The Traitors

Chapter 12 - Fi

Jacks side-eyed me as he fixed the drink I fucked up. I took a deep breath and attempted to collect myself. I was so fucking tired and needed a moment away from being stuck behind this bar. Jacks was supposed to cover while I took a break, but a swarm of college kids trounced in after some sporting event they must've won.

The screaming and yelling was intolerable and a headache was stationed above my left eyebrow. I wanted some peace and quiet which I wasn't going to get for another four hours. How was I only half-way through this godforsaken shift? I wanted to get Ray involved to at least shut those kids up, but she was too busy helping the servers with their food orders and table touches. She was the owner, after all. She had a job to do as well.

Jacks delivered the correct concoction to the nasty woman leaning against the bar. She scowled at me the entire time she waited and I fought everything within me to not walk over and knock the look off her face. 

Sue me. I'm human. I'm bound to fuck up from time to time.

Still, three times in one night was a bit excessive.  

The woman flipped her expression the second Jacks handed her the drink, but she spared one more narrowed glance in my direction before marching back to the high top table a few feet away from the bar.

Jacks walked back over to me with an equally angry look. "You should just leave," he grumbled. "That's the third drink I've fixed for you. I might as well bartend alone," he barked.

His words hurt, but they weren't as painful as the pulsating ache knocking on my skull. I had no rebuttal as the noise level escalated to a point where my vision was becoming fuzzy. I walked away from Jacks, gripping my head as I forced my way through the crowded area and back through the kitchen. Mikey, Neil, and Brad were yelling to each other as I trudged my way out the back door to get some air. I took in a deep breath and released it slowly.

I had to pull myself together.

I felt like I was going crazy.

I never had a guy so stuck in my head quite like Logan was. He had me so sexually charged from all my spare time I spent with him in the gym. My infatuation was a huge distraction and it was getting out of control.

I shut my eyes and shook my head as if it could scatter the thoughts of him away for just a few minutes of clarity. The ringing in my ears coincided with the ache in my temples. I focused on taking another big inhale of the early spring air and let it out. The fresh air wasn't helping as much as I thought it would. 

I reached behind me and pulled my phone out to make a call. Before I did, I opened the unread text waiting in my messages.

Logan: Your car running okay? My handy work still holding up?

I scoffed. 

My car was driving like new. Logan had winked at me when he subtly motioned to the updated inspection sticker while Eddy was busy double checking his work. He eyed Logan suspiciously as he calculated the total. True to his word, Eddy did end up cutting me a really good deal and didn't charge me for the extra work Logan did. 

I felt like I was constantly playing catch-up with him. I wasn't entirely sure what I could do to pay him back for everything he had done for me. He had suggested I buy him dinner, but it didn't feel enough. Surely there was something else I could do for him. I just hadn't thought of it yet.

He could ask me for anything at all and I'd give it to him.

Anything.

My fingers hovered over the screen of my phone as I thought about what to respond. Falling short of anything flirty to say due to the migraine, I closed our conversation and dialed the only number I had memorized.