Page 1 of Merry Me Bartender
Joyce
“Christmas decorations?” I repeat slowly, like I’ve misheard. Wiping down the bar, I scrub at a spot of dried sauce. “The boss really said that?”
Next to me, Carol works on restocking the bar with clean glasses. She nods much to my surprise.
We’ve worked with Kade Wheeler the longest, and we know well enough that our boss is not the type of guy to celebrate holidays. Especially not Christmas. Heck, I don’t think he even celebrates his own birthday.
He did take the birthday shot I made him earlier this year though, if that counts.
“He told me we’re going to get a tree and decorate it so the customers have something nice to look at,” she explains as glasses clink together. “He’s offered overtime to stay over and help get the place looking better fit for the season.”
Looking away from the bar, I search for the boss man himself. I find him messing around with the old jukebox, tinkering with it.
That explains all the silence in here. With a lack of bodies inside to make any sort of ruckus, it’s slightly unsettling. However, a possible solution to all this silence makes my heart pick up.
If he’s attempting to add some Christmas music…
My chest swells with excitement. IloveChristmas. Unlike some people in this town, I’m the type to start listening to music in October.
I haven’t mentioned that to Kade have I? Maybe it’s my appreciation for all the snow that’s given it away or the festive scrunchies I normally tie my hair back with.
Oh, if he starts playing tunes, he’s going to start getting complaints from the customers. My singing voice is easily compared to nails on a chalkboard, but I can’t help myself.
“This is going to be bad,” I murmur as I watch our boss scratch at his head. “Real bad, Carol.”
“Why are you smiling then?” she asks, scoffing at me with a shake of her head. She doesn’t look so pleased with this upcoming change.
Giving her a shrug, I throw the towel over my shoulder and take a look around, trying to imagine how this place is going to look after a day or two. It’ll be so different, both the customers and the bartenders are going to get whiplash.
The Rusty Tavern got its name from its rustic look. I can’t imagine lights and reefs swirling around the wooden posts that keep the building standing. Are the lights going to twinkle and flash? Will Kade choose solid white lights or multi-colored ones?
Will he hang mistletoe at every entrance? Oh, I hope so.
Not only to watch two strangers come together to share a tradition, but because Kade Wheeler is not the kind of boss who sits in an office. He’s a man who roams and makes sure to keep all the rowdy customers calm. He’s a man who walks through many doors.
Oh, I’ll accidentally bump into him through every entrance in this place without a doubt.
He’dhaveto kiss me, right? It’s not like I’d ever have the courage to ask him to do it any other time. Kissing Kade is much easier in my head or my dreams. When it comes to reality, that’s a challenge too difficult to face.
“Instead of staring at that jukebox, why don’t you go make some requests? I already know he’s not going to want to crack that thing open again after this.” Carol puts out the offer like she thinks I’m worried about his music tastes. If only she knew what kind of thoughts were running through my head.
I know well enough that if I even try to approach that man and ask him to put on my favorite hits, I’m just going to sputter on my words and leave him thinking I’m incompetent. No, instead, I’m just going to keep on working.
Dragging my eyes away, I go over and collect some abandoned glasses on the other side of the bar. “Overtime sounds nice. Are you thinking about taking the extra hours?”
Money is always nice, especially with all the gift buying. Then again, Carol doesn’t look like she’s in any need of some extra cash. Me on the other hand, I wouldn’t mind.
Is Kade going to help decorate? Will he stay through the late hours hanging up ornaments and sweeping up fallen pine needles? Oh, I don’t think he knows what he’s getting himself into at all.
She shakes her head at the opportunity. Her loss, seriously.
“I think I’ll take the hours, even if it’s only a couple.” Feeling a prickling sensation on the back of my neck, I know it’s not one of the few customers inside looking my way. This kind of sensation only happens when I’ve garnered the attention of the boss man himself.
Sure enough, as soon as I try to sneak a look behind me, hard steel-colored eyes are pointed in my direction. Shoot, he’s not going to yell at us for holding a conversation, is he? We’re staying busy for the most part.
I’m almost able to see my reflection from how much I’ve wiped it down. Still, that doesn’t stop my hand from moving along the surface.
Breathing in slowly, I turn away and scrub at an invisible spot. I’m no slacker, and Kade knows that. I’m one of the last people he’d yell at for not working.