I turned to Billy, the bartender who was working that section. “Comehere,now.”
His head hung low as he followed me to the corner. “What is this?” I held the martini glass in frontofhim.
“Not acosmo.”
“Bingo. Now let’s try thisagain.”
I wanted to yell at him. I wanted to rip my hair out, rip his hair out. There were some cocktails every bartender needs to know, and a cosmopolitan was very high up onthatlist.
“Sorry Jordan.” Billy looked sodefeated.
“Don’t apologize. You’re better than this. Just stop rushing and get these drinks right.” I hated wasting liquor—it went against everything I stood for—and my heart hurt as I poured the incorrect drink down the drain. I watched closely as Billy struggled to remember therecipe.
I stopped him as he reached for the grenadine. “You’re already messing up. What is in a cosmo?” I yelled to Bridget, who was filling a few pints of beer behindBilly.
Even though she was annoying as shit, she knew her drinks well. “Vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed limejuice.”
“You’re done for the night, Billy. Go tell Vito I’m sending you home tostudy.”
“Yeah,okay.”
He was deflated, but his feelings were not something I could care about. He needed to step up his game or find other employment, it was as simple as that. Sending the kid home made me feel like Jon Taffer from that showBar Rescue, but oh well. I hated to think I was being a dick, but I needed to be a hard ass—that was what I was getting paidtodo.
“Bridget, Billy’s going home. I got hissection.”
“Aye, cap!” She gave me a little wink before going back to mixing anothercocktail.
In between making drinks and making sure all the customers were being taken care of in a timely manner, I caught glimpses of the game. The Otters were up five to four going into the third period, and the entire bar cheered with me when Harding scoredanothergoal.
“That kid is on fire tonight,” an older man remarked before asking for another whiskey on therocks.
“Chase Harding has undeniably turned into an incredible player,” Ianswered.
“I was skeptical at first, but have been pleasantly surprised,” headded.
“Oh, for sure, but he can handle a puck like nobody’sbusiness.”
“That’s for damn sure.” I handed him his next drink and he said, “Thanks. Are you a big hockey fan or do you just make stuff up to talk to your customersabout?”
I laughed, pulling up the bottom of my black polo to reveal anOllie is my homeboytank top. “I bleedhockey.”
He raised his glass. “That’s fantastic. Who’s your favoriteplayer?”
My entire body got hot as I pretended to think about my answer. “Crosby. I have a soft spot forgoalies.”
The patron nodded his head. “I’ve heard he’s a really nice guy in person. Talentedandnot a dick—that’s a winning combination inmybook.”
I chewed on my lip. I wasn’t normally one to talk about how well I knew the players because I worried people would try some shady shit to get to know them. “I’ve heard the samething.”
The buzzer sounded and with that victory, the New York Otters secured their spot in the playoffs. I relished the thought of the beards that were going to adorn the players’ faces and my skin prickled with excitement. I mean, what girl doesn’t love hunky jocks with sexy beards? It was one glorious win for superstition inmybook.
Chapter9
Jordan
“DoI bring my vibrator onthedate?”
Myla’s hand flew to her mouth as she tried to not spit her lemonade out everywhere. After swallowing and laughing for a few seconds, she choked out, “Fuck it—why not? With all the pent-up feelings and attraction you two have built up over the years, I will be shocked if you don’t fuck himtonight.”