Tattoos & Tulips

Chapter three - A weird and wonderful night

Madison was not even a third of the way through her burger when Slater had already finished.

Eating fast is a skill bartenders learn early on. If you want to eat, you have to scarf it down while you have a chance. He looked back at the sink behind the bar and cringed a little. There were two bus tubs full of dishes to run.

"I've been slacking tonight." He commented and then looked over at the reason why. "I'm going to grab a smoke while you finish that up."

"You smoke?" She looked up. "You shouldn't."

"I know. I've been trying to quit." He told her. "First one all night."

"That's good!" She said in her perky tone of hers. It was like sunshine, her voice, in this dimly lit empty bar.

"You're a good distraction, tulip girl." He flashed her a little grin as he stepped out from behind the bar. "Be right back."

He stepped outside into the muggy summer night air. He fished his pack of smokes from his pocket and took one out. The streets were quiet and still this late at night. He lit a smoke and leaned back against the side of the building. He took a long drag off it.

A small chuckle passed his lips. The image of that cute girl dancing around behind the bar was still fresh.

She was just so...

'Why wouldn't you want something pretty and delicious?'

He'd love to find out just how delicious she is.

"Fuck." He pushed those thoughts from his mind. She didn't even realize what she said or how he'd heard it.

She seemed so innocent. She was engaged, so she was probably not that innocent. Still, it was cute and endearing.

She was like a breath of fresh air.

Slater Zane crushing hard on a lakeside girl. It was a weird fucking night. He snuffed out his smoke and tossed it in the trash receptacle outside the bar. He popped a piece of gum in his mouth and headed back in.

He didn't see her sitting at the bar when he first stepped in. Her big purse was still on the bar, and her shoes were lying on the floor. He stepped further into the room and saw her behind the bar loading the dishwasher.

Just when he thought she couldn't be anymore... were there even words? She was just Maddy.

"What do you think you're doing, little lady?" He asked in a teasing voice as he made his way back there.

"Helping you catch up." She chirped back. She loaded the last of the glasses into the machine. "I don't know what to do next, though."

"You did not have to do this." He made his way over so he could start it.

"You didn't have to be so kind to me tonight, but you did." She said in a soft tone.

Her light blue eyes were gazing into his as she spoke. He didn't want to look away.

"Everyone should be kind to you, sweetheart." He told her quietly. "It's not okay that that hasn't been the case."

"Thank you for saying that." She let out a small sigh.

"Hey, I mean it." He said intently. "Don't go thinking any crap that asshole said is true."

"Some of it is." She looked down and chewed her lip.

"Maddy -

"No, listen." She cut him off. "Like, he said that I don't have a backbone. That's true. I don't like to confront people. So, I never told him not to..."