New and familiar faces.

So yeah. Two full shifts back to back felt just a little weird after my previous schedule, but it also felt like taking another step into the pool of ‘having a job.’ It was better to see it as slowly getting used to it rather than complain that I had to work two full shifts in a row.

I was at the hotel again at 5:00 pm and went in without having Diana wait for me. Said hi to the people I saw and went into the bar. Diana and Dylan were already there.

“Am I late?” I asked.

“No, we just got here, too,” Diana said.

“I just had a little accident yesterday. I’m usually punctual. Usually,” Dylan said, smirking.

We got started on the prepwork immediately as there was a lot to do and only an hour before opening. I already knew Diana was quick and efficient, but watching Dylan was surprising, even though it shouldn’t have been.

Diana gave him instructions and he followed them quickly and perfectly. It was clear the guy had experience, unlike me. Even just squeezing lemons took me longer than it did him, and it made me feel just a little inadequate. I mean, yes, of course the bartender with experience will get things done better than the guy who started learning, but I didn’t want to let things stay like that forever. I’d have to practice more.

Not much to say about that shift that I didn’t say before. Diana and Dylan made the cocktails, I waited tables and cleaned up, and when we had moments to spare, Diana would have me practicing technique or studying. She actually brought me a book, a big one with a plain green cover. Didn’t have much time to read since we had even more people than yesterday. Some returning customers, even.

I recognized the happy couple that seemed super into each other, and this time they sat at the counter and in front of Diana.

“See, I have a problem with you,” the man told Diana, pointing a finger at her and smiling brightly. “My wife has never been much for drinking, but she hasn’t been able to get that cocktail that she drank yesterday out of her head. You’re gonna turn her into an alcoholic.”

The woman giggled and pushed her husband’s shoulder while blushing madly.

Diana smiled politely, but she was clearly holding back her own glee. At least, it was clear to me. “I’m happy to hear you liked it, but please do drink carefully.”

“He’s exaggerating!” The woman said, giggling. “But… It’s true I’d like another one. A Pink Lady, please.”

“Make it two. I want to see what she likes so much about it,” the husband said.

“Of course.”

Seriously, Diana was in her element. I’ll never get tired of seeing it.

During Dylan’s short break, and while we had a moment of peace with all customers busy drinking, I pulled Diana aside and brought up Frey’s idea. Diana remained silent as she gave it some serious thought.

“Don’t like it?” I asked.

“No, I do. Just trying to think if there would be any downsides or dangers.”

“She says it would be very easy.”

“Mmm. And I admit I’d feel more comfortable, too. Okay, sure, we can try. Although I also want to run it by Luke, too. I don’t know much about… this subject, but we better not introduce elements that could clash with something else he might be doing.”

“Ah.”

Damn, good point. As far as I knew, Luke wasn’t doing any particular magic in this place aside from the alchemy in the lab, and I doubted he could even use the ambient sexual energy without the skills of someone like Frey, but better be safe than sorry.

One interesting thing did happen that night, though. At about 10:00 pm, another couple came into the bar. A young couple, and not one I ever expected.

My face lit up at seeing familiar faces. “What are you two doing here?” I asked Kevin and Lena.

The two were nicely dressed, Kevin wearing a blue shirt and black pants while Lena wore a pink, puffy blouse and a long black skirt.

“The girls were saying the bartender here makes amazing cocktails, so we came to check it out,” Lena told me, grinning.

“Yeah, it has nothing to do with you. Don’t flatter yourself,” Kevin told me, smirking before he threw his fist forward for a fist bump.

I chuckled and answered it. “Come on in, sit wherever you want.”

“Can we sit at the counter?” Lena asked me.

“Yeah, of course.”

I don’t know why, but I was really happy to see them. I guess because I only ever hang out with Kevin when we’re with the other guys and I also rarely talk to Lena alone. It made me happy that they’d come to check out this place.

“Ah, I remember you two,” Diana said, smiling at the young couple.

Lena blushed. “R-Really?”

“Yes. I had the honor of driving you all to prom, remember?”

“We do,” Lena said, looking and grinning at me.

I turned around and went to clean a table while the two ordered their drinks, not wanting to be teased while at work. And speaking of work, I didn’t have too many opportunities to talk to them because of it, but it seems Diana kept them company whenever she could. They had apparently rented a room, too, so after an hour they left to make use of it.

Dylan approached me after that. “Friends of yours?” he asked.

“Yeah. We went to school together.”

“I overheard them talking to Diana about something interesting.”

“Hm?”

“So you have… multiple girlfriends?” he asked, crossing his arms and smirking at me.

“Um… Yes?” I decided to lean hard on the spell that made perception of our relationship appear normal and continued. “What about it?” I asked casually.

“Nothing, nothing. It’s just… Haha, sorry to say, but I wouldn’t have expected it looking at you.”

I WOULD have felt offended if I didn’t know exactly what he meant and shared that opinion. I shrugged.

“Well, things happen. Sometimes they happen to you, sometimes you make them happen,” I told him.

“How do you even… manage it? I had a threesome once and it was super awkward.”

Um… What? Why tell me that? Did he want advice? Was he just curious? Was he bragging or goading me into admitting I’d had threesomes, too? Whatever it was…

“I…”

“Hey, kid,” an older man with short, greying hair spoke from the counter. He had a glass of straight scotch I had poured for him just 20 minutes earlier. His voice was gruff and his face slightly wrinkled. He must’ve been around his 60s. He wasn’t looking at me, but at Dylan. “You’ve gotta realize when you’re making someone uncomfortable.”

Dylan straightened up and turned to the man. “My apologies, sir.”

“Give me a Martini, will you? One like James Bond used to have,” the old man said, downing the last of his scotch in one go.

“Of course, sir. A shaken vodka Martini, then?” Dylan confirmed.

“Yes,” the old man said absentmindedly.

“Coming right up.”

The old man spared one look at me before his stare returned to his empty scotch glass. I decided not to take it away for the moment. I wanted to thank him for telling Dylan what I couldn’t, but he didn’t seem like he wanted to talk, either. In fact… I didn’t see anyone with him.

In this bar in a love hotel for couples, this old man was alone.

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