CHAPTER TEN
CASEY
“Casey, take ten.” Ryan, the Brews on the Bay manager, finds my gaze across the bar, tipping his head toward the kitchen. My eyes widen as I double check the clock on the wall to confirm he’s serious.
“Already? God, time flies in here.” I sling my trusty little bar towel over my shoulder as I cock finger guns at my co-workers, sauntering off into the kitchen to take my break.
It’s been a busy day, which I’m thankful for—after what I think I overheard this morning from Griffin’s room, I’ve been jumpy and horny and bursting at the seams.
If he really was jacking off inside his room, who was he imagining?
The question haunts me, which is why I’m glad to be so busy at work tonight.
I can forget the maybe-jackoff-session by hyperfocusing on drink orders.
I’m whistling to myself as I cross the kitchen, waving at the small crew back there who work hard to pump out the bar menu.
I opt to hang by the back service door, where I can see a little bit of Lake Erie in the distance.
It’s only when I’m launching my second whistled song that I realize. Holy shit. I’m really enjoying this job.
“Crazy Casey, how you doin’ today?” One of the line cooks, Daryl, steps out back with me and leans against the wall on his own break.
I’ve worked here less than two weeks, and my new coworkers have already given me that nickname just from the few stories I’ve shared with them so far, including what happened at the farmer’s market with my car.
He pulls out a vape and hits it once before offering it to me.
“Oh, no thanks.” I’ve only recently gotten back into the swing of making drinks from memory; I don’t want to fuck things up by taking a hit of whatever that vape has in it. “I’m about to head back in.”
“You better get to it! You’re the top selling bartender,” he says with a grin.
“I don’t know about that.”
“That’s what I overheard Ryan saying.” He waggles his eyebrows at me before taking another hit on his vape.
“That can’t be true. Maybe he’s just being nice. I’m the new girl.”
“Yeah, but you’re the fun girl,” he says with a wink. “See ya later, Casey.”
I make my way through the kitchen and back into the bar, Daryl’s words echoing in my head. I suppose I have loosened up since starting here. I joke with everyone. I treat every customer like they’re the only one. And I’m having a great time doing it.
In fact, I can’t believe how much more I like this job than my purported “real job” in Chicago.
It makes job applications a bit of a drudge, to be honest. I’ve been on the job hunt in earnest, with the goal of having a new position set up by the time I move back to Chicago in mid-August. I’ve applied for a small handful of roles so far; all I can do is keep applying and hope for the best.
The bar is busy tonight, so I’m back in the swing of things before I can chat with Ryan about whether I’m actually the top selling bartender or not. A group of girls comes into the bar, and I smile and wave at them immediately, like we’re friends, even though we’re not.
They gravitate my way, eyes lighting up as they come closer. I give them my usual opening line. “Welcome to Brews on the Bay, what do you want me to recommend: a bite, a beer, or a book?”
I get a round of giggles, so I add, “Everything has to start with a B in here, or else I’ll get in trouble.”
They slide onto barstools facing me. As I smile, I feel the electricity of the moment coursing through me. I don’t just enjoy making drinks, I love this whole process of getting to know people’s preferences and making their experience top-tier.
“I want a book recommendation,” the redhead says with a sly smile.
“Okay. What’s your favorite genre? Are we talking thriller, memoirs, romance…”
“Romance.”
“Good. Are you into open door, or something sweeter and more chaste?”
“Open door,” she says without missing a beat.
I can feel a few recommendations floating to the top inside of me, so I try to think of some unique ways of singling each one out. “And are you someone who enjoys watching men lasso animals, or are you more of a late-night professor/student girlie?”
Her eyes go wide as she contemplates my words, then slaps her hand on the bar. “Professor/student!”
“And what about second chance vibes? Yay or nay?”
“Total yay.”
“Are we more fans of straightlaced sexy times, or do we like a little bit of hide and seek and spanking?”
Her eyes go wide. “That last part.”
I nod, already knowing the book and the drink. “I’ve got the book rec and the perfect drink to go with it.”
“Oh my god, give me both!” she says, bouncing excitedly. “I love this—a book and a brew.”
“And on the bay, no less,” I add. Ryan is coming closer, and I can feel his attention on me as I say, “I’ll make your drink while you look up Off The Clock by Roni Loren. That’s your official Brews on the Bay book recommendation.”
“I want to go next!” The blonde of the group raises her hand, wiggling on her stool.
I do this for the other two girls in the group, guiding them through a series of questions that end with a flourish in a book recommendation and a mystery drink that I prepare on the fly. By the time all three are served, they are squealing with delight.
“You’re like the book rec bartender,” the girl named Abby says. She’s damn near halfway finished with her cosmopolitan, which I suggested she read alongside Confessions of a Shopaholic. “You should get a T-shirt that says that.”
I like the sound of that. In fact, it’s kind of my dream job. Officially serving up book recommendations? Yes, please. If only I could make a living doing it.
“Ooooh, you should start one of those accounts,” the redhead, Helena, says. “Like the book reviewers on TikTok. Have you ever seen any of those?”
I tilt my head as I consider her words. I don’t know how much to admit—that I did, once upon a time, try my hand at book reviewing, only for it to be shut down by Jake as frivolous and a waste of time?
I still have the TikTok account, which I called Casey’s Corner, but I didn’t get more than three videos posted because I shamefully closed that chapter of my self-expression.
I told myself then it was better to stay away from social media in general because I had to use it so much in my corporate life. But right now, in the middle of Brews, the return to that world seems so perfect. What have I got to lose?
“Yeah. I’ve seen them,” I say with a laugh. “You might be onto something.”
Ryan calls me over after I serve the girls another round. They are contented and buzzing about the book recommendations. When I step over to chat with him, he’s got a big smile on his face.
“Casey, that thing you do with the book recommendations is awesome. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
“Oh, it’s nothing special. I’m just a huge book nerd so it makes sense.”
Ryan shakes his head. “I’d say it’s something special.
I’ve been watching you do this with as many customers as you can, and it’s paying off.
Your sales are off the charts already, just two weeks in.
Keep it up, okay?” His grin is nearly ear to ear as he heads toward the kitchen and a cook who called for him. My head is spinning.
Daryl wasn’t exaggerating. I’m actually doing well at the new job.
And I sure needed the ego boost. I try to savor the good vibes as I grab a rag and start cleaning up a corner of the bar that needs some TLC. I’m the bartender with the highest sales and people like my book recommendations. Could this night get any better?
The front door opens and soon after, there are some low hoots.
“Keegannnn.”
I inhale sharply, twisting to look toward the front door. Apparently this night can get better. Griffin has just sauntered into the building with his model-grade grin, pumping his fists in the air for the fans who have started chanting “Crush-ers! Crush-ers!”
I drift back toward the girls, who are all ogling Griffin.
“Oh my god. Who is he?” Abby tilts her head down, her mouth parting slightly.
“He’s the local famous athlete,” I say, watching as Griffin slowly makes his way toward the bar, stopping by tables for a quick word to the fans. “Hockey, to be precise.”
“Oh my god. A hockey star.” Helena sighs dreamily. “Bayshore is the best. We need to visit more often.”
I keep an eye on Griff as he comes over, his gait both cocky and powerful.
Our gazes finally meet and electricity snaps, igniting my body from head to toe.
I can’t forget what I overheard that morning, and if I think about it too long I’ll turn red as a beet in front of him.
But I’ll be imagining those overheard sexy groans plenty later tonight as I bust out my little vibrating friend from its purple satin bag.
Griffin selects an open stool a few spots down from the girls, near the corner. He grins at me as he slides to sitting, running a hand through his longish dark brown tresses. “Sup, Casey?”
“Hello, Mr. Keegan.” My cheeks hurt from how hard I’m smiling. “What can I get for you tonight?”
A brow lifts slightly, and it seems like he wants to say something but thinks better of it. “I’ll do an IPA. You pick.”
“You already know which one I’m going to pick.”
“Right, the skin tone.” He laughs as I grab the bottle and pop the cap.
“That, and I know it’s your favorite. So, win-win all around.” I push the beer bottle his way, not wanting to get distracted with other customers quite yet. “How was your day?”
He heaves with a deep breath. “Busy. How about you?”
“Great. Turns out you’re looking at the number one bartender based on sales.” I enjoy the way his face lights up at this news. He holds up his palm for a high five.
“Hell yes, Casey. This doesn’t surprise me at all.”
“Really? It surprised the shit out of me!”
He sends me a pointed look that I don’t know how to read. “You have a history of underestimating yourself.”
His words land with a soft thwump against my chest. He’s not wrong. And it would be painful if his words weren’t so true.
“Yeah…” is all I can think of to say. “You might be right.”