I've screwed up so many orders that Reuben snatches me by the arm, pulling me close so he can growl in my ear. "Take five. Take ten if you need it, but when you come back to my floor, I want you focused. I don't have time for this shit. Do some coke, do a shot- whatever you need to do. Get it together!"

Then he pushes me toward the double doors marked EMPLOYEES ONLY and points at my backup to take over.  I stumble through the doors and down a well-lit hallway, passing girls in similar skimpy garb. Looks like it's all hands on deck tonight and here I am, wimping out because I saw a guy I used to know.

A guy I used to fuck.

It's just that I wasn't expecting to see him. Or hear him. Or be anywhere near him, ever again. The sound of his voice... just knowing he's in the room sends me into a tailspin.

I shake my head violently as I enter the employee lounge. You can't let this one guy fuck up your night. Or your money.

I grab a bottle of water from the cooler that Reuben stocks for us and plop down on one of the couches. I'm shaking and I shouldn't be. My mind is a mess and there's no reason for it. How I still have feelings for this man, after he laid in my bed and told me the only reason he kept coming to see me was because I was available; this man that made me feel like I was just a hole to shove his dick into.... he doesn't deserve this meltdown.

I sit up, inhale a deep breath, suck down half a bottle of water and push myself up from the deep cushions. I shake my hands to rid myself of the tremors, then check my hair and lipstick in the mirror and head back down the hall, busting through the double doors back to the floor.

Before I return to my section, I stop at the bar and hang out near the corner- our sign to the bartender that we need to chat. When Mike edges his way over to me, I nod to the tall bottle of Grey Goose he just opened. "Pour me one. And don't be stingy."

Mike's eyebrow lifts very slightly, but he obeys and pours me a healthy shot of vodka. I slam it back in one gulp and hold in the urge to scream because my throat is on fire. It takes effect almost immediately. I set the shot glass back on the bar and lean over to give Mike a smooch.

"Thanks babe. Reuben told me to get focused."

"Figured," he replies, placing the glass in the 'dirty' bin below the bar. The bussers come through every ten minutes to collect it and send the glassware through the dishwasher, bringing clean glasses with them. "You okay, Jess? You need... something?"

His eyebrow lifts again and I know he means coke.  I shake my head. "Nah. I don't get into that stuff." He winks at me and heads back to his very busy bar. And I head back to my very busy section.

A few minutes later, I'm back at the bar placing an order for the Golden Girls Convention at table three. They're drinking very slowly but very steadily. Kyra places her order and waits next to me.

"I know why you freaked out," she says, without looking at me. "It's him, right?"

"Don't want to talk about it."

"You always say that. Maybe it's time to talk about it."

I stare at the side of her face until she turns her head to look at me. "So..."

"So... he's super cute in person."

"And?"

"And. Very polite. And a big tipper."

"Kyra..."

"And..." She shrugs, going for nonchalant but her grin is giving her away. "He asked about you."

"Asked?" Why are my lips twitching? "Like... how asked? What did he ask about?"

"Asked if I knew you. I said you were my roommate. Asked how long you'd been working here. Didn't tell him that. He did uhm...well, he asked me to pass a message to you."

Mike begins loading my tray with tall, pink fizzy drinks. "Okay. What's the message?"

"He said he knows you still have his number. Call him when you get home."

I roll my eyes and scoff as I slide the full tray off of the bar and head to table three.

When I get home? At 5AM? Highly unlikely.

Why are you thinking about it then, Jess? You do still have his number. He wants to talk to you. And you want to talk to him.

*Sigh* Fuck him.

Ð