One More Time

“The silent types, I can get behind that,” my mother said. “But don’t worry. One night with me changes that tune.”

Tyler actually smiled, and I felt a twinge of disappointment.

I wasn't going to stand by and listen to my mother talk to them this way. Nor was I going to stand by and watch them play into whatever disgusting hand she was playing.

I sighed as I moved to the other end of the bar, tidying it up and serving other customers who were sitting there. I was pulling out beers and throwing away caps, refilling drinks and offering water to those who were too drunk to order coherently. I cut a couple of men off, and they got rowdy, which prompted me to call the bouncer over to escort them out.

Freeing up their stools, meant more could fill them and my pockets at the same time. Occasionally, I peered over at my mother. She had now wiggled her way in between the twins, laughing at something they were saying. Though I had no claim to either man, it boiled my blood to see her hands caressing their chests. I caught Tyler's gaze at one point and thought maybe he was going to get up and approach me, but then his eyes dropped back down to my mother, and I lost hope. I was hoping Tanner would turn his head and look back at me. Give me any sign that they were not enjoying the attention my mother was giving them.

But I never caught their eye again, and I gave up on my attempts to level the playing field between them and the rest of the brothers.

I'm not sure why it made me angry that she was flirting with them. I mean, I had slept with three of the five brothers a couple of nights ago. I'm sure that was something even my mother couldn't boast of. Watching her act the way she was with the twins made me sick to my stomach. I had done something so sleazy that even my mother couldn’t claim.

I needed to talk to Lindy, and I needed to do it soon. I went into the bathroom and called on my cell phone.

“Hello?” Lindy said.

“Hey,” I said.

“Emma. You at the bar?” she asked.

“I am. My mother’s back,” I said.

“Oh, wonderful. Need some company?”

“I just can’t stand the fact that she’s here. She disappears for two days, resurfaces, and moves right in the middle of a couple of guys who were talking me up tonight.”

“Oh, shit. Are you serious? Wait, were they hot?” she asked.

“Lindy, not the point. I thought maybe they were nice guys, different from most of the rest. Then Gracie shows up and their tongues are hanging out like all the others. It just pisses me off,” I said, still unsure as to why I was so upset about it. Did I really want to be with men who wanted to be with my mother? Gross.

“I’m so sorry, Emma. You sure you don’t want any company?” she asked.

“I’m sure. I just had to fucking vent. I’m gonna have to go back out there and watch her get wasted and make a fool of herself. She’s probably already told them I’m her daughter, which means they’ll now think I’m like her.”

Maybe you are like her, I thought to myself, remembering being filled by three men at once.

“You're nothing like your mom, Emma.”

“It’s just irritating, that’s all,” I sighed into the phone, wishing I could tell my best friend the whole story. I wasn’t sure how she would react though, so I kept my mouth shut.

“Anyway, I gotta get back to work,” I said.

“Who’s bartending with you tonight?” Emma asked.

“No one. Just me tonight,” I said.

“Why the fuck has no one called me?”

“Because the manager’s an idiot. You know that. It’s fine, anyway. The more money I can make, the quicker I can fix up the loft and get the fuck out of my mother’s house.”

CHAPTER 7

I was on my last shift before the weekend, and none of the guys had come in that night. I searched for them the moment we opened at eight, but none of them stepped into the bar. Of course, my mother was there. She was being obnoxious, drinking all our booze for free, and falling all over the young guys she thought she could take home.

“Another one,” my mother said.

“You can’t even talk straight. I’m cutting you off,” I said.