Bunches Read Free Page B

back.
    “Oh please,” says Lizzy. “Running
his hands up and down your legs would be the highlight of his night.”
    I scoff and start to wash the red
wine off the leg of my jeans. The activity relaxes me, and I concentrate on
using enough water to get the stickiness off without using so much that it
drips onto my flats.
    Who knew that finding a guy in a
bar could be considered a contact sport?
    “I do not think the bartender is
cute,” I tell Lizzy, as if I’m revealing a massive secret.
    She rolls her eyes. “No, you
think he’s hot and sexy and want to rip his clothes off. That’s just fine. Even
better, actually.” She grins at me and heads for the door. “It happens to girls
at bars all the time, mostly because bartenders are such good listeners. You
can tell them your problems.”
    “I bet I can’t tell him mine,” I
say softly.
    Lizzy comes over to me and puts
her hand on my shoulder. Her eyes soften as she says, “Maybe telling someone
would take the weight off of you a bit. You always say how you feel buried by
it. Maybe telling someone would help you start to uncover your heart again.”
    “I don’t want my heart
uncovered,” I say, nearly crying. “It’s safer buried in the ground.”
    Lizzy just shakes her head and
looks sad. She removes her hand from my shoulder and I feel the loss of heat
instantly.
    “Come on,” I say. “We should get
back.”
    Lizzy sets her jaw in a stubborn
line. I recognize the face. “You hardly ever find guys you think are really
attractive, and when you do, you run. Well no more. Come on. Let’s see what we
can do.” With that she winks at me and disappears.
    I sigh. If only she understood
that some things just can’t be unburied.
     

Chapter Two - JJ
     
    The first time I see her, I’m not
having a good night. I’m hiding it pretty well, but all I want to do is crawl
into bed and get away from the noise. One of the other bartenders called out
sick, so we’re short-staffed. To make matters worse, it’s a long weekend and pouring
rain, so we’re insanely busy.  I’m glad for the business, but I know I’ll be
exhausted by the end of the night.
    The Remember is my life, but it
wasn’t a choice. I used to do the whole work hard, play hard thing. I had
enough fun for a lifetime and I won’t lie, sometimes when I see the girls
walking in here looking really good, I think about going back. Then they get
drunk and slur their words and I remember why I don’t want that.
    I roll my shoulders and look at
the two other bartenders I’m working with. Both are taking customers’ orders. I
like working at the bar, because it means I don’t have to think. I watch the
customers and mix the drinks. I like to chat and make jokes. If people have a
good night they come back. It’s pretty simple.
    I’m just about to ask Lila if
she’s got the guy at the end of the bar when I’m distracted by a lightning
bolt.
    I normally don’t notice who comes
through the front door when I’m behind the bar. We’ve got a busy restaurant
section too, and work gets hectic.
    But when she walks in, every
guy’s attention, including mine, shifts to the door.
    I swallow and stare like I
haven’t stared at a girl in years.
    She’s different. She’s wearing
black jeans and a black sweater over a red blouse, bringing the outfit together
with a black and red scarf. She looks incredible. Her dark hair, almost down to
her back, is loose and tossed casually over one shoulder. She has no idea that
every guy in the place is checking her out.
    I couldn’t care less what she’s
wearing on her feet.
    Something tightens deep in my
gut. Her hair is down and it swishes around her arms as she looks around
furtively. I give her friend a quick assessment, just to make sure it’s not a
guy. It’s not. The tightening in my chest eases infinitesimally.
    The bar is already packed, it’s
about eleven and our busiest time. I overfill the beer I’m pouring because I’m
staring at her. I only know