Of course, Mila blended right in.
As Liyah took her first step into the club, she breathed a sigh of relief at feeling the cool air from the high-ventilation system hit her skin. The sheen of sweat on the surface cooled considerably, and she shivered at the sensation.
“Go ahead and get yourself a drink,” Mila said in her ear. “I’ll let the bartenders know to keep an eye on you, so just relax and have fun, okay?” Easier said than done.
As soon as Mila left to check in and start her shift, Liyah presented her alcohol license nervously to the bartender.
He smiled at her as if she was an adorable child before she thought to show him her passport. “Ah! So you’re Liyah,” he said in a husky voice. “Mila has been talking about you for months now. She failed to mention that you were so beautiful.”
Unused to compliments, Liyah blushed. The bartender blinked at her expectantly, and she wasn’t sure what she should do. Thank him? Flirt? Finally he nodded at her license. “What are you drinking?”
Closing her eyes in embarrassment, she tried to laugh it off. “A wine would be great. Pinot Noir? Something cheap.”
“Sure thing.” He poured her a glass and then slid a dish of grapes across the bar. She nodded her thanks, picked up her glass and the dish, and wandered around the lounge as she took everything in. It wasn’t a dance club, but a low, sexy beat purred through the speakers. This was a classy bar with leather booths and high-top tables made of dark wood with a high-gloss finish. Some of the guests were eating, some were drinking, and others were smoking hookah. Here and there, couples sat close together, whispering in each other’s ears, and she also saw some large groups engaged in animated talk and relaxing. Seeing a staircase, she explored farther. The upstairs opened up into a huge rooftop patio that overlooked the city. It was beautiful.
As far as she could tell, she was the only single person there, so she stayed close to the walls. She knew that Mila expected her to mingle with the others, but she couldn’t bring herself to do more than observe from the shadows.
“There you are,” Mila said suddenly at her shoulder. Liyah turned around just as her friend grabbed her glass of wine and took a sip. “I can see you’re enjoying yourself. I don’t think anyone can see you from the corner.”
“I’m just acclimating,” Liyah said, just loud enough to be heard above the music. She didn’t want to admit to her outgoing friend that this really wasn’t her scene.
“What if I gave you something to do? I need some help. Fatima hasn’t arrived yet, and I need an extra pair of hands, or we’re going to be so behind. What do you say? I’ll give you a portion of my tips.”
Relieved to have something to keep her occupied, Liyah set down the dish of grapes and drained the rest of the wine. “Tell me what to do.”
Soon Liyah was carrying menus to tables, bringing baskets of breads, and helping refill water. She’d worked some in a restaurant when she was in school, so it didn’t take long for her to figure out the flow of the restaurant. Mila and some of the other servers seemed grateful for her help, and she finally didn’t feel like such an outsider.
“You’re Mila’s friend, right? Liyah? I really need to use the bathroom. Can you keep an eye on the door and seat anyone who comes in for me? I’ve written the order of the tables down for you,” the hostess said, and she bit her lower lip and did a small dance.
“Yes! Of course! Go ahead,” Liyah laughed and waved her hand. Taking the spot behind the hostess stand, she waited.
Not long after, four guests walked in. The three men were well matched in height and practically towered over Liyah’s less-than-average stature. Even in her heels, she barely reached their shoulders. They were dressed casually, but there was something about the way they carried themselves that had her catching her breath. Sin personified, she thought as she straightened just a little. The woman with them was beautiful—long dark hair fell shining down her back, and her skin was flawless. She and the three men shared the same warm moss-green eyes, and Liyah suspected that they were related.
“Welcome,” she said, forcing herself to speak loudly enough to be heard as she grabbed the menus. “Table for four?”
The one in green stepped forward with an air of authority and nodded his head. He didn’t say a word, but then, he didn’t have to. For an insane moment, she wondered if anyone ever defied him.
“Right this way,” she managed to say as she turned to lead them into the restaurant. Then, in one horrifying moment, she realized that she had no idea where she was going. Whirling around, she held up a hand to tell them to stop. “I’m so sorry. Can you just give me one minute?”
He looked a bit annoyed, but he didn’t say anything.
She rushed past them and glanced at the list the hostess had drawn up for her.
Of course, she was taking them the wrong way.
Hurrying back to the foursome, she forced another smile. “We’re just going to take the long way around,” she admitted as she led them around the corner and back to the front.
“That’s all right,” the one in red joked. “Asad could use the exercise.”
The one in green, presumably Asad, gave Red a steely-eyed look, and Liyah privately thought that none in their group needed any exercise. “Don’t tease, Khalid,” the one in blue said with a grin. “Asad doesn’t know how to take a joke.”
“Is there a reason you’ve walked us through the entire restaurant?” Asad demanded, ignoring the other two.
Ouch. Apparently, Asad didn’t have much of a sense of humor. “I apologize. We’re here,” Liyah said as she bent down to put the menus on the table.
“Don’t stare, Rashid,” the woman snapped.
Eyes widening, Liyah immediately straightened and wished to hell that she didn’t blush so easily. “I’ll get your water, and your server will be with you in a minute,” she managed as she turned to hurry away. Distinctly, she could hear the men laughing at her as she retreated.