Southern Secrets by Natasha Madison
Chapter 11
Asher
I getout of the truck after having to park almost in the street. I can hear the country music all the way over here. The parking lot is jam-packed as I see the lights coming out from the windows. The walk to the bar is the longest, and even though I told myself coming here wasn’t a good idea, I still got dressed, and here I am.
The whole week I’ve avoided seeing her. I mean, not that I had the time not to avoid her. I spent the week helping Billy repair fences. The man was doing it himself when I found him. When I got home, I had enough energy for a shower. I fell asleep, but I would listen for her and only fully fall asleep when I heard her come in.
In the morning, I tried to make the least amount of noise I could so I didn’t wake her. But I was hoping she would come out. The only thing I’ve heard from her is a text about the clothes her grandmother bought me.
I pull open the door, and the heat from all the people in there hits me right away. I take one step in and stop in awe. The bar is jam-packed. I mean, it usually is on a Saturday, but it’s more so today. All you see is a sea of people. I move through the crowd toward the bar and stop when I see Ethan and Emily standing by a table talking.
"Hey," I say to them and look around. "This is crazy."
"Yeah, my sister got one of the popular bands to come and play tonight," Ethan says, looking around and smiling. "She should have charged a cover."
"Nah," I say, looking around and seeing that people are crowded on the dance floor, and the band hasn’t even started yet. "This is better. They will buy drinks instead of paying for the cover."
"Exactly what she said to us." Emily smiles and steps closer to Ethan when someone tries to walk past her.
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.
"Let me know if you need anything else," I say and turn to go back to serving people.
I turn and see a group of six girls sitting at the end of the bar. "What can I get you?" I stretch my arms on the side and hold on to the bar.
"That is a loaded question," one of the blondes says, leaning into the bar. Her top is riding just a touch too low. "What’s your specialty?"
"Beer," I say, and she laughs while the brunette cuts in.
"I’ll have a beer with a blowjob on the side." She winks at me, and my face almost grimaces.
"Oh, I’ll do a blowjob also," the other blonde says.
"Six blowjobs," the blonde says. "I’m Amanda."
I force a smile on my face. "I’ll be right back." Turning and grabbing six shot glasses, I line them up in front of them. I walk over to Amelia, who is pouring a whiskey. "Do you have whipped cream?" I ask, and she looks over at me.
"Does this look like a place that has whipped cream?" She laughs. "Why?"
"They want blowjob shots." I motion with my head toward the girls. She throws her head back and laughs.
"Like those girls swallow." She laughs, and for the second time tonight, I’m left speechless.
"That’s a no, then," I say, trying to hide my smirk.
"They are just going to have to swallow without the cream." She smiles sweetly.
"Okay, boss." I grab the Baileys and go back to the glasses. "Ladies, no whipped cream." I look at them. "Do you still want them?"
"Sure," the brunette says. I pour the Kahlua first and then top it with Baileys. "Aren’t you doing a shot with us?"
"I can’t drink on the job," I say. "That’ll be thirty dollars."
The blonde takes a fifty out of her purse. "Keep the change." I nod my head and turn around, putting the money in the till.
"Twenty-dollar tip for six shots?" Amelia asks when I put a twenty in the tip jar, and I ignore her.
"Guess they have money to spare." I look over and serve two more ladies who smile at me.
"Cowboy," the blonde from before calls me over. I don’t want to go, and I almost ask Amelia to take my place, but she’s serving drinks at the other end.
"What can I get you guys?" I ask, and the blonde leans onto the bar.
"You're a cowboy, right?" she asks, and I tilt my head, reminding myself that if I’m rude, then they won't come back, and if they don’t come back, Amelia makes less money.
"Why do you think I’m a cowboy?" I ask.
"Well, for one, you're hot," the brunette says. "And your arms are nice and tanned."
"If you live around here or work around here, you’re a cowboy," one of the other girls says. "I’ll take a whiskey sour." I look at the other girls, who nod. "Six whiskey sours." I make their drinks in front of them and collect the money. I learned a long time ago never to leave someone with a tab running unless you know where they live.
"So tell us, Cowboy, do you have a name?" the blonde asks me again.
"Cowboy is good," I say and try to move away from her when she puts her hand on mine. I look down at her hand on mine and then hear someone clear their throat beside me.
"Sorry, I need the whiskey," Amelia says, and I move out of the way and out of reach from the blonde.
She grabs the bottle from the bar and then looks at me. "We got this covered," she says. "You can go and sit with your friends." She motions with her chin, and I just stare at her when she turns and walks away from me.
