Play No More (Player Next Door sequel) ✓

04 | Bartender

Chapter 04: Bartender

The beach was bare in early November. The waves were almost white, and the sand was a pale yellow. It's like winter sucked the color out of nature. Well, either that or I should really check my eyesight.

Luke parked his black Jeep wrangler in employee parking.

"Why are you staring at yourself like that?" he asked me.

I pulled away from the car mirror, not even ashamed about it. "Do I need contacts?"

I looked back at him and his flawless face. He had one hand on the steering wheel and the left side of his face was highlighted by the sun streaming in from the glass window behind him. I wouldn't even be sad if he was the last thing I saw.

"Your eyes are beautiful," he answered and then pushed open his car door, "Now let's go."

He strolled around the car and opened the door for me.

I only then saw the giant 'E' in front of us. "Are we in employee parking?!" I exclaimed as I hopped out.

"Maybe you do need contacts," he replied.

**

We had dropped Cearra off on our way to the Surfside Shack. She'd wanted to come but had to babysit her step-siblings. If only she could babysit me - I've turned an afternoon at the Surfside Shack into chaos once before.

Surfboards rested against the blue building and a wooden sign hung overhead: Surfside Shack. Seniors spilled out of the front door, loud music coming from inside.

Luke was still in a black t-shirt and I wished I didn't notice the girls staring. I couldn't blame them. I'd shamelessly stared too when we first met... when he walked out of his bedroom in boxers during summer camp...

Or when he relaxed under the sun shirtless...

Right before he'd open his mouth and say something obnoxious.

Luke turned around, as if he could hear my brainwaves and reached out for my hand.

And that's when I realized. I don't need to wait for summer to see Luke shirtless.

;)

The booths at the Surfside Shack were packed and the bar was crowded. Cocktails were swapping hands and people were stripping off their winter clothing. Heat within the bar was turning the place up.

'Last day of summer' was the theme of the party. After today, the Surfside Shack would be closed for winter.

Someone grabbed onto Luke soon after we stepped in. I wasn't so surprised. I knew his friends would surround him, and I didn't want to interrupt it. At parties, he was like a fish in water, and I was like a fish... not in water.

I walked to the bar and squeezed into a free spot. I tried to get the bartender's attention, but it wasn't working. The bartender kept talking to the group next to me. Minutes passed and I was seriously starting to question whether I wasn't invisible... when I felt someone behind me.

His arm brushed my shoulder. Luke wrapped his arm around my waist as he stood behind me at the bar. I forgot about the crowd around us or about how I was the one the crowd had forgotten. He pulled me against him. I felt the warmth of his hand holding me and breathed in his t-shirt smell.

Luke leant his head down and whispered in my ear, "Chocolate milkshake?"

He knows the way to my heart.

"And whipped cream," I whispered back, our faces touching, "With cherries."

Chad suddenly squeezed in between us, "And I'll have a beer."