Page 59 of Second Time Around

“A Cosmopolitan,” Petra said. “I love the color.”

It would match her outfit, too.

“May I recommend Snow Queen Vodka from Kazakhstan?” Kyra said. “It’s organic and smooth as velvet. And may I add a surprise of ginger to your Cosmo? I think you’ll enjoy both.”

Petra actually clapped her hands together. “Oh, yes! I love a little adventure.” Her huge, dark eyes were lit with excitement. Will wasn’t wrong about her ability to charm.

“Farr?” Kyra asked.

“Bourbon, straight up,” he said. “What have you got?” He was scanning the display of bottles.

“A special treat. Michter’s twenty year. I only offer it to those who understand it should not be diluted even with ice.”

“I am in heaven and you are an angel,” Farr said, laying his palms together as though in prayer and casting his eyes upward. “Give me a double.”

Kyra laughed and pulled out a muddler and fresh gingerroot, whipping up the ginger Cosmopolitan at high speed. Then she poured a generous double of Michter’s in a crystal rocks glass. When both Petra and Farr made sounds of pleasure after their first sip, she felt a glow of satisfaction.

Farr put his silver Stratus ingot on the bar, but Kyra shook her head. “First round’s on me.”

“Sugar, I know what Michter’s goes for, and I’m not letting you pay for it,” Farr said, nudging his ingot toward her.

“I get it at cost,” Kyra said with a smile and ignored the ingot.

Petra took another sip of her Cosmo. “If we have our fund-raiser here, could this be our signature drink? It’s yummy.”

“I’d be honored,” Kyra said. “Have you spoken with Derek about all our private party services? They’re pretty amazing.”

A fleeting look of guilt crossed Petra’s face. “Not yet. I’m just starting the process of choosing a venue.”

“I’d be happy to put you in touch with him.” And she’d get a nice commission if Petra chose to have her party here. “He’s a wizard at party planning.”

Petra waved her hand in an airy gesture. “Not tonight. I just want to soak up the atmosphere.”

“And I want to soak up this bourbon of the gods,” Farr said, toasting Kyra.

“Excuse me for a moment,” she said. “I’ve got another thirsty customer who needs my attention.”

As she mixed a Vesper martini and a Negroni, Kyra puzzled over Petra’s appearance at Stratus. She’d obviously gone to the trouble of finding out where Kyra worked and persuading Farr to come with herdespite some reluctance on his part. Given the circumstances, it was a little disturbing to find Petra on a bar chair in her place of employment. Maybe Petra wanted to make it clear that Kyra was a worker bee and she was the customer whose business was to be courted. Not that Petra had given any sign of that. She was the epitome of graciousness.

Kyra served up the drinks, refilled another customer’s glass with Prosecco, and rejoined Petra and Farr.

“You work very hard here,” Petra said, her tone admiring. “And you’re really good at it.” She gestured to her cocktail.

“Thanks. I do my best.” Kyra couldn’t help being flattered, even though she suspected a hidden agenda behind Petra’s presence. “Would you like anything to eat? We have some delicious tapas.” She laid two menus of thick handmade paper, sky blue with clouds scudding across them, on the bar.

“No, no, we had dinner already,” Petra said.

Farr picked up a menu. “I might be persuaded to soak up the bourbon with some chive blini with quail eggs. And add some of those Glidden Point oysters.”

“For soaking up alcohol, I would also recommend the gruyère-and-parmesan beignets,” Kyra said. “Light as a feather but with excellent bourbon-absorption properties.”

“Oh, all right,” Petra said, looking at the menu Farr was holding. “I’ll have the wasabi spring rolls with asparagus and shiitake mushrooms.”

Kyra tapped their order into her tablet, this time accepting Farr’s proffered ingot. Once again, she had to leave to serve other customers. When she got back, the food had arrived and Petra was ready for another Cosmo.

“How did you learn to bartend?” she asked Kyra.

“I trained at a restaurant in my hometown in Pennsylvania.” It was Kyra’s oft-repeated answer. “And then I learned the fancy stuff fromthe pros here.” She nodded to Bastian and Cleo, who were on with her that night.