Blue
Daniel
Reed Faulkner doesn’t know how to handle his drink, and he doesn’t know how to take no for an answer. The number of women he’s struck out with tonight is embarrassing. He’s a good-looking guy, but he is an absolute ass when talking to women. Particularly here.
These women don’t care that he’s rich, they’re here to have fun, not be picked up by an asshole with a fat wallet.
We haven’t signed on the dotted line, which is why I haven’t left yet. That, and the sexy bar tender. I’ve been tracking her everywhere she goes.
She hasn’t come back since the first drink she served us. The only people serving our drinks have been two guys. Sliding a twenty across the table would never get her to hang out with Reed.
I tried really hard not to laugh when she snatched that note and walked away.
She’s wearing jean shorts, and a T-shirt that has a knot at the waist, pulling it taut over her breasts and against her tanned flat stomach. Tall for a woman, she doesn’t need heels and has got sneakers on, probably because she is on her feet all night working here. Her long, lean legs and the tightness of her t-shirt aren’t what is intriguing to me though.
It’s the way she carries herself. She exudes confidence in every step she takes. The place is packed, but she talks to everyone like she knows them. I’ve never seen anyone rebuke so many men without making them mad in my life.
The longer we’ve been here, the more irritating Reed has become. I’m no one’s pimp. If he wants to pick up a woman, he can do it without my help. Except he’s way too drunk for any of the women here. He’s ordered enough drinks to the table, hoping the hot bartender comes back.
He switched to vodka, but I stuck with the IPA and have only had two. I’ve never tasted anything like it, or heard of the brand. After the first one, I took a picture of the bottle and sent it to my brother to see if he has ever heard of it. He hasn’t got back to me yet.
Reed goes to the bathroom, leaving me alone at the table. As the guy server walks by, I spot him carrying more of the beer and get up.
“Hey, could I ask about the beer?”
“You and everyone else who comes in. It’s on the website, dude. It’s ’s exclusive. You can’t get it anywhere else.”
“That can’t be right.”
“Take it up with the owner,” he nods towards the bar and then walks away to deliver the drinks.
It hasn’t let up in here, he’s run off his feet and has no time to talk to me, so I’m not mad about his dismissal. As people leave, more show up. There is still no sign of Reed, so I go to the bar. A woman with dark hair in a high ponytail and heavy bangs comes over.
“What can I get you, hon?” she slaps a coaster down on the bar in front of me.
“Your IPA,” I lean forward. “That’s exclusive?”
She looks up at me, then points to a sign on the wall. It says what the server out of the floor said. A picture of the beer and a sign reading the 312 IPA is only served at ’s Hideaway and will not be sold anywhere else. I can’t help but grin at the caveat at the bottom. ‘SO DON’T ASK.’
“You get asked all the time?” I lean an elbow on the bar.
“ All the time,” she winks. “You about to try to convince me, sugar?”
“Are you the one I need to convince?”
“You could try, but it’s written into our contracts. And I love this job too much to risk it.”
“You serious?”
She laughs loudly, as if that is an answer. “You want a 312?”
I lean back as she turns to the fridges behind the counter. As she bends over, the hot bartender walks over to pass a group of women their cocktails. She does a double take when she sees me, then looks away.
“You won’t be convinced, will you?” I ask as the woman hands me my beer. Her eyes cut between me and the other bartender, and she gives me a knowing smile.
“Smart guy,” she grins. “Is that tab or charge?”
I take out a fifty and had it over. “Keep the change.”
“Thank you kindly, sir,” she winks again, then walks away, pausing when she realizes how much I gave her.
She hip checks the other bartender as she passes. Not in an angry get out of my way move, more to get her attention. She leans in and whispers something. Both of them look at me. I’m not intimidated. But there is something going on I don’t know about. Intriguing.
There is no sign of Reed, so I stay by the bar. She knows I’m watching her, but is ignoring me. Five minutes go by with me sipping the beer and her serving customers. Both of us are well aware of the other.
I’ve been watching our table. A group of men took it not long after I walked away. So far, there has been no sign of Reed. He’s not my problem. Should I be concerned?. Maybe he got lucky, I chuckle to myself.
“You’re one of those guys, huh?”
My head snaps back to her. She has her own bottle of 312, holding it between her thumb and index finger at the top of the neck. There is something sensual about it that has my heart pounding faster.
“Meaning?”
“Coming over here to get me to sell this outside of the bar,” she thumbs at the sign.
“No, I’ve already figured no matter what I say, the owner will not go for it.”
“You’ve got that right.” She rests one hip against the bar.
“And nothing will make them distribute it?”
Her head cocks to the side as she studies me. “Let me guess, you think you can sell it for them? Make them thousands of dollars. You think we haven’t heard that a million times before?”
“Not me, that’s not my business, but they could make a lot, nationally, at a minimum. If they export it, that’s guaranteed to be more than a few thousand.”
“And you think the owner hasn’t thought all of that through?”
“I’m sure he has.”
“He?” One brow arches ever so slightly.
What is she getting at? I glance around, then back at her. “Ah.”
She smirks.
“You’re the owner.”
“Am I?” she tilts her head at me in a way that says I got it right.
Someone calls for a drink and our stare off is broken. When she walks away, my eyes dip to her ass in those jean shorts. Damn, her confidence is as sexy as her ass.
“Thought I lost you?” Reed slaps my shoulder, making me jolt and slosh beer onto the bar. His loud shout draws attention from the people nearest to us, and the woman who I now know owns this place.
Not knowing her name, I decide to think of her as , after the name of the bar. Reed’s stumbling around and has to hold on to the bar to stay upright as he tries to catch ’s attention to order. She sees him, but ignores him. He calls her a bitch. Fuck that.
Instead of pursuing her, he turns to the group of women and asks them if they’re interested in going back to his hotel, making me cringe.
“Er, no thanks,” the closest one says and then turns her back on him.
“Come on, don’t be like that. It’ll be fun. I have a suite with two bedrooms,” he winks at me.
As if I will have any part in this. The more I watch him harassing these women, the less I want anything to do with him. In fact, I no longer want to tie my company to his.
“Reed, I think they’ve made it clear they don’t want to come back to your hotel,” I say, stepping closer. “You’ve had enough to drink.”
“Don’t be a dick. I’m just trying to have some fun.”
“They said no,” I respond, more firmly.
The women are moving away. Reed follows, stumbling a little. Fuck, how did he get this drunk? I grab onto his arm, mostly to steady him, but also to stop him following the women. His bullshit has drawn attention from all around.
“It’s time to leave,” I drag him back. “I’ll call your driver.
“I don’t want to go,” he turns and, with no warning at all, swings at me.
His fist connects with my jaw, and my head spins sideways, knocking me into the bar. This prick just fucking hit me. I’m not a violent guy, not by any stretch. I will do whatever it takes to prevent myself, or any of the surrounding people, particularly women, being hurt by an out-of-control drunk.
Straightening up, I grab onto him and push him back. He’s cursing at me, and he turns his eyes my way. They’re so far gone, the rage has taken over. He goes to swing again, and I put my guard up, stepping in front of the group of women, ready to fight this fucker.
Before it can go any further, two men are pulling him away. They’re fucking huge. And they’re not patrons. They’re security.
“Outside now,” one of them barks, handling Reed like he’s a toddler throwing a tantrum.
The second one reaches for me to throw me out with him.
“It’s okay. He’s good.”
He lets go of me, and I turn to . Her tone is commanding, and the men follow her orders without argument. She isn’t looking at me. She’s staring at Reed as they drag him out of the bar. I watch too, embarrassed as shit.
I’m not doing business with this asshole. I don’t care what it costs.
“Nice friend.”
“He’s not my friend,” I say, touching my jaw and mouth. My lip is split. The adrenalin kept me from feeling it. Poking at it with my tongue, I touch the sore spot. My fingers come away covered in blood. “Fuck.”
eyes me, a frown on her face. “Okay, everyone, you know the drill. Nothing to see here. It’s been handled. Go back to having fun. Ladies,” she says to the women Reed was harassing. “Free drinks for the rest of your evening.”
The women all cheer. turns back to me. She folds her arms and lets out a heavy sigh. What can I say to defend Reed? Why I want to do that is anyone’s guess. She drops her arms and steps closer.
“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”