Too Personal Trainer

Fifteen

Perhaps Marlow had had one too many cocktails, but still nothing stopped her stumbling towards the bar, money in her hand, ready to order another.

“You sure know how to drink, lady.”

She sat on the stool, but the world still span before her. “Wouldn't you, if your brother was getting married and you weren't? And all your fam-” a hiccup interrupted her speech. “-ily were waiting on you to get engaged, as if you were 40 years old and wasting away?”

The bartender raised his eyebrows. “I suppose I would, yeah.”

“Then keep 'em coming,” Marlow sighed, staring at her hand. “I'm only 23, you know,” ” she continued. “I'm still as ripe as a pear.”

He smiled at her. “Definitely ripe.”

Laughing, Marlow fluttered her eyelashes at the man behind the bar. She couldn't tell if he were handsome, as the light and her blurred vision took away that option. “Flirting with me, are we Mr Tender?”

“Mr Tender?” he repeated, grinning. “That's a new one. I like it.”

“Tender,” she purred. “Because you're a bartenderrrr,” she dragged out the consonant R and fell into a fit of giggles afterwards.

And they didn't stop, either, even when Jax joined her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Are you all right?” Jax asked her, concerned at the amount of alcohol she was consuming.

“Oh, Jax, meet Mr Tender.”

“Tender?”

“Yeah, he's flirting.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” Marlow giggled. “Oops, my glass is empty. I'll have another, then.”

“I don't think that's a good idea, Marls,” Jax muttered. “Maybe it's time you switched to water.”

“Maybe it's time,” she paused, “that I buy another cocktail.”

Jax locked eyes with the bartender. “A glass of water, please. And don't serve her any more alcohol.”

“Excuse me?” Marlow huffed. “Who do you think you are?”

“Drink this,” he pushed the glass of water towards her. “And then we're going outside for some fresh air.”

“I don't need fresh air. I need a damn cocktail.”

“Drink this, Marls. I don't want to have to get Ty over here.”

“You're threatening me with my brother?” Marlow cackled, glaring at him. “That's low.”

“Is it? Do you really want to ruin your brothers night? Come with me, I'll take you outside so you can sober up a little bit.”

Marlow's eyes softened slightly, because despite the alcohol in her system, she was able to understand his point.

“Okay. Let's get some new air.”

He hid his smile, because the last thing he wanted to do was laugh at her when she was drunk.

Jax guided her outside of the club and towards the stairs where he helped her sit down. It was cold out, too, so he took off his blazer and handed it to her, not giving her a say in whether she wanted it. He didn't give her a say in whether she wanted a paracetamol, either, because he placed two in her hand and told her to take them. Thankfully, she did as he said without questioning.

“Always so prepared,” she laughed quietly. “Have you always been...”

The end to her sentence never came.