Southern Secrets (Southern 7)

I moved the bar from the wall to the center of the room in a big U. I made more barstools available, and I got me another bartender in, so the drinks flew out faster, which means they came back faster. I moved the dance floor all the way to the back of the house with a bigger stage for live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

I turn on the lights and walk toward the back office, my phone ringing. I pull it out of my back pocket and see Dolly’s name.

"Hello," I say, walking into the little office. It has a desk and two chairs, the top of the desk totally organized.

"Amelia." I hear Dolly groaning, then coughing. "I’ve been up for the past two days. I have a fever and a terrible cough."

"Oh no, have you seen a doctor?" I ask, putting my purse in one of the chairs.

"I have an appointment tomorrow. I was hoping that I could pop some ibuprofen, but I just can’t."

"No, of course not. Don’t worry about it," I say, closing my eyes and worrying about it. "We’ll be fine."

"I’m so sorry," she says and coughs again.

"It’s perfect, okay? Get better and let me know what the doctor says." I hang up the phone and walk out, calling my other waitress, who doesn’t answer.

The door opens, and I look up to see Jill walking in. "Happy Monday," she says, all chipper, and then she sees my face. "Why do you not look happy?"

"Dolly is sick," I say, and she stares at me. "It’s just you and me, sugar," I say, and she rolls her eyes.

"Are there any big games tonight?" she asks, and I nod my head.

"We have two baseball games," I say, and she puts on a brave smile.

"It’ll be fine. People can wait five more seconds for drinks," she says. "It’s going to be fine."

"You know my rule," I say. "No one waits for a drink."

"Well, today they do, and you’ll see that the world is not going to end," Jill says, walking into the sports area. "I’ll take this bar. You take that bar, and people can come see us for drinks."

I close my eyes and try not to let it get to me. I walk to the bar and start setting it up. I know that if I call Chelsea, she would come in and help me, but I also know she didn’t sleep last night and worked all day at the clinic.

I make sure I’m all set up, and we all have enough ice. I’m about to go and grab a couple of bottles from the back when the front door opens, and the construction guys start to pile in. They usually come here every Monday and Friday to start and end the week.

"Howdy," I say to them as they walk in. Their shirts are dirty from working all day.

"Hey, Amelia," one of them says as they fill the stools at the bar.

"Where is Dolly?" another one asks me.

"She’s sick," I tell them as I start filling drink orders. I work my way down the bar and look up, shocked to see more people than usual on a Monday night.

I see about ten guys come in and go straight into the sports room. I try to peek in to see if Jill needs help, but someone else comes to the bar to order.

I spot a couple of people come in and go straight to the billiard room. "I’ll be right over," I tell them, and one of them holds up his hand with two fingers, so I know to bring them two beers.

I fill the orders and then rush back to bring them drinks when a table of girls signals me over to give me their mixed drinks order.

I get back behind the bar when I feel someone next to me. "Hey," Asher says, going to wash his hands. "What’s going on here?"

"When did you get here?" I ask, shocked that he is drying his hands and then walking down the bar toward the end to grab the empty glasses and put them in the gray dirty bin.

"Thirty minutes ago," he says.

I finally look at him when he walks back to the end of the bar. "Um, what are you wearing?" I ask as I start to mix ice and tequila. I press the blender, and he looks over at me, and I notice how small his shirt is.

"This"—he points at his whole body—"is all Quinn’s." I throw my head back and laugh. Turning and watching him, his black hair looks like he just ran his hand through it. His eyes are a soft brown but turn green when he’s in the sun.

"It’s a little bit of a tight fit," I say, and he looks over at me, and I wink at him. "How about you bring this to the girls so they can keep ordering drinks?”