Unhinged

Chapter One

"Two beers over here, darling."

You smiled with a nod, already tipping the glass to fill it without letting the foam take up half the drink, and then you did the other, bringing them over a second later.

"Here with a date, Cal?" You mused, cocking an eyebrow and subtly eyeing the lady patiently waiting for him in the far booth before you met his crinkled eyes with a knowing look.

"Second date." He boasted proudly and you grinned.

"Go get 'em, tiger." You winked and he chuckled before raising the glasses with a smile, spinning to get back to his table.

You dried some glasses in between orders and fixed the strap of your braces with a frown, wondering if this was the grey set you were supposed to trash a while back because they had worn down with a tear in the back, making them loose. You did find them bunched up at the bottom of your drawer, but you had been running late and couldn't find the black pair.

You'd think living across the street from where you work would prevent tardiness, but alas, it does not. Speaking of, you really needed to get Alex your half of the rent by morning before they came for your head again. Your roommate is a stickler for being on time. But they weren't coming back home until tomorrow afternoon since they were visiting family in Pittsburgh.

You took a deep breath, shelving the glasses and mixing a whiskey sour for another regular before you turned to the man who was frowning down at the whiskey neat he's been nursing for the last twenty minutes.

"Rough day?" You asked, balancing the till while you had a moment, and it took him a moment to gather that your question was aimed at him.

"Something like that." He shrugged noncommittally, his eyes still drooped, and then he tipped the glass back to down it before he held it back up, signaling for another.

You poured it, eyeing him from under your eyelashes, and he sighed, his own eyes trained on the bottom of the glass.

"Do I know you?" You blurted and then immediately regretted it when you remembered not to ask people that for so many reasons.

"I don't know," His tone was a dark, playful challenge as he finally met your eyes while he narrowed his slightly, "Do you?"

"Nah," You scoffed, sliding his drink over, and then you smirked, "I would remember blue eyes like that."

He raised his eyebrows, surprised by the flirtation, but before he could respond, you were at the other end of the bar, mixing a cosmopolitan for someone else.

The two of you chatted in between your other customers and when you had a break, Leo coming out to take over for a bit since he was mainly inventory or plucked a few tips from your break when you needed one, but neither of you asked for names. It just never felt necessary, and you made a rule to never give out personal information at work willingly, even something as general as a first name, because that's landed you in some hot water before. You have a history with serial alcoholic partners and being a woman living practically alone in New York City – Alex was either travelling for work or visiting family most of the time – it was just better to keep to yourself in certain situations.

"When do you get off?" He asked when Leo bailed and you picked up where he left off, taking an order for a lemon drop and a fireball.

"Whenever I can." You winked at him, smirking when he made an 'o' face a moment later, and not missing the irony of that.

"Can I get the extra...flare?" The girl with the fireball asked, a hopeful smile donning her lips, and you nodded with a knowing smile, ghosting the tip of your finger around the glass' rim.