Maybe Next Time

Chapter 6

Three years later

'Here we are. . . one beer and one whiskey, gentlemen.'

'Thanks, love,' one of the middle-aged men say while giving me a suggestive wink.

I manage a polite smile before I head back over to the bar, feeling their gazes on my back as I leave their table.

After working in my boyfriend's bar for the past two years I thought I would have grown used to the constant attention I receives from our many male customers, but it still feels strange to me. It doesn't help that I'm ogled by many of them all hours of the day while they drink their sorrows away, but it's the focus of Robert's business.The Forrester belongs to him and it was his idea to have his waitresses dress up in tight and revealing clothes, whether we're behind the bar or serving customers, so the many male customers can lust over our cleavage and curves.

I thought I knew what I was getting myself into when I had moved to Reading with Robert. But it's certainly not the kind of job I expected to end up having. I had thought I would be involved behind the scenes a lot more, rather than out front, but he never lets me in the back office, choosing instead to do all the paperwork by himself. He doesn't even let me have any say in the business itself, even though I helped him to paint and furnish the place a year before it opened. I've suggested to him a few times about serving cocktails, which I know will easily draw in many new customers, but he talks me down every time I bring up the idea, reminding me how he's not about to turn his bar into some fancy cocktail bar.

The Forrester is always busy and full of men, who are constantly ogling me and objectifying me, even though I'm nowhere near as curvy as the other female waitresses who work here. Even though I hate every second of it I put up with it, just to please Robert who always pays me well for my work, and it's the money I now choose to focus on every night. I've found it makes the job a little easier to bear.

Despite trying to become used to the drunken stares and lusty eyes I receive every night they still make my skin crawl, and I've even had several older men come onto me and try to lure me back to their homes. But one thing I've never understood is why my own boyfriend allows me to be lusted over by strangers, when he tells me every day how much he loves me. I've never thought for one minute that he might be using me, despite him forcing himself on me once the bar is closed for the night, whether I want to have sex or not. I just assume it's part of him showing his love for me.

It's a sunny morning in the middle of September and I'm in a happy mood as I drive home after doing the usual food shopping in town. I choose to take the short route home but when I arrive back at The Forrester I quickly find myself wishing I had taken the usual route, when I find an all too familiar looking guy with his camera focused on me the moment I step into the bar. He snaps my picture, capturing my surprised expression, and the moment his eyes meet mine I feel my heart slam against my ribs. I manage to set the shopping bags down on the floor before I end up dropping them, as Ellis and I stare at each other, but before either of us have a chance to speak Robert's shout scan be heard from behind him.

'You ruined the shot, Joan!' he snaps at me. 'You should have knocked before coming inside.'

I slowly avert my gaze from Ellis while at the same time trying to get my breath back, before I frown in confusion at my boyfriend. 'Shot?' I question.

'Yes,' he replies sharply. 'I wanted Ellis here to take a shot of the interior and include the beautiful, old, wooden door in it. . . but you walked in and ruined it!'

'Oh. . . I'm sorry,' I mutter awkwardly and quickly step out of the way, before my eyes meet Ellis' once again. I know I have to say something to him, if only to try and diffuse the tension. There are so many things I want to ask him, but I choose to keep it civil.