Page 53 of Peer & Coco

Chapter 21

Lizzy sat down at thetable in The Fire Ring with Roar and waved. Coco delivered the appetizers to Table Four, going through her spiel without thinking. She needed to talk to Lizzy alone without Roar or any other Slag member around.

That was hard to do tonight when three tables in her area of the bar were filled with bikers wearing leather. She carried the empty tray over to the counter and slid it toward Dinah, leaving Peer alone to help the customers sitting on the stools.

Heather stopped beside her. "I've given two warnings out in the last hour to the group around the pool table. I'm not sure they're going to like it when I cut off their drinks when they finish the game."

Coco looked over at the door. Marcus remained at the front of the bar, filling his role as security. "I'll tell Marcus."

"Could you?" Heather sighed. "I swear, I'm wearing a path from one end of the bar to the kitchen."

"I got you covered." She smiled.

Loading up a tray with the drinks Dinah supplied her, she carried the orders out to the customers.

"Hey, Coco."

She turned and found Will, a regular customer, holding up a twenty-dollar bill. "I'll be right there."

Setting the drinks down on the table, she lowered the tray. "Yell if you need anything else."

"Will do, sweetheart." A male customer tipped up the flat bill of his snapback. "As long as you're serving me."

She nodded, not giving him any encouragement. Going over to Will, she plastered a smile on her face. "Done already?"

Normally, Will stayed until closing. There were still two hours to go until they shut down for the night.

"Yeah, well, you know..." He leaned closer. "Brannihan's has women's two for one tonight."

She laughed, taking his money, knowing the bar across town that he spoke of and the women who frequented the place that went looking for men. "Good luck."

Going back to the counter, she looked over at Lizzy and found her on her cell phone. The Slag members around her were deep in conversation. She swept her gaze at the tables in her section, ready to jump if any of them needed something.

"Coco?" Monica stopped in front of her. "Go on your break. You're late."

She exhaled in relief. "Thanks."

Going over to Lizzy, she motioned toward the kitchen door and mouthed, "Please."

Lizzy nodded. Knowing her best friend would come to her if she was able, she escaped the bar and went into the breakroom. Collapsing in the first chair she came to, she leaned against the table and put her face in her hands.

Longest. Night. Ever.

The pressure in her head kept pounding, and she wanted to snap the heads off each of the customers. They were only having a good time, but she wanted them to be miserable like her. It sure would make her feel better if others understood the pain she was going through.

"Sorry, I was talking to Norah. She's down from Seattle and is in the clubhouse, spending time with Hanne, and wanted to..." Lizzy sat down beside her. "Nevermind me. What's going on?"

She looked at the door, got up, and shut them into the room. "I think I'm losing Peer."

"What?"

"Sh." Coco sat back down and whispered. "I don't want anyone else to know, not even Peer."

"Talk to me." Lizzy reached out and grabbed Coco's hands. "Tell me why you would feel that way when all I see is a man who is deeply in love with you."

She winced. There was no doubt that Peer loved her, but their life together wasn't simple or easy. Love wasn't enough.

"Nobody can know what I'm about to tell you," she said.