Thin Ice ✔️

chapter twenty four: together, but far apart

He stood there for a moment—looking at me with an intense glare.

"Roommate?" he tilted his head and shifted his eyes to Addie who was standing behind me, then back to me.

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, now move." I said, pushing past him.

I rolled my suitcase into the living room and fell onto the couch. I heard a few footsteps approach me but I looked away.

"Why's there a suitcase here?" Callum asks, "and when did you two get here?"

I groan into the pillow and turn around, checking my phone, I realize I have half an hour to get to work.

Shit.

I give Callum a quick explanation of what's going on and how I've chosen to crash here until the problem is fixed. He doesn't seem to have a problem with it but it makes sense—he's the only
one here who doesn't know what's going on. I guess I'll have to fill him in later.

I lay down my suitcase and open it, grabbing a shirt and black jeans I head into the bathroom to change. When I come back out, Addie is indulged in a conversation with Hunter and I'm hesitant to pull her away.

When I glance at my phone I have no choice, "Addie!" I say loudly. I motion for her to come over, not ignoring the look Hunter gives me. "Do you mind driving me to work?"

She nods and turns around, "I'll see you guys later." Her eyes fall back on me as I quickly usher her out the door. She laughed as we walked down the hall but I gave her a look telling her "I don't want to hear it."

"What? You can't expect me not to laugh at the situation you're in—and let's not forget under what circumstances," she explains.

I roll my eyes and press the elevator button, watching it light up beneath my finger I step away. "Believe me I am far from pleased, but I still don't understand how a rat got into my room,"

She shook her head and laughed, "Beats me,"

The drive to work was a quick fifteen minutes and with Addie staying a little longer the start of my shift went pretty smoothly. A group of older men entered around eight o'clock and sat at the bar. They were quick to order shots upon shots and their tab was looking very hefty after the first hour.

Addie mentioned that Callum asked if she was going to be back for dinner and I said it was okay for her to go. I got off at one and I knew she would probably not be up by then.

We said our goodbyes as she left the bar, leaving her usual seat to another customer. Another hour passed and that group was getting pretty rowdy, they were loud enough to get complaints from other customers.

I walked over to them and leaned across the counter, "Excuse me, sir?" I watched him turn around and look at me. It took me a moment but then I realized why he looked familiar. "Oh, Tucker, it's nice seeing you here."

Tucker was a usual at the bar, always coming on the weekends. After a few years of coming in religiously, I got to know him a little better. All in all he was nice, but he was usually quiet.

"I'm just here to tell you guys to turn it down a notch, it would be appreciated." I said in a polite manner.

"I'm so sorry!" he laughed.

Yep. Definitely drunk.

I just smiled at him and returned to my spot at the bar. However I was quickly back to serving their group as the orders kept coming in. I was starting to worry that they were having too much and I even talked to Rick about it but again, he said to keep giving them drinks.