Temptation [h.s.] ✔

Chapter 16.

        I wipe the back of my hand across my forehead, and Rosie joins me at the register. "Liv, can you stay?" she asks. "I hate to do this, but I can't handle this by myself. Donny won't be here until eleven."

        "Of course. I'm not leaving you with these guys." I turn and see two of the bachelorette party bitching at each other—heatedly. Jesus, nine p.m. and it's started already.

        "Hey! Hey!"

        They ignore me, so I put my fingers in my mouth and whistle. They stop and look at me, as do a few other people.

        "If you're gonna do that, take it outside!" I yell over the music, pointing to the door.

        They seem to consider it for a moment before shrugging it off and walking in opposite directions. I pour a round of tequila shots, complete with lime and salt, and finally have five seconds to breathe.

        A pee would be great though.

        "It's mental in here."

        I turn in the direction of Harry's voice and smile. "I have to stay on for two hours. I'm sorry."

        "No worries. Want me to go or wait here?"

        "You can go if you want. It's kind of crazy in here."

        "I'll wait." He winks.

        I'm being yelled at for another beer, so I hold a finger up. "I'll get you a drink as soon as I have a second. I promise." I run to the middle of the bar and pour two pints simultaneously.

        This continues all night. It takes me half an hour to get Harry his drink, and the next one and a half are spent getting blisters from my flat shoes.

        Fantastic. I should send Donny the bill for my Band-Aids.

        Eventually, the boss shows up. There's no sign of either party winding down any time soon.

        Donny rests a hand on my upper back as I pour two rounds of shots.

        "A bachelorette party and a bachelor party on a Thursday night? They connected?"

        "Yes and no. We don't know either. They just showed up, and you can figure out the rest." I take the cash from the girl in front of me and ring it up.

        "Why didn't you call? I would have come earlier. You were supposed to finish at nine, weren't you?"

        My eyes flick to him as I run the order through. "Really, Donny? Look around you. You think we've had time to call you?"

        "I've been holding my piss for three hours," Rosie grumbles, appearing next to him.

        Donny sighs. "Okay, girls. Ro, you go use the bathroom. Liv, you can go home when she gets back, all right, hon?"

        I meet Harry's gaze at the end of the bar. "Believe me. That's all right with me."

        "New squeeze?" Donny asks, following my eyes.

        "Now, Donny. You know better than to mix personal and professional lives." I wink, laughing inside at the irony of my statement, and pour one last drink.

        Rosie comes back and hugs me tight. "Thanks for staying. You're doing the long shif tomorrow, right?"

        I groan. "Yep. And I'm putting a fucking sign on the door banning all bachelorette and bachelor parties."