Chapter 19 #2
I carefully hand off the case of beer, keeping it at crotch level, and then turn back around to make it look like I’m rearranging the cases and pulling a few from the taller stacks down so they’re easier for Lizzie or Jani to grab if I’m not here.
“Take a few minutes. I’ll cover the front until…you know,” Lizzie practically sings, clearly understanding my need to cool off in the walk-in for a couple extra minutes. Then, they’re both gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts and my hard dick.
Fortunately, I’m able to get myself under control quickly and return to the bar.
Lizzie is slinging beers and mixing drinks, while Emberlyn is sitting at the end of the bar, her eyes wide with excitement as she watches, right next to the regulars.
They’ll protect her for sure, like she was one of their own.
As the night starts to wind down and the crowd thins, I move to where Lizzie’s sister is sitting. She’s on her laptop, typing away, and curiosity gets the best of me. “Whatcha doing?” I ask, wiping down the bar beside her.
“Well, I made myself an admin on the bar’s social media pages and scheduled a bunch of posts and videos.
Now, I’m saving video clips of the band coming next Saturday so we can use them throughout the week to promote.
” She meets my gaze. “They’re really good.
Not completely my style of music, but I grew up listening to it at my dad’s place. What do you like to listen to?”
“I love classic country, but enjoy the cassette tape era too,” I tell her.
She looks confused. “The what?”
I bark out a laugh. “Cassette tapes. They came before CDs.”
She wrinkles her nose just like her sister does. “Oh, those weird little rectangles that you had to stick a pencil in to rewind them.”
Chuckling, I nod. “Not always, but yeah. Those.”
“Anyway,” she says, her bubbly personality showing brightly in the dimly lit bar, “Lizzie also had me look for paint night ideas, and since the next one is the first part of June, I found this really cool water scene with the setting sun and prairie grass. It looks very summery and calm, perfect for her June event,” she states, turning her laptop screen around and showing me the image.
“Nice,” I confirm.
“And I’ve already started her a sign-up sheet. Notice the name at the top?” she asks, smiling widely when I see her name, followed by her mom’s. “I’m going to text the aunts tomorrow morning and see if they want to come too, and if so, that’ll be five of the twenty spots already reserved.”
“I’ll have to tell my sister to get up here soon and get her name on the list.”
“Oh! The one who likes the little coffee spot down the block?”
“Yeah, Charli. Honestly, I’m surprised she didn’t show up tonight. Hell, none of my siblings did. That’s odd.”
“Why so?” she asks, cocking her head to the side a bit.
I lean forward, elbows on the bar. “My siblings love to torture me, and they usually drop by when I’m working. Especially Cade, my twin brother.”
Her eyes widen. “You have a twin?”
“Yep. Identical.”
“Cool. Do you ever twin swap?”
I snort and shake my head. “Not anymore, but we may have done it a few times when we were younger.”
“Oh my God, I bet that was epic.”
“It was quite entertaining. Of course, when we’d get in trouble, my parents weren’t very impressed.”
She rolls her eyes. “Are they ever when their kid is in trouble? I have two older brothers, remember? Between those two and our cousins, there was always trouble.”
“When I was younger, me, my brothers, and a group of our friends would ride our bikes to this swimming pool just outside of town. It was inside this campground, but they let anyone use it for a small fee. Anyway, when we’d get there, the woman who worked the counter would always grumble and say ‘Here comes those Cooper Town boys.’ It only fueled our need to cause a ruckus. ”
“I’m surprised you didn’t get kicked out.”
“Oh, we did. Often. But it was always for the day, and they’d make sure to call our parents, so we got a proper ass-chewin’ when they got home from work.”
She snorts and nods. “Yep, you and the boys sound a lot like my brothers and cousins. You’d probably all get along well.”
I smile, wondering if I’ll get the opportunity to know her brothers and cousins. I met both of her brothers when they helped Lizzie move stuff in, and even though I’ve heard a lot about the large family she has behind her, I have yet to meet the extended family. Well, besides the aunts and uncles.
“I’ll let you get to it,” I reply, tapping on the top of the bar and moving down to start washing the remaining dirty glasses.
By the time midnight rolls around, last call has been announced and we’re pushing those few customers who remain out the door.
Everyone appears to have a ride, something Lizzie has been adamant about from day one.
If someone looks to be too drunk to drive, we take their keys and make them call a ride.
I can’t help but notice the final patron out the door is the douche who kept hitting on Lizzie all night.
I don’t know him, so he’s clearly not from this town—or at least he’s never frequented this bar much before.
“Thank you for the offer, but I’m not interested. I’m seeing someone.”
The guy sighs. “All right, but at least keep my number in your phone. That other guy ever frees you up, call me.” He practically shoves a bar napkin in her hand with his number written on it, and it takes every ounce of control I have not to walk over there and rip it out of her hand and toss it in the trash.
When the guy finally leaves and Lizzie locks the front entrance, Emberlyn says, “That was intense.”
Her sister shrugs her shoulder, collecting a few cans and bottles from the tables and tossing them in the trash. “It wasn’t, really. He was harmless.”
“Maybe, but Collin over here looked like he wanted to run over there, piss on your leg, and throw you over his shoulder.”
My eyes widen as I look between Lizzie and her sister. “I would not pee on her,” I state, choosing to focus on humor.
“Maybe not physically, but metaphorically, you were marking your territory,” Emberlyn practically sings.
“It’s okay. You two can pretend there isn’t something going on between you two all you want, but I can see it.
I stopped counting at sixteen. That’s how many times I caught one of you watching the other when you thought no one was looking.
Not to mention whatever was obviously happening in the cooler earlier that you both are pretending didn’t happen.
But I have eyes. And a brain. And you two are clearly doing the nasty and keeping it under wraps. ”
Lizzie’s face turns redder than the fire engine I ride in every week for work. “Em!”
“What? I’m eighteen. I know all about sex.”
Lizzie gasps and shakes her head. “All right, let us get the bar closed down and ready to go. You and I clearly have a conversation coming after.”
Emberlyn rolls her eyes at her sister before throwing me a wink. “You can stay too. I’m across the hall. Just don’t be too loud you wake me up, ’mkay?”
“Stop it,” Lizzie chastises, her embarrassment evident.
“I think I’ll let you two have your girls’ night, but thanks for the offer. We’ll see what tomorrow night brings,” I reply with my own wink.
“Stop encouraging her!” Lizzie hollers at me, grabbing the broom and holding it out toward her sister. “Here. Maybe you won’t run your mouth so much if your hands are busy.”
Surprising me, Emberlyn jumps off her barstool and takes the broom. “You obviously don’t know me as well as you think you do. I can talk anytime.”
And for the next twenty or so minutes, I learn that she is entirely correct.
Emberlyn talks the entire time.
But do you know what?
I love it.
And when I drive home to my quiet, lonely house, I miss them both instantly.
Sleep doesn’t come nearly as easily as it normally does.