I take a second to look over at the pool tables part of the bar and see at least forty people around the two tables. I look toward the sports section and see the door opening and closing every second as someone goes in and leaves. I can tell that even that part of the bar is jam-packed, but there are some games on tonight. I do know that some of the men who come with their wives or girlfriends leave them to dance and go watch the game. Something for everyone.
"Are you here with anyone?" Emily asks, and I look at her.
"Not that I know of," I say, laughing. "I’m going to go get something to drink. You guys want something?"
"A beer," Ethan says right away, and someone bumps into Emily, pushing her into him. She smiles at him as she wraps an arm around his shoulder.
"I’m good," Emily says, and they share a smile, and he bends to kiss her. I walk away from them and zigzag my way toward the bar.
I can’t even get close enough to order, but I’m close enough to see her. She throws her head back at something and laughs. Her hair is down today, and she curled the ends, parting it down the middle. Her eyes shine so blue they look crystal from here. She is wearing a green tank top with a black vest, showing off her tanned, toned arms. She holds her hand up, pointing at someone to grab their drink order.
She turns, and I see it’s just her and someone else behind the bar, which is unusual on a Saturday. Usually, she has three people. She doesn’t need your help, my head screams at me at the same time as my feet move to the side.
"Excuse me," I say as I make my way around the bar, and I stop when I see she’s wearing jean shorts with a thick brown cowboy belt. Her long, lean, tanned legs are fully exposed with short cowboy boots. My heart goes up to my throat as I watch her walking back to the guy and getting the money from him.
She turns around, and she sees me and stops moving, my feet walking toward her. "Hey," she says, a smile filling her face, and the heart that has risen to my throat feels like it’s going to come out. "Fancy seeing you here, roomie."
"Figured this was the only place I could see you," I finally say. "I’m assuming if I try to offer you help, you will say no." She rolls her eyes. "That’s what I thought."
"Fine," she admits. "A bit more people are here than I thought would be," she says, looking toward the crowd, then turning back and smiling big. "But it’s so fucking awesome," she says, clapping her hands over her head. "Now let's get the drinks flowing."
I’ve never seen her this happy. Usually, she reserves her happiness and doesn’t really let it show.
"Who hasn’t been served?" I ask the crowd, and we work side by side. I spend more time than I want to looking over at her as she works the crowd. I look to the side and see Ethan.
"Where the fuck is my beer?" he asks, and it’s my turn to laugh as I turn, going to grab a glass at the same time Amelia does. She looks at me, and for one second, all the noise in the whole place is suddenly quiet.
"Take it," I say, and she grabs the glass and turns, and all I can do is smell her. I blink twice, turning and standing next to her while I prepare Ethan’s beer.
"Ethan doesn’t pay," she says, "and if he gives you money and you take it, I will shove my boot up your ass."
"Why do I get a boot up my ass if he doesn’t listen?" I laugh, looking at her, and she just shrugs, putting down the beer and snapping her finger to take another order.
"I was told," I say to Ethan, handing him his beer, "that if you give me money, she is going to shove her boot up my ass." I turn, going to grab a water bottle.
Ethan laughs when I hand him the bottle. "That’s okay," he says. "I usually go and pay at the sports bar." My mouth goes open wide in shock. "Or I leave it in her tip jar when she isn’t watching."
"So stubbornness runs in the family?" I ask, and he laughs.
"You tell me." He takes a sip of his beer. "You tried telling my grandfather that he needed to watch you do all the work. How did that go?"
I shake my head. "He tried to take out a wooden post the other day without batting an eye." Working side by side with Billy was an experience I will always remember and is up there on the top five best things that ever happened to me, and so far, I only have three.