"Are you even working tonight?" I asked Mark. I hadn’t seen his name on the roster.
"No, I'm heading upstairs soon."
I picked up a glass and polished it. Glass polishing wasn't usually a thing. Our customers cared more about the booze in the glass than if it gleamed but it kept my hands busy and gave me an excuse to stand at the opposite end of the bar. I don't think any glass in the entire bar had ever been polished like that glass was polished.
A couple of customers came in and I had to move out of my comfortable corner to serve them.
“A couple of beers, thanks.”
I grabbed the glasses and tried to keep my hands steady. They might've been the worst beers I ever poured but the customers didn't care.
They laughed. All of them. Even Jackson. I couldn't hear what Holden said and I didn't want to. I turned the music up, even though the noise bugged me. If I had it loud enough, maybe he'd go somewhere quieter so he could hear his own voice.
I couldn't even get him kicked out since he wasn't technically doing anything wrong. If he was a random guy who'd come in off the street or some unknown, I wouldn't need a reason but even if I got one of the bouncers involved, they'd probably end up fan-boying over him like everyone else.
I picked up another glass then realized someone was at the bar. One of the regulars. Damn customers, interrupting my angsting. They ordered a rum and Coke but kept glancing over at Holden like they wanted to be part of his fun gang.
Shitheads should have to get "shithead" tattooed on their foreheads so people knew. Holden wasn't fun.
Then my gaze hit him. I didn't mean to look and I turned away as soon as my eyes connected but I had definitely looked at him. And he'd seen me.
I wouldn’t do it again, though. He could sit there all night and he’d be blocked from my sight.
He watched me. I knew it. His gaze burnt into me and made me overly conscious of my every movement. Even the back of my neck flushed and my body prickled. The effort not to turn towards him wore on me.
Why had I worn such an ugly dress to work? It never fit me properly and I had to constantly pull it down and adjust it. All my cute dresses had been in the wash and I figured this one would do. I preferred to wear dresses behind the bar because I got too hot in jeans and, okay, because I had sensational legs. They were my best feature. At least this dress was short enough to show them off.
I pulled up the neck, covering my collarbones. Even though he’d still know it was there, I didn’t want him seeing that stupid tattoo.
I hadn’t even washed my hair for days and it hung flat and boring. I kept my hair short so it was easier to dry after gym but I’d been in a rush and it was getting a bit greasy.
Plus, I'd only put on the minimum makeup, not even my usual red lipstick. The token makeup I'd put on would've sweated off when I ran anyway. I probably had a red, blotchy face.
But I couldn't do anything about it now. It'd seem like I was fancying myself up because he was there when it had nothing to do with him. I just wanted to make myself look more presentable for working with the public, that was all.
Someone moved and I swung around to see if they wanted a drink, purposely moving my gaze over his head so it didn’t hit him. I steeled myself for it. I could serve him and keep it calm like I did it every day. I'd get his drink then walk away. He could have it on the house. Then we would have no flesh contact between us. That would be the best thing.
But he didn't want a drink. He'd stood up. They all stood. Violet shot me a half-smile as though to say sorry but the others didn't even look at me. I'd become invisible Carlie again.
Violet paused.
“I’ve got to go upstairs to work but if you need me, just send me a message. I suggested Holden come up and watch the band so he’s not bugging you.”
I nodded thanks.
They headed upstairs as a group.
That should've made me happy but the feeling that flooded through me wasn't relief. I had some stupid, crazy sense of disappointment and even a touch of emptiness inside me.
I hated Holden King.
Chapter 5
NO ONE KNEW WHAT TO expect when Alex took over the bar. He'd bought out the old owner, Chuck, who'd run up a ton of debts. While Chuck had been a total jerk, he'd been a known quantity. Sure, I'd Alex had been hanging around for a few months, since he'd moved into town, trying to win Violet's affection, but I had no idea what he’d be like as a boss. He was a control freak, that's for sure.
All the staff gathered in the bar. God, I didn't even recognize some of them. Like that guy with the long hair and skinny jeans — did he work with us? I had never seen him in my life. There were a couple of women too but I thought they were the cleaners who came in after hours. Hell, what a shit job that would be. The customers at Trouble weren't the nicest people sometimes. In fact, by the end of the night, I'd say they were more like pigs fighting to get to the trough.
"Who is that guy?" I asked Violet. "Is he new?"