His Proposal

His Proposal - 11

After last night's shift, Jai told me that he wouldn't be at the bar for two weeks, but Max would. He'll be the Manager until his return.

I hope Max can do a good job and not make me do everything so he can sit in Jai's office playing on his phone.

Pulling my car into the Lusive parking lot, I see Ethan talking to another security guy at the door. He says something to the guy before heading in my direction. I park my car under a light close to the bar. Reaching over to the passenger seat, I pull my bag towards me.

Ethan opened the car door before I had time to open it, and he had a smile on his face. "Good evening, Chloe. How are you?"

A smile spreads across my face as I step out of the car. "Good, how about you, Ethan?"

"Great, now that you're here." He closes the door for me. "Are you ready for your first shift without Jai?"

"Yeah, I'm ready for the first shift without Jai. Do you know where he went?"

"No," we cross the parking lot. "Jai never tells anyone what he's doing. Something tells me that whatever business trip he's on will be the last time he spends away from Los Angeles."

"Why would you think that?" I ask him.

Ethan remains quiet before scratching the back of his neck. "Just forget I said that."

That's impossible for me to do.

Looking at him, I ask, "Who's on tonight? I want to make a good impression on the people I haven't met before. I have to show them that I didn't get the job because I'm a female, but I got it because I deserve to be here like everyone else."

Ethan touches my arm. "There are a few people you haven't worked with before, and they might not like you because you're the first woman to get a job here." He looks at the door. "At the door with me tonight is Brady. He can be an ass, but I think he'll be nice to you. Inside, you have Max, with whom you've been working closely. Keith and Lance. Both of them are bartenders and think they're why women buy drinks from them. Just be careful of those two. I've heard they slip drugs into their drinks. Watch for that, and call me if you see a woman in danger. Then there's Alex and Eugene, the security guards inside. Eugene is married and will treat you like his younger sister, as you are close to his sister's age."

"Thanks for the small rundown on everyone, Ethan. I appreciate it."

"Anything for the new bartender."

As soon as we reach the door of Lusive, I see a queue of people waiting to get in. "Are you going to let them in?"

Ethan shakes his head. "They aren't allowed in until seven. That's Max's rule. He's stricter when Jai's away, but you will be fine. If not, I will call the boss and tell him what Max is up to."

Someone yells. "Why is that woman allowed in?"

Ethan looks into the crowd. "She works here."

"No, she doesn't." A guy yells. "I would remember a beautiful thing like her working here if she did."

Looking at him, I say. "I recently got a job. So, of course, you wouldn't have seen me." I turn away from him and look at the tall, blonde, blue-eyed, tanned god before me.

He looks me up and down and licks his windblown lips. "I'm Brady. I've been here for a few years and haven't seen Jai hire a woman since joining Lusive. He surely knows what he's doing." He holds his hand out to me.

I place my smaller hands in his calloused hands and say, "Chloe. " He pumps my hand a few times, and I pull it out of his grasp. "It was nice to meet you, Brady."