A new first day of work (Part 4).

I did always think that working at the bar of this hotel would be a good place to hone my magic skills, to learn new things and improve what I already knew. Well, maybe it was time to start giving it a shot. I was still barely learning to control my own powers, but that didn’t mean Frey couldn’t still do her thing through me. We still weren’t where she wanted us to be, so with a wordless thought, I gave Frey free reign to do as she believed was best.

I started feeling the effect almost immediately, as I approached another table to take away their empty glasses.

“Is there anything else you need?” I asked, speaking softly.

The couple, a man and woman around their 40s, didn’t even glance my way. They were staring into their partner’s eyes, smiling lovingly as the man caressed the woman’s hand on the table.

“No, I think we’ll be retiring for the night,” the man said.

“Please tell the bartender that the Pink Lady was delicious,” the woman said as she and her partner stood up

I smiled. “She’ll be happy to hear that.”

The Pink Lady was… Dry gin, fresh lemon juice, grenadine and… Dammit, I couldn’t remember. Then again, the intense feelings of lust and desire I felt from the couple walking past me had me distracted.

There were feelings there. Real, strong feelings. Passion and genuine love. It warmed my heart and I silently wished them an amazing night.

“What’s with that grin?” Dylan asked me when I went behind the counter again. He smirked teasingly. “Got a good tip?”

“We’re not allowed to accept tips, right?” I said.

“Which sucks, but hey, the pay makes up for it,” he said, shrugging. “So? Did they say something nice?” It seems he was still curious.

“They just… seemed really into each other,” I told him. “I think that’s nice.”

“Aren’t most people here BECAUSE they’re into each other, though?”

“I guess, but maybe…”

“Hey,” Diana called our attention, her tone sharp and cold. “Enough talking.”

I flinched, realizing we started talking about customers right in front of OTHER customers. I scurried away and went to wash the glasses and shakers, but also hearing Dylan click his tongue as he turned around.

We all went back to work, and work we did. Hours passed, customers left, customers arrived. We had a steady stream, with nothing being as overwhelming or as difficult as my first days at the coffee shop were. I really do owe Maria for hiring me and allowing me to learn so much.

And speaking of learning, I was reading feelings left and right here, and the most impressive thing was that I wasn’t feeling sick or got any headaches from it. Maybe the atmosphere made it easy. That said, not every reading was as wholesome as that first one, but I had somewhat expected it.

There was some tension between some couples, tension that spoke more of unresolved issues more than anything darker. There was the thrill of wrongness in some of them, and digging a little deeper revealed things like cheating, but also bosses coming here with an employee.

I had to keep it all to myself, though. So long as it wasn’t dangerous or illegal, it was none of my business. To begin with, reading minds and feeling was already meddling way beyond where I should, but Diana had asked me to keep an eye on things that could be potentially dangerous, like people here against their will and the like.

Thankfully, it was a calm night, but I did catch one potentially dangerous thing. As I was cleaning a table, I noticed a man leave his seat by the counter to go to the restroom, leaving his partner, a woman likely in her early 30s, alone, but not quite alone.

“You are very good at those tricks,” the woman told Dylan as he stood across from her. “Are shaken drinks your specialty?” she asked him.

“They are,” Dylan answered, his smile more than just polite. “Entertaining patrons is one of my greatest joys.” He made a small, slightly exaggerated bow which made the woman giggle.

“I want another drink. What do you recommend?”

“If it’s something shaken you want, may I suggest one I’m very fond of? A Banana Daiquiri.”

“Oooh, I’ve never had that.”

“Please, let me make it for you, and if it’s not to your taste, you may throw it back in my face.”

“Ahaha! That rhymed! Okay, I’d like a Banana Daiquiri, then.”

Dylan began work on the drink, adding more of his flashy moves and tricks to amuse the woman in front of him. He poured the liquids from a higher up and still filled the jigger without spilling a drop, he tossed and caught the mixing tin in the air, shaking it at a rhythm, and all while keeping eye contact with the woman.

That was the danger I sensed. There were subtle but real tones of flirtiness in Dylan’s actions and words, and the woman was liking it. She was keeping her eyes on him, watching his hands, his eyes and his smile. That smile, however, left the moment the woman’s partner came out of the restroom and returned to his seat.

“Here, madam. A Banana Daiquiri,” Dylan said more flatly, gently sliding the glass towards the woman.

She picked up the glass, tasted it and liked her grinning lips. “Mmm. Delicious.”

“Oh, is it? Give me one of those, too, boy,” the man said.

“Right away, sir.” Dylan nodded with a smile and began to work on another drink, holding back on some of the movements and tricks he had just pulled and leaving the woman feeling like she had just received a private show.

I held back a loud groan as it finally and fully hit me why Diana had a bad feeling about whether or not Dylan was a good fit for this place.

What a pain in the ass.

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