Her Dirty Bartenders (Men at Work #5) - Mika Lane Page 0,5
Marni,” she said when she’d made her way back to the bar. “I used the men’s room. It was closer.”
“That’s what I fucking love about you, Stell. You just make shit happen.”
I didn’t see how using the men’s room was making shit happen, but I wasn’t going to ask.
“No, no, no, Marn,” Stell babbled. “I fucking love you, girl.”
Oh yeah. They were definitely being cut off.
“Okay, you two. I'm cashing you out and calling you an Uber.”
They looked at me like I’d said their baby was ugly.
“Oh, Maze,” Marni said, leaning on the bar with her hand extended toward me. “Don’t be that way.”
“Sorry, ladies. It’s time to go.”
They looked at each other with such utter indignation it was comical.
And I was not in a laughing mood.
“C’mon, Maze. I just got to town. My car was smashed. I need a fucking break here.”
They weren’t going down easy.
I leaned onto the bar, looking from one to the other. “The answer is no.”
Stell slammed her hand on the bar. “Well, shit. Marn, you told me this place was cool. Let’s get outta here.” She stumbled as she got to her feet, and Marni grabbed her arm.
“If you wait a few minutes, I can drive you ladies home.”
“I’ll wait if you get me another martini,” Stell said in a singsong voice.
“Sorry, ladies.”
I gestured to the lone busboy tasked with cleaning the place up after hours. “Can you lock up for me? I’m taking off.”
He saluted me. “Sure, boss. Gotcha covered.”
Stell’s head bobbled. “Well, fuck you then,” she slurred.
“Yeah, Maze. Go to hell,” Marni mumbled.
Really?
“C’mon, ladies, I’m taking you home.”
In spite of their blustering, they obediently followed me to my car. I opened the back door, and stuffed both of them in.
“Seatbelts, please,” I said, watching them clumsily help each other.
It would be funny if I weren’t in such a shit mood.
When we reached Marni’s place, Stell leaned over the seat to see me. “Hey. Maze. You wanna come in?”
Oh, for Christ’s sake.
“Nah. I'm good. You ladies have a nice rest of the night.”
Stell’s mouth dropped open. “Oh. Well. Fine.” She got out of the car and slammed the door so hard she lost her balance and wiped out on the grass in front of Marni’s building.
Marni bent to help her friend up, and the two of them went down.
But they were home, and I’d done my part. I drove away, my last glance in the rear-view mirror showing they’d tentatively gotten to their feet.
Fucking shit show.
On my way back to Tableau the next day, I did a drive by at the gym for a quick cardio workout.
And no one was more surprised than I was to see Marni there, working.
“Maze,” she mumbled. “Morning.” She took my ID card and swiped it.
“You look like shit, Marni,” I said, hiking my backpack up on my shoulder.
She leaned on the front desk and brought a water bottle to her lips. After chugging half of it, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Thanks, Maze. That’s very kind.”
One of her employees approached her about a clog in the women’s locker room bathroom, and she just squinted at them.
But she was the boss, so it was her problem. Just like she’d been my problem the night before. She probably didn’t even recall half of it.
“Hey, Maze,” she called, beckoning me with her finger. She lowered her voice. “Did we… misbehave last night?”
I nodded. “Sure did.”
I left her wondering exactly what she’d done, and headed for the men’s locker room. I wasn’t in the mood for the kind of apology you got from a customer the day after overdoing it.
But on my way, I spotted Stell wandering through the weight room, like she wasn’t sure where to start.
And fuck, was she cute in some gray leggings and a white cut-off T-shirt that showed off her flat belly.
I stood out of sight to see what she would do.
First, she sat on one of the huge exercise balls. Then, she wrinkled her nose and lay down on a mat. But after deciding that wouldn’t do, she got up and took a hula hoop off the wall and actually started twirling it around her waist.
As she did, the ponytail on top of her head swung around and her curvy ass jiggled the tiniest amount under the thin layer of spandex covering it. She rocked back and forth like a champ, showing no signs of a hangover, unlike her friend Marni.
I hadn’t expected that.
She raised her arms above her head