Cardinal by Sara Mack

less.
    “Well, lookie who’s here.”
    Gwen is in the middle of giving me a cash
register lesson when we’re interrupted. I look away from the monitor. “Hey,
Carter.”
    His eyes light up. “You remember me.” He leans
over the top of the bar and grabs a stir stick from the container.
    “How could I forget the man who’s trying to
steal my brother’s girl?”
    He gives me a wry smile. “That’s just me giving
Jules crap. Pete and I asked her out at the same time on a dare. She flipped a
coin to decide who to see first and he won. The rest is history. I never got my
chance.”
    “Awww.” I fake sympathy and pout. “Poor
Carter.”
    “Poor me is right.”
    “What- ever .” Gwen draws out the word and
rolls her eyes. “This guy is with someone new all the time. Don’t let him fool
you.”
    I level my eyes at Carter. “So, you’re a
player.”
    “No. I’m a bouncer.” He wiggles his eyebrows at
me. “It’s not my fault if the ladies need help getting home from time to time.”
    I laugh.
    “Carter!”
    My brother’s voice carries from the main doors.
“Let’s go!” he hollers.
    Carter sighs. “Duty calls.” He walks backward
from the bar. “Save me a shift drink, Little J.” He smirks as he puts the stir
stick in his mouth to chew.
    Ugh!   Why did Pete tell him my nickname? 
I step to the side to look around Carter and find my brother across the room. “You’re
in trouble Peter Frances!” I shout.
    My brother’s eyes get big. He hates his middle
name.
    No. He loathes it.
    Carter turns around and starts to laugh. “Frances?”
    Pete’s scathing look meets a smug one of my own.
Ha!  He wants to share embarrassing things about me?  Score one for Jen.
    It’s not long before the bar is packed and I’m running
my ass off. Gwen and Pete were right. It’s a busy night. When the band takes
the stage at nine o’clock, I feel like I’m attending a big-name concert, not
working a local club. Applause and whistles accompany Riptide’s opening song,
and the energy doesn’t stop through the band’s first set. Their music is good,
rock with a bluesy feel, and I fight the urge to dance by timing my drink
slinging skills with the beat. At one point, Gwen and I end up facing each
other and realize we’re doing the same routine. We laugh.
    When the band takes a break, our business picks
up. I’m busy pulling a draft when a guy pushes his way through the crowd and
slaps some bills on the bar top.
    “Hey, Sweet Cheeks.”
    I meet his eyes. “Excuse me?”
    “I have something extra for you if you hurry it
up.”
    He pushes the money toward me and I scowl. This
isn’t the first time someone has tried to bribe me to serve them before others.
“Not interested,” I say. “These people were here first.”
    I turn and hand the beer to the person who
ordered it, earning a two-dollar tip. I start to take the next order when Jerk
Face interrupts.
    “C’mon.” He moves into my next customer’s
personal space. “You look like you could use the extra cash.”
    Whoa. What?  I pat the growing wad of bills in
my back pocket and get sarcastic. “I have enough money without yours. Keep it
up and I won’t serve you at all.”
    A group of people is next in line and they
witness our exchange. One of them speaks up. “Dude. Leave her alone and wait
your turn.”
    I shoot him a tiny smile and try to take their
order again.
    Jerk Face gets obnoxious. “This is bullshit. No
wonder I haven’t had a decent drink all night. You have no idea what you’re
doing.” He looks me over with disdain. “Who did you fuck to get this job?”
    The words Listen here, Pencil Dick race
through my mind. If I were at Jay’s I wouldn’t hesitate to rip into this guy,
but I’m a guest at Torque. The last thing I need is for Pete to get in trouble
for bringing his foul-mouthed sister to work, regardless if I’m right and the
customer is wrong.
    Before I can say anything, a girl standing by
the bar defends me. “You’re