off.”
“I could help out,” I offer. “Like I said, I’ve got bar experience.”
“You’ve also got an injured ankle,” Christian reminds me.
“It’s fine,” I argue. “I might not be able to run around, but I can certainly sit on a stool and pour pints—that’s all anyone’s ordering anyway.”
He sighs. “But Heidi was right—only Mike can hire and fire people.”
“Well, it’s better than closing the pub,” I counter. “Call it a trial. If it doesn’t work out, then you can close up and Mike’ll never know. But it’s worth a try, isn’t it?”
He sighs, then nods. “Thanks, Lou.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” I smile. “Let’s see how it goes.”
—
It goes remarkably well. I pour a steady stream of pints while Christian handles all other orders, and even though Kenny manages to hack into the social networking sites and close down the beer offer, the punters remain, happily drinking and watching the football. By the time the next shift arrives the pub’s still nicely buzzing, but everything’s under control.
“What can I get you?” I smile at a middle-aged balding man as he approaches the bar.
“A pair of glasses.”
“Wineglasses?” I ask.
“No.” He frowns. “Specs. Either my eyes are playing tricks on me, or you’re not Heidi.”
“No.” I smile. “I’m not, I—”
“Then where’s Heidi, and who the
hell
are you?”
“Mike!” Christian rushes to my side. “Heidi’s ill—she had to go home.”
“Then who’s this?”
“Louise,” Christian says. “She’s looking for part-time work.”
“I emailed you my CV yesterday,” I add.
“So I just thought I’d give her a trial—”
“Someone I’ve never even laid
eyes
on working behind
my
bar, selling
my
beer, opening
my
till?” Mike interrupts. “
I
decide who to hire.” He glares at Christian. “And who to fire.”
“She did us a favor,” Christian argues. “Heidi was sick and no one else was available. Lou saved our skins today—you should be thanking her.”
“Oh really?” I wince as Mike yanks open the cash register.
“Yes,” Christian says heatedly. “You turned off your phone, and if Lou hadn’t stepped up, the pub would’ve had to close.”
“And who made that decision? Heidi?” Mike demands, rifling through the till. “That’s a managerial decision.”
“No, I did,” Christian confesses. “Heidi had nothing to do with it. She didn’t even know.”
Mike looks at him. “
You
did, eh?”
Christian nods.
Mike sighs. “S’pose you’re due a promotion, then.”
I look up sharply as Christian blinks. “What?”
“The pub’s not taken this much money in a daytime in months,” he says, smiling at the wad of cash he’s taken from the till. “The Facebook mix-up’s been a blessing in disguise.”
I stare at him in disbelief.
“Young man, you kept a cool head in a tough situation. You kept us staffed, kept us open, and kept us afloat. Well done.” He closes the till and tosses Christian a set of keys on a Bugs Bunny key ring. “So I’m making you deputy manager, and your first job can be to open up tomorrow.”
Christian just stares at him.
“Well, don’t just stand there gawking—there’s punters waiting, and I’ve got to stick this lot in the safe.”
“Actually, it’s the end of my shift....” Christian glances at the clock. “I’ve got to go—is that okay?”
Mike shrugs. “If Louise can stay.”
“What?” I look up.
“What time did you start serving today, young lady?”
“Um, about three-thirty.”
“Well, if you can stay and work till closing, and work tomorrow too, you’re hired. I could do with an extra pair of hands tonight—who knows when Heidi’ll be back on her feet—and we’ll need more weekend staff anyway if we’re doing more offers. I’ll even throw in a free dinner.”
I blink. “Sure. Thanks!”
“Great.” He winks. “Welcome to the team.”
“Congratulations, Lou!” Vix squeals as Mike walks
“I could help out,” I offer. “Like I said, I’ve got bar experience.”
“You’ve also got an injured ankle,” Christian reminds me.
“It’s fine,” I argue. “I might not be able to run around, but I can certainly sit on a stool and pour pints—that’s all anyone’s ordering anyway.”
He sighs. “But Heidi was right—only Mike can hire and fire people.”
“Well, it’s better than closing the pub,” I counter. “Call it a trial. If it doesn’t work out, then you can close up and Mike’ll never know. But it’s worth a try, isn’t it?”
He sighs, then nods. “Thanks, Lou.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” I smile. “Let’s see how it goes.”
—
It goes remarkably well. I pour a steady stream of pints while Christian handles all other orders, and even though Kenny manages to hack into the social networking sites and close down the beer offer, the punters remain, happily drinking and watching the football. By the time the next shift arrives the pub’s still nicely buzzing, but everything’s under control.
“What can I get you?” I smile at a middle-aged balding man as he approaches the bar.
“A pair of glasses.”
“Wineglasses?” I ask.
“No.” He frowns. “Specs. Either my eyes are playing tricks on me, or you’re not Heidi.”
“No.” I smile. “I’m not, I—”
“Then where’s Heidi, and who the
hell
are you?”
“Mike!” Christian rushes to my side. “Heidi’s ill—she had to go home.”
“Then who’s this?”
“Louise,” Christian says. “She’s looking for part-time work.”
“I emailed you my CV yesterday,” I add.
“So I just thought I’d give her a trial—”
“Someone I’ve never even laid
eyes
on working behind
my
bar, selling
my
beer, opening
my
till?” Mike interrupts. “
I
decide who to hire.” He glares at Christian. “And who to fire.”
“She did us a favor,” Christian argues. “Heidi was sick and no one else was available. Lou saved our skins today—you should be thanking her.”
“Oh really?” I wince as Mike yanks open the cash register.
“Yes,” Christian says heatedly. “You turned off your phone, and if Lou hadn’t stepped up, the pub would’ve had to close.”
“And who made that decision? Heidi?” Mike demands, rifling through the till. “That’s a managerial decision.”
“No, I did,” Christian confesses. “Heidi had nothing to do with it. She didn’t even know.”
Mike looks at him. “
You
did, eh?”
Christian nods.
Mike sighs. “S’pose you’re due a promotion, then.”
I look up sharply as Christian blinks. “What?”
“The pub’s not taken this much money in a daytime in months,” he says, smiling at the wad of cash he’s taken from the till. “The Facebook mix-up’s been a blessing in disguise.”
I stare at him in disbelief.
“Young man, you kept a cool head in a tough situation. You kept us staffed, kept us open, and kept us afloat. Well done.” He closes the till and tosses Christian a set of keys on a Bugs Bunny key ring. “So I’m making you deputy manager, and your first job can be to open up tomorrow.”
Christian just stares at him.
“Well, don’t just stand there gawking—there’s punters waiting, and I’ve got to stick this lot in the safe.”
“Actually, it’s the end of my shift....” Christian glances at the clock. “I’ve got to go—is that okay?”
Mike shrugs. “If Louise can stay.”
“What?” I look up.
“What time did you start serving today, young lady?”
“Um, about three-thirty.”
“Well, if you can stay and work till closing, and work tomorrow too, you’re hired. I could do with an extra pair of hands tonight—who knows when Heidi’ll be back on her feet—and we’ll need more weekend staff anyway if we’re doing more offers. I’ll even throw in a free dinner.”
I blink. “Sure. Thanks!”
“Great.” He winks. “Welcome to the team.”
“Congratulations, Lou!” Vix squeals as Mike walks
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