Impractical Assistant

Chapter 21: The Group who Drank in LA

Three drinks in and two shots in, Q felt really good. The blood in his veins was pulsing, warmly underneath his skin, and the music in his ears was thumping along with the beat of his heart. Sal and Murray had vanished onto the dance floor, along with Jackson and the girl who had introduced herself as Allison. Joe and Lilly had gone and played a round of pool, which Q had watched from his vantage point at the table. Lilly bounded back over, proud of her victory and grabbed Q's hand.

"Come dance!"

"I don't dance," Q shook his head, gulping down his drink and pulling his hand from Lilly's warmth.

"Pleeeeease?" she whined, slumping down into the booth next to him. "Everyone else is already dancing and Joey won't dance with me either."

"What? Joe's a great dancer!"

"He's sulking cause I kicked his ass."

"I'm not sulking," Joe glared at her as he slid into the booth across from the pair. "I just don't think that it's fair that you're practically a pool shark."

"How do you think I put my way through college?" Lilly laughed loudly. She leaned out of the booth and motioned to Sean behind the bar who waved in acknowledgement.

"So, you own this place, huh?" Joe asked, leaning forward on his elbows.

"Co-own," she shook her head, draining her fourth glass of whatever it was she was drinking. "I've been coming here since I got hired. When the place threatened to go under several years back, I helped Paul out. Paul is an old friend of David's from back in the day and I couldn't help myself. I'm a bleeding heart."

"You're something alright," Q shook his head. "Paul said that the place wouldn't exist without you. Said you paid off the banks and got the place right."

"I've always wanted to own a bar," Lilly smirked and shrugged. "I hate taking the credit for it. I had a lot of cash saved up and wanted to invest and I love Paul. Everyone loves Paul."

"I can see why," Joe nodded. "He's a really cool dude."

"He's something else."

"And Sean? Who is he?"

"That was not as nonchalant as you wanted it to be, Q," Lilly shook her head. "Sean and I are friends. Nothing more."

"He seemed pretty flirty to me."

"Yeah," Lilly chuckled. "Because Sean will flirt with anything that is a Homo Sapiens and breathes. Love him to death, but he goes through people faster than anyone I know."

"And you and he-"

"Were never a thing. More like competitors. I used to bartend here when I had some days off in between trips and work stuff. We used to see who could make the most money."

"Did he ever have a thing for you?"

"Depends on who you ask," she grinned at Joe. "Drinks are ready. I'll be back."

"Did she really hustle you?" Q smirked over at Joe before taking a gulp from his glass.

"Drop it," Joe rolled his eyes, swirling the ice around in his almost empty glass.

"She should hustle Murray next."

"Murray is shit at pool."

"Apparently so are you."