I popped up with a bottle in each hand and arched a brow.“What about them?”
Britta propped the broom against the wall and sauntered over.“They were fun.Loud, but not disrespectful.Tipped well.”
I shrugged.“Guess they know how to act.”
She gave me a look.“You were talking to one of them a lot.”
“Twister,” I said without thinking.
Britta tipped her head to the side.“You did find out his name.Odd, but not too far off base for an MC guy.”
“I didn’t ask his name,” I said, and grabbed a rag to wipe down the top of the bar one last time.“He told me.”
Britta rolled her eyes and flitted her hand at me.“Details, girlfriend.I saw the way he was watching you the whole time.I think you should see what it’s like to spend some time with a biker.”
I scoffed.“I’ll pass, thank you very much.I have my hands full enough with the bar.”
She leaned her elbows on the bar and gave me thatlook, the one that meant she wasn’t letting this go.
“Girl, this place runs like clockwork.You should take some time for yourself.”
I grabbed the dirty towels and headed toward the kitchen.“This place runs so well because I’m always here.”
Britta followed me through the swinging doors.
“And because you are always here.Take us out of the bar, and this place will fall down,” I continued.
“I mean,” she drawled, “you’re not wrong, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spend time with the biker when the bar is closed.You know, Mondays… and then three a.m.to eleven a.m.”
I snorted and dropped the towels into the hamper.“Cool.I just won’t sleep so I can chase after Twister.”
Britta folded her arms over her chest.“I don’t think you’ll have to do much chasing.I think you’ll just have to crook your finger, and that man will be all yours.”
I rolled my eyes and flipped off the lights in the kitchen.“You got all of that just from watching him talk to me for a couple minutes?”
We walked back out to the front of the bar.Britta ducked behind the counter and grabbed her purse from under the register.
“You can tell a lot about a man by the way he looks at you,” she said and slung the purse strap over her shoulder.“And I saw Twister wanting to do more than just talk to you.”
I pointed to the front door.“Girl, I think you must be so tired you’re delirious.Get your butt out of here so we can both go to sleep.”
She laughed and headed to the door with me following close behind.She pulled it open, and there was Tyson, her older brother, standing on the sidewalk with his hands in his hoodie pocket.
“You do know you can come inside, right?”I asked, holding the door.
Tyson shook his head.“I’m good waiting out here for Britta.”He looked over at her.“Good?”
Britta nodded.“Yup.Lead the way home, big brother.”
They said their goodbyes, and I locked the door behind them with a softclick.
Then it was just me and the silence.
I flipped the remaining neon signs off one by one, Old Milwaukee, Pabst, Spotted Cow, until the room was bathed in shadows.I double-checked the front deadbolt, then walked to the back of the bar and made sure the side exit was locked tight.
The back stairwell creaked under my boots as I made my way up to the second floor.I reached the top, fished out my apartment key, and pushed the door open.
“Home sweet home,” I whispered, stepped inside, and locked it behind me.
