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"HOLDEN KING IS COMING into the bar tonight. Just thought I should warn you."
I gave Violet a nod of thanks. I needed that warning. I didn't like surprise pop-ins. I knew this was a bar and the whole point of it was that people popped in when they felt like it but that was only fine when it was other people. At least with some forewarning, I wouldn’t freak out like an idiot.
"Cool," said Drew, popping out of the storeroom. "That guy is awesome."
"He's only coming in to give the sound desk a run through with Alex, not to have buddy time with you, Drew. They want to make sure it's all working fine."
Drew's shoulders drooped as he walked back to his mopping. Really, did he think famous rock stars popped in just to see him? I'd have to play a few rounds of Galaga with him to put him in his place. A thorough beating would take him down a notch or two and stop me turning into a quivering mess.
"Are you leaving?" I asked Violet.
"Yep, there's nothing to do here. I'm so caught up on work that it's ridiculous, so Razer and I are having date night." She grinned as though she'd never been on a date before.
"Wow, you’re getting serious. I mean, screwing yourselves stupid is one thing but going out in public and being all lovey-dovey is something else. You aren't going to be one of those sick-making couples, are you?"
"God, I hope not. Smother me with a pillow if I get like that."
I didn't want to say it but she'd already had more than a few pillow-smothering worthy moments in the bar. You had to let that kind of things slip though if you wanted to stay friends with someone.
"We can come in if you want. Give you moral support."
I shook my head. "That's not going to make for a romantic date. This is the last place you guys will want to be. And besides, I don't need babysitting. I can cope with this. Go home and have a normal life for one night."
"Hell yeah, then I have holidays from Friday. This working ‘normal people’ hours thing is the best."
"Don't get too used to it. It's going to be hell night when the band room reopens. At least you'll be rested for it. Or will you..."
She just blushed and didn't answer. It'd be damn quiet around here without Violet but I envied her taking holidays.
"You do the rosters. You could give yourself a few days off."
Ha, if she only knew. Instead of having more freedom, I needed to prove myself.
"Yeah, not going to happen. As bar manager, I have to set a good example for the rest of the staff. I'm working more hours than ever. I guess once things get settled, I can take some time off but I'm not loosening the reins."
I didn't even want to let on how much I was working. My legs ached when I tried to sleep from standing on my feet all night and my back creaked like I was a 90-year-old woman. My vanity didn't let me wear comfortable shoes to work but I stuck to my boots and had even broken down and put some inner soles in them.
"Don't work yourself too hard. You need to take a break now and then."
I laughed. "That's rich coming from the biggest workaholic in the place."
"Yeah, I'm starting to see the error of my ways. There's a whole world outside this bar and you can't work yourself to death. Work/life balance, that's what it's all about."
"Yeah, get out of here or you'll have no work/life balance yourself."
Things had been quiet since we opened and I thought about leaving Drew in charge while I snuck into Violet's office for a nap. I hadn’t been sleeping well lately. It wasn't just the sore back and aching feet either. Too many old memories stirred up and spinning around in my mind for me to relax. By the time I got to sleep, it was almost time to get back up for work. I'd tried drinking before bed, even warm milk, but nothing worked. Then it’d be time to get up and start another day. Maybe if I had a decent sleep, this permanent bad mood would leave me.
But, leaving Drew in charge was way too risky. Maybe he'd be okay pouring a beer but anything more complicated would floor him. Not that there was anyone much in the bar to worry about but you never knew when a big group would come in and want something complicated.
Maybe I should start training him in bar work. Or I could roster more staff on so I could cover a break for myself. The easiest way to would be to get in a pest removal company and get that massive rat called Holden removed from my life.
The bar phone rang and I answered it.
Nancy. She'd started two weeks ago and was rostered to work.
"I can't come in tonight," she said. "I've got a cold."
"This is the third time you've had a cold since you started. That seems rather unfortunate."
Seriously did the girl even want a job? You can't just waltz in and work the days you wanted.
"It's a recurring cold," she said. "I can't seem to shake it off."
Someone giggled in the background.
"Fine, I'll work the entire shift on my own. That's okay. You take care of yourself."
“Thanks.”
She obviously didn’t get sarcasm. I slammed the phone down then regretted being so half-arsed with her. I should've told her if she didn't come in tonight not to bother coming in at all. But no, I kept giving these slackers leeway. If I sacked her, I'd just have to find more staff with no guarantee that they'd be any better.
I searched the yellowing piece of paper taped to the wall with a bunch of faded phone numbers on it. I could call Babs and see if she was free but I hated calling people at the last minute. Still, it had to be better than facing Holden on my own. I tried her number. It rang and rang with no answer.
Sally had said she was going to her Mum's for the night so she wasn't available and Mark had given me the shits so much lately that I'd rather work on my own.
You'd think it'd be a lot easier to find people to work. I never remembered it being this bad. It made me think there was one common factor and that factor was me. I knew nothing about being a manager. I didn't know why Alex had even given me the job. If I said anything to Alex though, that would mean admitting that I couldn't control the staff.
I tried Babs again just to be doubly sure. As the phone rang, I tapped my pen against the wall.
If I worked the bar on my own, I'd have no escape route from Holden.
I'd play it cool when Holden came in. I didn't need to prove my point, I just needed to avoid him. That might be hard with the bar mostly empty but he'd be upstairs. If he came down, I could busy myself. I had to avoid talking to him, being close to him and looking him in the eyes. And his voice, best to avoid that too, even if he wasn't talking to me.
The next two weeks couldn't go fast enough for me. After the reopening gig, he'd have no reason to stay in town. He might say he'd stick around to win me back but he had a short attention span. It was all just talk.
"You're nervous, girl. Just admit it." Jackson had to have his say.
While it was true, I didn't appreciate everyone in the bar getting involved in my business. I sure as hell wasn't going to discuss my emotional state with him so I just gave him a dirty look.
He didn't care, he just nodded for another drink.
"I haven't seen Gina for a few days," I said to him. "Do you know what she's up to?"
"How would I know? She'll come in if she wants to." The words were fired at me like shotgun blasts.
I handed him his whiskey, hoping that would shut him up. If he was going to bring up my private life, he could expect the same. He took the drink and went back to reading his book.
When Holden actually came in, it was a bit of an anticlimax. He didn't even stop to say hello, just followed Alex upstairs but somehow, having him in the building, made me super aware of everything I did. I was skittish as a kitten. Every sound grated on my nerves and I even turned the music down. Usually, I liked it loud enough to give me energy while I worked.
"Should I stack the glasses in the dishwasher?" Drew asked.
"Are they dirty? Well then, of course you bloody should. How long have you been doing this job now? Long enough to know that the dirty glasses go in the dishwasher, surely."
I usually made an effort to be patient with Drew. He tried hard, even if he wasn't always the sharpest knife in the drawer but I couldn't stop myself from snapping at him.
"Whoa, sorry for asking." He started stacking the dishwasher.
"And that's another thing, Drew. I'm the bar manager here now. I'm your boss. You can stop with the backchat. Is it too much to ask for you to do your job with an iota of competence?"
I glared at him and he didn't look at me. That was fine with me. He could show a bit of initiative once in a while. Stacking the dishwasher wasn't really a decision you needed to consult on.
"You're being a bit tough on him, aren't you?" Jackson said.
"You lay off too. You're a customer, you don't even work here. So keep your nose out of it."
After that, the bar became silent. No joking around and no gossip. Suited me fine. An occasional customer came to the bar but otherwise, I played around with my phone and tried to pretend it was just another night at the bar. The music coming from upstairs was just normal music from a regular band. The air in the bar was the same as usual and my heart didn't race like a bandit.
Drew gave a few wistful glances at the stairs. If I wasn't in such a bad mood, I'd have told him to go up and watch them jam. He'd have been happy sitting there watching and he had hardly anything to do. But I didn't say it and he didn't ask.
When they finished upstairs, Alex and Holden came down to the bar. I tried to ignore them until Alex made a snappy remark about the lack of service. He knew what going on but he still had Holden in there. Of course, I wouldn't be jumping up and down to serve them. What did he expect?
"Two beers, when you're ready," he added.
He could've come behind the bar and helped himself but he wanted me to serve him. It was a power trip for him. I knew that it was my job but surely, I got a free pass when things were this uncomfortable.
I poured the beers and sat them down in front of Alex. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to charge Holden or not but figured it was better not to.
“Can you get a copy of the guest list sent off to my management in the next couple of days?” Holden said to Alex. Not that I was listening in or anything.
“I guess. Is that necessary?”
Whoa, a bit of a pissing contest going on there by the sounds of it. But, of course, Alex would back down. He needed Holden a lot more than Holden needed him.
“They want a final veto on anyone invited. I’m sure that was in the contract they sent you.”
“I guess that’s okay. But the invitations have been sent out. I’m sure there is nothing out of order...”
“Even so, they’re picky about my image and how I’m seen in the media. The hard-core rocker thing can only go so far. They’ll just look through the list to make sure there’s not going to be anyone who’ll give us negative press. I’m sure you’ve already thought of it but it’s easier to give in and let them think they are doing their job.”
Holden held his mouth tight as he said that. He was doing the chummy thing that he did when he wanted his own way about things. I knew that act well. He was damn good at it. He finished with his moonbeam smile. Not as strong as his sunshine one but more intimate and personal. It always caught me off guard.
"So, what do you think?" Jackson asked.
I jumped for a moment then realized he meant the new sound desk.
"Not bad, not bad at all," said Alex.
"Yeah, it's a pretty sweet set up. We are going to sound fantastic when we play." Holden had nearly finished his beer but I’d not be rushing over to top him up.
Jackson nodded.
"How about getting up and playing a song with us? I've got time to learn it if you pick one of your old ones."
With that, the bar hushed. Was Holden being a dick or just oblivious? Maybe he'd been so far up his own arse for the past few years that he'd not had any idea what happened in the rest of the world.
No one would dare ask Jackson to play. Not ever.
I waited for Jackson's reaction. Some kind of explosion or lashing out. Jackson just raised his glass to his lips and drained it dry. Then he stood up, threw on his jacket and walked out of the bar.
I'd never known Jackson to leave before closing in the entire time I'd worked there.
"What did I say?" Holden asked.
I just rolled my eyes. He could work that out for himself. Or maybe go on the internet occasionally and find things out. Then he wouldn't go around putting his foot in it.
He sat talking with Alex for quite a while. I poured them occasional drinks and tried to stay down the other end of the bar as much as I could. Drew hovered around them, wanting to join in.
"Get back to work, Drew."
He screwed up his face but didn't say anything. Our talk must've gotten through to him. Even if he wasn't busy, there was no need for him to make a nuisance of himself.
Then Alex had to leave. I figured Holden would go with him. They seemed to have become instant buddies. They were both serious about their work and loved their music but there had to be more to it than that. How did Alex get Holden to agree to play? That was very strange.
Alex left though and Holden still sat alone at the end of the bar. I allowed myself a brief glimpse. He leaned forward resting his elbows on the bar. The lights shone down, giving the effect of a halo around him, but he sure was no angel.
He nodded for another beer. "Aren't you going to ask how I am and what I've been doing for the past few years? Aren't you curious?"
"I have no interest whatsoever."
"Come on, princess, I'm sure as hell curious about how you've been getting on."
"I have a boyfriend. We're serious. And he'd kick your arse if he heard you calling me princess. Get yourself another rock princess, babes." I spat the "babes" at him as though it was a curse. "And if you ever write another song about me again, I will break your fingers. One by one. Snap, snap, snap, snap. Then I might pull out your vocal cords for good measure."
"Have you listened to the words? Really listened. I wrote that song for you, a message for you. I thought it might get through to you."
I shot him a look, wondering if he’d even listened to what I'd said.
"I haven't listened to it because my boyfriend wouldn't like it." I'd started it now so I had to keep the pretense up. Although I doubted I'd fool him. He only had to ask anyone in the bar and they'd tell him different.
"That's his loss. It's a fantastic song."
So that's what he wanted. For me to say his song was good and give him a pat on the head. He would sure learn different because I hated that song so much. It was an invasion. Dragging our lives into the spotlight without even telling me.
"Whatever. Drew, can you take over for a while?"
I might be doing the stupidest thing ever but I needed to get away from Holden and I really needed a cigarette. What could go wrong anyway?