Take Care Of Me (Charlie Barber X Reader)

Chapter 3: Truth Hurts

It was just a little past 6 pm when you got into Dameron's. You got behind the bar and fastened your apron around your waist. You loved working at Dameron's mostly because your boss, Poe, had a lot of trust in you and you loved knowing that you were appreciated. And luckily enough, you would be able to hold on to your spot at Dameron's while working for Charlie with all that flexibility.

As you took to arranging the glasses behind the counter, Poe came out from around the back to greet you. He was carrying a towering row of glasses as he made his way behind the bar.

Poe was one of the nicest men you had ever met and it wasn't just because you had worked for him ever since you started college but he was one of those genuinely good people. He had a kind heart but always knew when to stand his ground. And you greatly admired his work ethic.

"You're in early. Even earlier than your early," Poe chirped as helped you stock the glasses.

"Yeah, I got a new job!" You replied in an almost singing way. Poe continued on with more questions about your new job and he could tell from your upbeat replies that you were unusually happy.

"If I could hazard a guess, I'd say you got more than a job." He turned to you, raising an eyebrow in question. Despite his teasing, you managed to keep a straight face. You replied plainly, "I've got no idea what you're talking about."

Poe let out a hearty laugh, "oh girly, I know some fella's caught your eye."

"I've really got no time for that right now Poe," you retorted, wanting the end the conversation as soon as possible.

"Well, all I'm going to say is... you miss all the shots you don't take!"

You rolled your eyes in response and moved further down to the bar to lay out a few mats as an excuse to avoid Poe's remarks. Has Charlie Barber really caught your eye? You took a moment to think as you wiped down the counter. You couldn't deny that you found him attractive and his voice and his smell certainly did make you feel a certain way. You took a pause. But surely he has to be married if not at least taken by someone. Your mind tracked back to that gift that he had ordered from that expensive boutique. Who would he be buying a gift like that for? Surely, it had to be someone special...

"So how's your boss?" Poe interrupted from the other side of the bar. You were so engrossed in your thoughts that you didn't even notice him right in front of you.

You took a few seconds to try and figure out how you should respond. You picked your words carefully. "Oh, he's alright, he's pretty nice."

Poe shot you a quizzical look. "He's nice huh?" You could see the gears turning in his head as he shifted the bar stools around. And just as you were about to speak, Poe snapped back, "that's good then."

You didn't know how to respond. It was sometimes impossible to tell exactly what Poe was thinking. "Mmhmm," was all you could muster out.

–

Your shift at Dameron's went on as per usual. Dameron's was a relatively quiet spot. The atmosphere was lively but not too loud. It certainly wasn't a bar for the college crowd which was one of the reasons why you wanted to work there in the first place. While you enjoyed the occasional rager, you definitely weren't a fan of how chaotic things could get. The crowd at Dameron's were a mixed bag of people ranging from solemn singles to decently large parties of office-type folk who just wanted a nice, relaxing place to catch a few drinks.

As the night came to an end, you headed out back for your routine and cigarette with Poe. While the both of you stood in the dimly lit alley, something inside you stirred. Maybe it was seeing all the affectionate couples coming into the bar and leaving happily hand in hand and hip to hip. Or maybe it was your fatigue that was making you a little more vulnerable.

"Hey Poe, do you think I'll ever find someone?" Poe laughed a deep belly laugh before taking another drag of his cigarette and you immediately regretted what you said.

"See, I knew something was up." He flicked the end of his cigarette to shake off the loose ash. You thought carefully about your words, not wanting to say anything that could make it seem like you were crushing on your boss.

"I mean..." Poe remained silent, cueing you to continue.

"It feels like... they already have someone you know?"

"Is this some kid from your school?" Poe questioned.

"No" you shot back a little too fast. "I mean, not exactly," you tried your best to cover yourself.

"Riiight. Well kid, I'm just going to say it as it is. In this town, people do a lot of crazy shit so just don't get your heart broken. Be a straight shooter and don't be blinded by love." Poe's face was straight serious as he took the last drag of his cigarette.

"Truth hurts," Poe muttered. You knew that to be true. You were never the type to get swayed by fairy-tale notions or grand romantic gestures. For all your life, you had always been highly aware of the reality of this world and that was your life raft. You knew that if you were to let yourself slip into idealistic dreams and wishful thinking, you'd just end up hurting yourself. No one has it easy and you were certainly no exception. Life to you wasn't about falling in love and being swept off your feet – it was about responsibilities and hard work.

Poe turned to look at you and you were now sombre in thought. "You're a brilliant young girl. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise. Alright?" He stubbed out his cigarette over the trash bin and laid a heavy hand over your shoulder before giving it a tight squeeze.

In your fugue state, overwhelmed with your spinning thoughts and Poe's words, you didn't realise that your cigarette had burnt out completely.

This is ridiculous. You barely knew anything about Charlie. You couldn't possibly be in love with him. It's just a stupid crush. A stupid crush that didn't mean anything and won't mean anything because he is so obviously taken. Yes. Just a stupid, stupid empty crush.