Since We're Alone |NH|

Chapter 13

Ophelia's POV

The next night, I was once again behind the bar – closing.  Tomi had gotten off and had already left.  For the most part, everything was dying down, giving me the chance to catch up on the dishes that I needed to wash, as well as anything else I could do so that I could get out of there not long after we closed.

I had my back to the entrance, speaking to a regular of mine, so I didn't see him come in. The ticket machine made a noise so I stepped back from the bar and began to turn around when I heard a semi familiar Irish accent say, "Hello."

Fully turning around, I saw him.  "Hello, again," I said with a smile, walking up to him.  "Niall, is it?" I questioned, as if I hadn't been thinking about him all damn day; as if Tomi hadn't been yelling at me about him all damn day. "Back so soon?" I asked tearing the ticket off the machine and looking at it.

He smiled, "Yeah, I, uh, live not too far from here."

"What can I get for you tonight?  Still out of Guinness.  That won't be in til sometime next week." I said, beginning to make the drinks for the other table.

"I'm not sure.  I've been looking over the drink menu.  There's a lot of options that sound like I need to try them all.  Obviously, not all at once, of course." 

"Yeah, I don't want you to die of alcohol poisoning.  That wouldn't be too good."

"No, it wouldn't," he said, letting out a small little laugh.  He seemed nervous.  It was cute. "That's fine.  Umm, I don't know.  Make me one of your drinks?  If you don't mind?" He looked at me, shyly, nervously, afraid, perhaps.

I smiled softly at him, "Sure.  Umm, well, our Spring cocktail menu drops next week.  How'd you like to be my taste tester?  Or would you like the last vestiges of Winter?"

He'd been looking at the menu nearly the entire time but looked up at me after I asked him.  His blue eyes looked incredibly bright and clear as he smiled.  "Sure.  Uh, to being your guinea pig.  Sounds fun."

"Allergic to anything?"

"Umm, food wise?  Not that I'm aware of."

"Like spicy?"

He drew back, "I like spicy, it doesn't like me."

I smiled at him. "Okay, hold on just a minute."  I walked back down to the end of the bar where I leave drinks for the servers to pick up, placing the two cocktails I had just made down with the ticket.  "You still doing okay?" I asked my regular.  He nodded and started to speak but I had already started making my way back towards Niall so I could make him his drink.

"He looks like he wanted to keep talking to you," Niall said.

I looked up at him.  "Yeah, he'd talk until one of us died.  And then probably keep talking."

"He a regular?"

"He is."  I sighed.  "He's here every Wednesday and Saturday nights and won't shut the fuck up.  He's a nice enough guy and a great tipper, but by god, he can talk.  And usually about nothing of actual interest.  I realize people have some weird misconception that bartenders want to hear you talk about your troubles, but we don't always want that.  Most of the time I'm fine with it but I've had a long few days and I just want to get out of here.  Two days off are coming my way."

"I see," he said.

"So, thank you," I whispered, leaning towards him a bit, "For saving me."

He looked across the bar at me and smiled.  "You're welcome.  So, what are you making me?" He asked, perking up a bit.

"I don't have a name for it yet," I said, finishing the drink and placing it down in front of him.  "Take a taste and let me know what you think.  This is our Spring and Summer cocktail menu so it needs to remind you of at least one of those seasons, not that LA has seasons all that often."

He looked at it.  "Looks good.  Cheers!" He lifted the drink to me before bringing it to his lips and taking a sip.  "Whoa!  That's strong.  Good but strong."

I made a face, "Too strong?"

"Maybe a little. What's in it?  I can taste Scotch."

"Yeah, um, Scotch, rum, passion fruit, coconut and Orinoco bitters."

"I think there's too much Scotch because that's all I'm tasting."

"Really?"  I grabbed a little cocktail straw and stuck it in the glass.  Placing my finger on top of the straw I lifted it out of the glass and stuck the bottom end in my mouth, lifting my finger up so the liquid could be released.  I made a face.  "Oh, damn, that's strong.  And not good at all.  Give that back to me."

I took the glass from him and dumped the drink into the sink.

"What are you doing?  I was gonna drink that."

"No, you were not.  That is not how that's supposed to taste."

"Yeah but you just dumped, what, at least $15 to $20 down the drain!"

"So?  Anyone else would demand a new one.  You're just being nice.  I asked you to tell me what you think and you did.  But, dude, you don't have to drink it.  I will make you a new one."

"Ophelia, you don't have to," he said, almost pleading with me to not go through with it but I had already dumped the drink.

I smiled, liking the way my name sounded when he said it.  "Too late.  You're getting a new one.  If this one isn't right, I'll let you choke on it til you get it down, okay?"

He laughed a little.  "Okay.  It's a deal."  He reached out his hand for me to shake.  I hesitated but stuck my hand out and shook his.

"Deal."

"Ophelia?" I turned around to the guy at the end of the bar, "I think I'm good for the night, hun."  He placed a bill down on the bar and stood up.  "Keep the change."

"Okay.  Have a good night.  See you Wednesday?"

"Sure thing, dear.  Have a good night."

He put on his jacket and a hat.  Tipping it in my direction, he left.  I picked up the $100 bill he left on the bar.  His tab only came out to $42.  I went back to making Niall a new drink.  Before handing it to him, I dipped another straw in to taste it.

"Perfect."  I handed it to him.  "This is how it's supposed to taste."

He took a sip.  "Now, that is good."

"Phew!" I said, playfully wiping my hand across my forehead.  Noticing the time, I turned to pick up the remaining dishes off my bar and took them back to the kitchen.