Ahead of the Darkness by Simone Nicole Page A

ready while I run through some last few things with Mia?”
    “Of course.” She scurried off and into the back room.
    I looked at Drew while he watched Mac, an odd sensation creeping up into my chest. He turned with his mouth, about to speak, and stopped when he saw my face. I shut off whatever it was he caught and smiled.
    “No. Just no.” I nodded and agreed with whatever Drew was trying to dismiss which made Drew growl in annoyance. I smiled internally at the sound.
    “So, Boss. What now?”
    He frowned, and proceeded to explain all the ins and outs of the club, but even with the accent I found it hard to listen. I kept going back to the cellar and why I’d panicked. The unmistakable feeling I’d been there before wouldn’t leave me. I didn’t know how long I had been lost in my mind but I tuned back in just in time.
    “...and Wednesday is topless Wednesdays...”
    “WHAT?”
    “Welcome back. Did ye catch anything I said?”
    “Oh, funny. You were joking, right? I heard you, glasses are here, dishwasher here, beer nuts here. I have done this a million times before.” I wasn’t sure why I was getting defensive with him, but I couldn’t seem to help it.
    “Aye, I was joking. Wednesday is karaoke night.” Oh, God! “Saturday nights get pretty crazy here. It’s dance house with a DJ, and the folk go nuts for it. If things get too crazy, just let me know and ye can take a breather. It’ll be just the four of us tonight. Any questions?”
    “What time do we open and close? I still have no idea what time we left last night.”
    “We open at six thirty, and last night we finished up about three am but ye must have been outside for a good thirty minutes, mind. Cannae imagine what ye were doin’.” It fascinated me how Drew would slip in and out of his Scottish brogue when he was talking with me. I vaguely remembered trying to find my phone on the curb, and I silently vowed never to drink so much again when the front door burst open and in hurried a tall, shaggy blonde guy.
    “Sorry mate. Got into a fight with a bird ‘n’ had to make up, twice.” He looked to me with a wink as he approached the bar.
    “Ya dirty bastard. Ye best not smell of sex, ye wee prick, or I’ll have to hose ye down.”
    I laughed.
    “Jules, this is Mia.”
    “Ah, a new bar wench. I approve. Mia, my dear, it’s a pleasure.” He elaborately bowed to me.
    “Hi.” What do you say to someone like that? Was he for real?
    “Easy, Jules. Now ye’ve met, ye can go help Mac while I finish with Mia.” There was an interesting amount of warning in Drew’s tone, and I caught the subtle shift in Jules features at hearing it.
    “Aye, Boss. Cannae wait.” He laughed as he swaggered off to the back.
    “Cute,” he grumbled. What was I missing?
    I looked at Drew curiously waiting for something. Now what?
    “Aye, well. That’s about it. Ye met the gang.”
    “Is it a requisite for your employees to be ... slutty?” And good looking ? Drew laughed heartily at that.
    “Aye, and drunks.” He winked at me.
    “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
    “Nae if I can help it. Ye can fill in the paperwork when the other muppets get out here and open up.”
    “I heard that. It’s the hair, isn’t it? I can’t help I was gifted with a full, albeit shaggy mop of hair.” Jules tried to flick his shoulder-length hair out of his face and over his shoulder, but instead of looking suave or whatever it was he had been aiming for, he flicked himself in the face on the rebound looking like a right, as Drew put it, muppet.
    “Will you quit with the hair antics. You look like a spastic cheerleader. It’s so unbecoming,” Mac snapped out.
    “You’re just jealous that my hair is naturally awesome.”
    “Aye. Mac, get the door and Jules, put away the hair and check the stock levels before the crowd hits us, will ye? I’m getting Mia on to the paperwork, and then I’ll help ye carry them down.” He nodded towards the backroom and