearing his heart on his sleeve, like that?

"I'm leaving because I'm off work. Don't make this about you." I playfully pretend to slap his arm.

He snaps out of his funk and smiles again. "Alright. Alright! To Aria being a free woman, a free agent, and getting the man of her choosing."

Free agent? Man of my choosing, huh?

We take our shot.

He sets his shot glass down on the table and rests his hands gently on my waist. He looks me in the eye, almost daring me. "Now, give me a kiss."

Now, I'm the one that's drunk. Being in such close proximity with this god of a man as he demands a kiss from me, throws me off guard. "What? I don't kiss my customers."

"Give me a kiss. Come on." He moves in closer.

I push him back, pressing my hand against his chest. It's confirmed, he definitely works out. "No. I'll give you a hug cause you're hella cool."

He leans in. "I want a kiss."

Against my better judgment, my lips throb. "No, I'll give you a peck on the cheek and leave lipstick marks. Make sure all the ladies know you're a playboy."

"That's not what I asked for." He steps even closer, bridging the gap between us.

Blood courses through my veins at a feverish pace.

"Give me a kiss. Right here." He taps his lips while staring into my eyes. "On the lips."

Knowing I could get lost in those eyes, I back up. "No!"

"Bitch!"

"Bitch?" That...kinda hurt.

"Yeah, Bitch! I'm rich!" He swings his hips around in a drunken celebration.

Then he jumps onto the white leather couch in his VIP section.

Standing above a crowd of people around his table, he pours shots and gives daps like he's the man.

My jaw drops to the ground. He pulls out a huge wad of cash from his pants and tosses bills towards the crowd like it's nothing, making it rain.

Money falls to the ground all around him.

There are five, ten, twenty, fifty, even one-hundred-dollar bills.

And it's like catnip to a kitten. People scream.

Gold diggers run from the other side of the club, diving in to see what they can get. It's total pandemonium.

I can't believe my eyes. This can't be the same guy I met earlier tonight. Fucking drunk-ass bastard!

An hour later, Nick is at the bar emptying the registers, leaving only enough cash to make change. He does this a few times on busy nights like Friday.

"Hey Nick, I'm outta here. My shift is done." I yell over the bar.

"Oh, Ari! Hey! I wanted to talk to you about that. Gigi called in. I don't have anyone to cover VIP. I'm sorry, doll, but I need you to stay." He continues counting bills.

"This is not happening. I have a date tonight. Tickets to a show I'll probably never see again. I'm leaving. Right now, Nick!"

He stops counting. "Aria, sweetheart. Please, I need you. What am I supposed to do? I don't have anyone to cover my VIPs. We're building a reputation here! How would it look if our service starts slipping now? We need to keep building momentum. It's a crucial time."

I feel a headache coming on and rubbing my temples isn't cutting it. "Oh my God. I can't believe I'm letting you talk me out of a concert with Miguel!" That "Exit" sign looks so good right now. If only! I huff. "Alright," I tell him, immediately regretting the decision.

"What?" Nick's eyes light up.

"Alright, alright, before I change my mind! I'll stay. But you owe me big time. I'm sacrificing a night with Sebastian and Miguel. That's a threesome any girl would kill for. Do you understand the magnitude of this?"

"Yeah. I get it." He shakes his head. "You and every other twenty-something," he mumbles to himself. "Here ya go." He hands me a fist full of bills. "See, doll, I got you covered." He zings me with his show-biz smile.

My expression softens. "Thank you, Nick. Oh, and one other thing. We have a royally fucked up customer in my section. You know your brother from another mother, Phoenix? Please take care of him before I do. He called me a bitch because I wouldn't kiss him on the lips."

He shakes his head. "I'll take care of that knucklehead. Let me talk to him."

"Can you close out his tab? Cause I want nothing to do with him!"

"Sure thing."

"Good." Now all I have to do is give Sebastian the bad news. I reach for my iPhone, but the screen is blank, battery must have died.

Could this night get any better?

I lean over the bar to get the bartender's attention. "Money! Can you pass me the phone?"

As gorgeous as any girl in the club, with large dark eyes, to-die-for cheekbones and full pouty lips, Marvin "Money" Richardson's makeup is perfection.

And his low-cut platinum blonde pixie looks amazing against his tawny beige skin.

He's the only bartender I know who can serve drinks at record speed, all with a full gel set of claws.

"Honey, what you need?" he yells across the bar as he shakes then quickly pours two martinis. His regulars are fiercely loyal, waiting in line to get a drink, a wise crack, and a smile from him.

I cup my hands around my mouth, forming a make-shift megaphone. "The phone, Money. Pass me the phone."

He rests his hand on his hip, still looking confused.

I pretend to use an air phone. Finally, he passes me the phone.

"Thanks, girl."

"I got you!" He blows me a kiss.

I give him a wink. "You know you're killing it, tonight."

"Cause I slay!" He leans his head to the side dramatically. "You're not too bad yourself!" He turns and looks at the woman standing in front of him at the bar and asks, "Now what can I do for you, pretty lady?"

Her eyes light up. "Can I have the Money drink special?"

"Oh, honey! That's only for my baddest bitches!" He looks her up and down, staring at her for a moment. "And you just made the list!"

Her grin grows into a full-blown smile.

I walk away for a little privacy. Dialing Sebastian's number is easy, but now it's time for the hard part. I have to let him down easy. There's no answer. I call again. Still no answer. "Pick up the phone!" I dial one more time. This time I'm leaving a message.

"Hey! It's me. I really wish you would've answered the phone.

This would've sounded so much better coming from me versus hearing it on voicemail.

Here goes. I know we had plans tonight and believe me I was so looking forward to it but, my co-worker called in and Nick desperately needs me to stay.

There's no one here to cover VIPs. It's just me.

I'm so, so sorry, but I won't be able to get off early like I planned.

I promise I'll make it up to you. Please, please, please don't be mad at me. "

A sick feeling travels through me briefly, but I shake it off and get back to work. The drinks can't serve themselves.