...with a splash of Kay, page 15
“I’m gonna go check on them upstairs,” Sisi said. She headed toward the back stairwell that also led to the roof. I knew she’d help the waitstaff close out bills and keep the computer systems from getting wet. “You good down here?” she asked.
“Um, yeah, I should be all right!” Because I was working alone, I didn’t have to split tips. So as overbearing as the crowd may get, it’d be more lucrative to handle it on my own. But as they swarmed, I got overwhelmed. Fortunately, Milo realized this and swung behind the bar to help.
“You know how to bartend?” I asked him.
“Um, I know how to pour things.” His response was far from assuring.
“Just follow my lead.”
I directed Milo during the rush, showing him the credit card machine, having him hand out beer bottles, and asking him to wipe the bar clean from dripping wet elbows.
The rush must have lasted nearly an hour before things settled down. And when it did, I saw someone in the crowd who made my heart stop and my face flush—the feeling I’d learned to repress before a presentation but hadn’t practiced for this. It was Adam.
Spirit
* * *
Adam casually stood over one of the high-top tables across the bar, sipping a beer among a small group of people. The moment I spotted him, he looked at me too. I quickly turned away, but it’d be impossible to deny we saw one another, if only my pounding heart to prove it.
I shouldn’t be, but I was embarrassed. I didn’t want Adam to see me like this—sweaty, unkempt, and dirty from bartending a mad crowd. I wanted to uphold any desirable image he may have of me, even if I hadn’t seen the sleazebag in a couple of months.
I felt his gaze continue while Milo helped me bartend. I wondered if he saw Milo place his hand on my hips to squeeze by or the kiss he gave my cheek.
“Kay, I’m running to the bathroom. You’re good now, right?”
“Um, oh, yes. Yes, thank you, Milo!” He kissed me again.
Adam must have considered this his window of opportunity, because the next thing I knew, he was at the bar. “I didn’t know you worked here.” His voice was still as deep and sexy as I remembered.
I didn’t know how to respond or if I wanted to. “Mhm,” I landed on.
“Who’s the guy?”
As if it were his business.
“A friend.”
“How have you been?”
“Good, thanks.” I couldn’t mask my resentment. I was still bitter about how things ended. Fortunately, another customer wanted to pay, so I took a few steps away from Adam to grab her credit card.
After I closed out the check, Adam said the words I would have loved to hear a couple of months ago. “I miss you, and I want to see you again.” Before I could reply, Milo reentered the bar.
“Still holding it down?” he asked.
Adam walked away, a sudden reminder he’s the kind of person who avoids displeasure. “Was that guy all set?” Milo pointed to Adam, confused he hadn’t ordered anything.
“Um, yeah, I guess so.” I didn’t want Milo to know anything about him. That just a couple of months prior, he was someone who made me stir crazy but whom I wanted to want me nonetheless.
“Mm… you sure?” He likely had a sense our encounter was more loaded than I let on.
“I’m sure. So hey, you did pretty well back here.” I changed the subject to shake off the stain of Adam.
“Ha, yeah, thanks,” Milo said, peering down at his clothes, which were now wet with beer and juice. “I have an early morning and don’t have a change of clothes at your place. Let’s meet tomorrow?”
“Definitely. I’ll be home after my brunch shift.” I kissed him goodbye. “Thank you again. For everything.”
He kissed my forehead. “Does this mean you’ll be my girlfriend?” He asked what had become a running joke. I just smiled, knowing he probably wouldn’t allow it as a response for much longer.
“What a freakin’ day, man,” Sisi said, grabbing a stool a couple of hours later. We just finished the last call, and I was closing out my checks. “You must have made a killing back here.”
“Si, I’m at nearly a thousand dollars. Before tip out, but still.” She widened her eyes and dropped her jaw.
“That’s wild. Are you going to give some to Milo?”
“Thought about it, but I doubt he’d take anything.”
“Yeah, good point,” she said, cracking open a beer can.
“I’ll ask him to dinner instead.”
“Ooh, good idea! Though he’d probably prefer you commit to being his girlfriend instead.”
“Hmm, probably.” I felt bad thinking about it.
Sisi took a drink of her beer. “Ah! That is the best thing I’ve had all day.”
“I could use one too. Did you see who was here?” I asked. She looked at me like, No, tell me. “Adam.”
“What? No! I was running around the whole time. I totally missed him. Did he talk to you?”
“Uh, yes.” I went on to tell her what had happened.
“You’re not thinking of talking to him again, are you?”
“Of course not!”
“Good. Because I won’t even hire him back here again as a DJ. Besides, Milo is way better. Look at you when you’re with him! You’re so yourself!”
“Oh gee, thanks.”
“You know what I mean. Now, hand me your cash report. Let’s get out of here! I’m beat.” As I waited for Sisi to submit my report on her computer and quantify my tip out, I got a text.
Adam: You looked good behind the bar
A very Adam-like text. It said enough without saying much of anything. And though it was a less than ideal way to run into him, I felt validated knowing he wanted to see me again, like our short-lived romance wasn’t a total mirage.
“Kay!” Sisi screamed. “You made nine hundred and fifty dollars!”
“Ah, I knew I killed it tonight.”
“Well, nine hundred and fifty-eight, to be exact. But damn, girl! You owe me dinner too!” I sure did. Who needed drama for one when I could afford dinner for three?
Muddled
* * *
My heart pounded when I received yet another message from him.
Adam: When will I see you again?
I tried my best to shake off the feeling of distress mixed with an undeniable yearning to, in fact, see him again. My better judgment knew I shouldn’t, but the attention from someone whom I assumed was out of my league and unattainable, albeit inconsiderate, gave me the urge to.
I turned my attention away from Adam and toward myself. I’d just gotten home from a Sunday brunch shift, and my head ached from the loud music. I took a shower and laid on my couch to get a grip. After a few minutes of staring at the ceiling, I initiated the dinner I believed I owed Milo. I wouldn’t let today be the day I went against my better judgment.
Kay: Hey! Let’s meet at Barano. It’s in your neighborhood and my treat. I owe you from last night.
Milo: You don’t owe me anything! But I won’t say no to dinner with you.
A few hours later, we met for a lovely Italian meal paired with a bottle of Montepulciano. When we finished our plates, I surprised him with a handful of Snickers in my purse.
“An extra thank you.” I smiled.
“Oh, stealing my tricks, huh?”
“Just trying to get you to take me home.” I paid the bill, and we walked a few streets to Milo’s. He held my hand and pointed out his favorite buildings on the way. Inside his studio, we laid down, spooning while watching TV. When we finally went to bed, Milo continued playing big spoon. He caressed my hair and gently told me, “I love being with you, Kay. You’re creative. You’re a great listener. You work hard for what you want.”
“Keep going,” I joked.
“Seriously! I feel so good with you, and I see us accomplishing a lot. Together.” I thought I could predict what would come next, that Milo would evaluate our relationship status or tell me he wanted to be my boyfriend, again. My chest tightened, and I became anxious. I’d wanted to meet someone like Milo, someone enchanting and effortless, but now, it all felt too real. I wondered if I was ready.
“Oh, and you’re beautiful.” He chuckled and kissed the side of my cheek. “Goodnight, Kay.”
I repressed the sigh of relief I wanted to exhale. In the dark, Milo couldn’t read my facial expressions, and tonight I didn’t want him to.
I woke up with more energy than usual and ran through my morning routine, Milo still in bed.
“Have you seen my keys?” I shouted. It was only 7:00 a.m., but I was excited to get to the office and finish planning the Brunchies event, even if it might be the only work we do with them.
“They’re on the table,” Milo called out. “Where’s my kiss?”
“It’s right here.” I walked to the bed and bent over to kiss his lips.
“Go get ’em!” Milo slapped my butt before I left. Another thing to love about Milo—he unabashedly supported my work.
On my way to LaToulle’s, I committed to ignoring Adam’s most recent text and reached out to Olivia instead. I hadn’t seen her since the Henry’s event and thought now would be a good time to catch up. She’d managed so many promo parties with Bryan, I hoped she’d offer an idea or two to enhance the Brunchies party plans. I just wasn’t sure she’d be into it. She’d never helped me with work before—but surprisingly, she responded right away.
Olivia: Love it! Just let me know where, xoxo.
I chose a café near my office of caliber for Olivia—overly priced and dainty. Inside were white bistro tables and floral decorates that matched the porcelain plates of overly decadent brunch food. Olivia, of course, was late.
While waiting, I got a message.
Samantha: Good work on the pitch! Get time with me tomorrow. Need to talk to you.
I tried dissecting what she meant. Bad, good? Had I done something wrong? Before I could harp on her cryptic message for too long, Olivia arrived. She looked different. More radiant, her skin fresher, and her hair… it was chopped up to her ears.
“Liv! Your hair!” I couldn’t resist commenting.
“You like the new glow up?” she asked, patting the ends of her symmetric hairline.
“It looks amazing!” And it did. She looked more mature, and her defined cheekbones carried her new cut well.
“I know, right?” She took a seat adjacent to me. We took a few moments to catch up on things, like her recent work project, new manicurist, and how her shorter hair transformed her worldview.
“Are you still seeing Bryan?” I asked, knowing she’d pretend she didn’t love talking about him.
“Seeing? Yes. Dating? No. We’ve decided we’re much better at business than romance.” Huh? “We’re promoting together now. I have all the hot friends and connections. He has all the relationships with the liquor brands and venues.” Claiming she had “all” the connections was a stretch, but I had to give it to her, she was more focused than before.
“Good for you! I’m happy to hear that.”
“You really need to come to the next event. You will love it!”
“I actually wanted to talk to you about that,” I said before sharing more about Brunchies. Typically, I would expect Olivia to meet this conversation with hesitation or boredom, but to my surprise, she was incredibly attentive. Maybe she was right about her new haircut after all.
“I love it! Kay, this is great. Many of our Middle Eastern and East Asian clients don’t drink. And don’t even get me started on the recent college grads! They’re, like, anti-liquor these days. But they love the drugs. Oh, they love drugs. But that’s for a different day. Anyway, love, love, love!”
“Thanks, Liv! So, maybe you’ll give me some advice. I’ve never done a promotional event.” Olivia shared several ideas, like putting the drinks in ice buckets to make patrons feel VIP, creating neon Brunchies signs for photo ops, and giving free cans to anyone who posts to social media. Okay, they weren’t the most innovative, but I appreciated her willingness to help.
After we ate, Olivia ran to the bathroom. I checked my phone again. Ever since Samantha couldn’t get in touch with me that one time at Lola’s, I became more cautious about my response time when I was out of the office. But nothing from Samantha. Just another message from Adam.
Adam: Hello…?
I experienced a rush of anxiety. I knew I shouldn’t entertain him, but I wasn’t sure I could get past my excitement either.
“What happened?” Olivia asked. “You look like you just saw a ghost.” She sat down at the table.
“Oh, nothing. Just an old fling.”
“Who? Adam? Are you still seeing him?”
“Wait, how’d you know I was ever seeing him?”
“He told Bryan you two were hanging out. But I thought that was a while ago.” What? If Olivia knew, why hadn’t she said anything?
“Um, yeah, you could say that.” I tried to keep things vague.
“So you’re seeing him again?”
“How’d you know we ever weren’t?”
“Oh, I just assumed. Adam goes from girl to girl, so I figured you two would be a quick fling.”
“Wait, why didn’t you tell me that before?” I was genuinely shocked at her obliviousness, though maybe I shouldn’t have been.
“What, did you catch feels for the guy?” Olivia asked accusatorily.
“No, no. Um, he just messaged me, and I hadn’t heard from him in a while. That’s all.” I backtracked any hint of annoyance I showed. Knowing he and Bryan were friends, I was uncomfortable sharing more. That, and I’d hardly admitted to myself I was flirting with the idea of seeing Adam again. I didn’t need Olivia to think I was.
“Ooooh, if you can lock him down…” Olivia said, her voice trailing like I’d be lucky to snatch him.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s hot and rich.” I hoped to get more insight from her, but she swiftly changed the subject. “Anyway, you still at Lola’s?” I had a hunch she wanted to get information about Sisi because she hardly ever asked me questions about myself.
“Just a couple of times a week.” Knowing Olivia wasn’t a fan of Lola’s, I downplayed how often I worked in some attempt to please her.
“No way! I don’t know how you do it.” She widened her eyes and sucked her teeth.
“Guess that means you don’t ever think about coming back, huh?” I asked in an attempt to mitigate the tension.
“Oh, please, never. That place is a dump.”
“Ha, yeah. Well, it helps pay the bills!” I scoffed, thinking I should have said, Lucky you. You don’t have to come back. But for the second time today, I held my tongue. I was happy for her help on Brunchies and could at least appreciate that part of our lunch, if nothing else.
Dry
* * *
Working two jobs had been fine for some time, but with both of them ramping up, I really should’ve been slowing it down. Easier said than done, because I liked the extra cash and knew Sisi needed my help while hiring another manager. I planned to double down and trade in sleep for stress just a little while longer. I’ll be fine, right?
The good news—Myra loved the Fourth of July party concept, along with the guest list I curated for it. The bad news—she wouldn’t commit to LaToulle yet.
“Our team would like to see how this event goes before committing as a client. We love the idea of LaToulle, but candidly, we haven’t seen a ton of investment from your team. Well, from Samantha,” Myra said. I tried not to take her comment personal, though it felt that way. She was right. Samantha hadn’t been responsive to emails. Since our initial call, it’d only been me corresponding with Myra and her associates, but I guess that wasn’t enough.
“I totally understand. Samantha is not usually like this, but I promise I will make this party the best you’ve ever been to.” And I meant it. Not the Samantha part, but that I’d put my all into this event.
“Glad to hear. Looking forward to seeing you there.” I held on to Myra’s bit of positivity, hoping I’d be able to redeem Samantha’s indifference. I imagine Myra was shopping around for other PR reps. I just didn’t know who she may be exploring. If I did, it’d prevent LaToulle from getting outshined.
—
When I arrived for an extra manager shift at Lola’s on Thursday, I walked straight to Sisi’s office. As usual, she was typing away on her laptop, only this time with a tall guy next to her. He wore a blue button-down tucked into a pair of dark jeans, and his dirty blond hair was recognizable as I got closer.
“Noah?”
“Kay! Twice this month. Lucky me.” He turned around and leaned in for a hug.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I’m an investor. Did you forget?” He had no problem reminding me he was in charge. “I heard you’ve been managing here. Leveling up, huh? What happened to your other gig?”
“It’s not a gig. It’s a PR firm. And I’m still there.” I had a hard time discerning his ignorance for condescension.
“She’s a mantender,” Sisi joked before turning around to join us. “You know, a manager slash bartender.” They both laughed, but I didn’t find it particularly humoring.
“Noah is helping with my transition to head of operations, like showing me some of the financials, blah blah blah.”
“Just happy to be here.” Noah smiled.
“Anyway, Kay,” Sisi continued. “I love when you work, but you’ve practically been living here! You must need some time off.”
“That obvious, huh?” I guess I wasn’t the only one who realized I’d been working a lot.
“I’ve never seen you look so exhausted. But maybe it’s all that sex with Milo.”
