Love & Lyrics (Editing)

6-The Trifecta of Trouble (Edited)

**Picture of Sam ------------------------------------------------------>

This is a reminder that the story is in the process of being edited! This includes new dialogue and or details, so if you see any disparities between an edited chapter and an old one, forgive me! I'm making my way to them as fast as I can! ;)

The Thursday night rush had started almost 45 minutes ago and my back up was aleady 15 minutes late.

“Where is she?” I grumbled quietly under my breath.

“Where’s who?” Chris questioned.

His question confirmed that I wasn’t quiet enough. My judgement regarding volume was often skewed when I was stressed, and it was safe to say that I was pretty stressed. I had my ex-boyfriend sitting obliviously on one end of the bar with his skanky, but beautiful companion perched precariously on her stool next to him, and a very attractive man, who I'd liked in high school sitting in the center. All I needed was one more person on the other side of the bar to complicate things while I dealt with the Thursday night rush, by myself, and my night would be complete.

“Shelly, my back up.” I looked over at him only to realize Blondie was missing.

“Where’s your lady?”

“Who Stacey? Bathroom.” He shrugged and added almost as an afterthought, “and she’s not my lady.”

I smirked knowingly. “Mmmhmm” was the only sound I made as I cleaned off the counter where a customer had recently vacated. I sighed when another body filled the empty stool and asked me for a mixed drink. When I placed it before her, I glanced around the bar and  realized God had granted me a reprieve. Glasses were filled and bottles were only half empty. With Blondie taking a short vacation in the bathroom, I decided to take the opportunity to catch up with Chris.

He told me what he’d been up to and the places he’d gone the past seven years. He was funny and charming and everything that I remembered him.  No longer subject to the hawk-like glares of Stacey, not that I blamed her, I found myself relaxing and enjoying his company. Before I knew it we were laughing and joking like we were long lost friends who hadn’t seen each other in ages.

Unfortunately the thing about reprieves is that they’re only temporary, because as I looked around I noticed that business was picking up again. My luck went from bad to worse when Shelly came in and loudly called my name over the off key sound of a drunk person singing.

“Liz! I’m so sorry I’m late! It just that-” I tuned out her words as my element of surprise flew out the window and I saw Nate’s head snap toward my direction. The look on his face was incredulous and in any other situation I’d have laughed.

Instead I did what any girl in my position would have done. I asked Shelly to handle Nate’s side of the bar while I handled the other.  It’s not like I could just run out like they do in the movies; not to mention that would make me look like a coward. I made sure everyone had their drinks and when the rush was over I frantically looked for something, anything to keep myself busy and distracted from the holes Nate was burning into the back of my head with his unwavering gaze.

Stacey had long since returned to her seat next to Chris, so that was out of the question. I refused to intrude any more into their date. In the end my distraction came in the form a very good looking, blue eyed man sitting alone at the far end of the bar. His drink was empty, so I asked him if he wanted another.

“Sure. So, you having guy troubles?” I’m pretty sure I had a flabbergasted look on my face and if I did, it was there for good reason. The first and foremost was that I had no idea who this guy was, but instead of denying it, I answered his question with one of my own.