Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“I want you to be a successful server at Aura, so listen up. The drink menu is vast and filled with fan favorites, local flavors, and Aura’s specialty cocktails. On top of that, we offer food service. It’s not much, mostly a mix of Spanish tapas with a modern flair.”
“Spanish tapas, okay.”
She shoves a drink menu, a happy hour menu, and a tapas menu against my chest and tells me to memorize them.
“Got it.”
In truth, I don’t got it.
“You’re in luck,” Annika tells me as we step behind the bar. “There isn’t a famous DJ playing tonight, so the club won’t be too crowded. And it’s only Thursday, so that’ll help, too.”
As we walk, she introduces me to people we pass. Thalia is a short girl with long brown hair and a bold tattoo looping up around the side of her neck. She’s certainly edgier than a lot of the girls who work here.
She reaches out and takes my hand, smiling wide as she does it. “Good to meet you, Elle.”
She’s the first person with an American accent I’ve met at Aura, and it helps us immediately bond to find out we’re both from California. She’s too busy making drinks to do much more than give me an appraising once-over and a nod of approval. “Don’t fuck up your drink orders and we’ll get along just fine.”
I choke out a laugh. “Don’t plan on it.”
Then Annika tugs me toward another bartender, this one male. He’s tall and cute with buzzed black hair and warm hazel eyes. “Ethan, Elle. New girl.” Then she addresses me. “Now, you shouldn’t go behind the bar at all during your shifts. It might look like there’s a ton of space back here, but things get crazy and bartenders are really territorial about their stations.”
Ethan throws me a wink. “You can come back here whenever you want.”
“Down, boy. She’s been here five minutes.”
I blush, and Ethan sees it and raises his brows. “I think she likes me, Annika.”
Again, Annika yanks my arm and pulls me after her.
“Every guy, and I mean every guy here, is going to try to get into your pants. Just ignore them. Are you single?”
“Very.”
She nods. “Same. Which is fine, because I’m saving myself for Cristiano.” She says this with a wicked wink. “Kidding aside, I’ve done the hookup thing at Aura and it just gets messy fast. I don’t recommend it. Ethan and I were hot and heavy last summer, and by the end of August, we hated each other.”
“You two seem fine now.”
She shrugs one delicate shoulder. “Last summer might as well be a thousand years ago. He still gets under my skin sometimes. He is hot, though, I’m not too annoyed to admit that. Now let’s see if I can teach you how to work the POS system. That’s going to be your biggest hurdle. If you can get fast on the computer, working here will be a breeze.”
I barely have time to take a break during my first shift. I shadow Annika as she takes orders. She’s efficient, but not at the expense of quality service. I notice the way she smiles and subtly flirts with all her tables.
“Is that expected?” I ask her at one point.
She gives me a glare, one of her brows cocked as if she can’t believe I even have to ask. “If you want decent tips it is. I try to think of it like a game: Make your customers fall in love with you and you’ll be rolling in cash by the end of the night.”
“The customers never take it too far?”
She tilts her head to the left. “See that beefy guy in the corner over there? Ramón?” Ramón’s dressed in all black, just like the bouncers out front. There’s a radio and a gun holstered on his hip. “He and his guys watch over the club. He’s head of security, Felix’s manager, and tough as hell. Nothing gets past him.”
Ramón sees us eyeing him and gives me a curt nod before continuing to surveil the club.
I feel better knowing there’s security here. Even though it’s a Thursday night and there’s not a big musical act scheduled, Aura is overflowing with people. I can barely hear my own thoughts over the pulsing music. The alcohol is flowing, the dance floor is packed, and every single one of my senses is lit up like a live wire. The smell of perfume and alcohol fills the air, and though at certain points I feel overwhelmed to the point of questioning every decision that led me here, by the end of the night, I walk into the locker room with a huge sense of accomplishment.
I did it. I survived my first shift.
Bring on the next!
“Our little girl is all grown up, Annika!” Simone says with a wistful tone, batting away fake tears.