Read Online Ahead of the Darkness by Simone Nicole - Free Book Online Page A

say you look like a Scottish whisky kind of man.”
    “Well, I’ll be damned. Ya hit it on the head. Scotch and Coke if ya would, lass.”
    I turned to the wall of liquor and groaned. There was no rhyme or reason to it: it just looked aesthetically pleasing.
    “Here.” I frowned at Drew as he passed the single malt. “Blame Mac. She likes to keep it purdy. Ye’ll get used to it.”
    I found a rocks glass from underneath the beer taps and made his drink. After, I took his fiver and went to cash it up, but Drew beat me to it handing Angus his 50p change.
    “Drew?”
    “Aye, sorry. I should have let ye do that.”
    “No kidding. Can you show me the till now?”
    It was one of the newer high-tech tills with the square touch panel. Each liquor had its own icon and individual cocktail listing. This was one of the most accurate and easy machines to use, and I smiled with relief.
    “So, ye’ve seen these before, I take it?”
    “Yeah, each drink has its own button. Easy.”
    “Aye, but each liquor has sub-categories, ‘ere.” He moved me in front of him so I could see what he was doing, and his sweet scent overwhelmed my senses. I took a deep breath of the heady mix. He smelt like fresh linen, and woodsy cologne.
    “Don’t fret, it’s nae difficult to pick up.” I bit my lip in amusement. Better he think I was sighing rather than smelling him.
    “Ye just press scotch and up pops the options of what ye want with it. It’s a little much, but ye get used to it, like.”
    “Yeah, these systems are better to keep track of the expenditures. It also makes stocktake and tax stuff easier.”
    “Aye.” He looked at me with his head cocked to the side, brows draw together.
    “Yeah, I’ve worked at a few different bars. I know a reasonable amount of useless stuff.”
    “Aye, the rest should be easy enough, then. What other useless stuff do ye know?”
    “That’s for me to know and you to find out.” I winked at him. I actually winked.
    “Oh, I like this one. She’s a keeper, and she doesn’t seem to wanna crawl up ya arse like someone we know.”
    Angus sniggered at Jules.
    “Hiya Angus, old chum.”
    “Get back to work ye lazy git.” Drew was fighting his own grin.
    “Oh, look, it’s playtime. It’ll start to fill up pretty quick now, Mi, ya gonna love it,” Jules said.
    ––––––––
    I n walked a small group of girls, laughing. Mac finished off the tables and came round behind the bar to turn up the music, and Jules started to move towards the front of the bar to serve them but Drew cut him off.
    “Easy, Jules, let Mia get some practice in. Ye can get the next purdy lot.”
    “Ya such a killjoy sometimes, mate. All yours, Mi. I’ll disappear downstairs.” He winked and took the remainder of the crates down into the cellar.
    “I’ll leave ye in the capable hands of Angus. Don’t use them though, Angus,” Drew said and Angus laughed heartily. “I have to finish some paperwork. I’ll be back in a wee bit, aye?”
    “I’m good.”
    “Aye, good luck wid dat.” He gestured with his head to the approaching giggling girls, and disappeared out the back into the office.
    “Hi ladies, what can I get you?”
    “Oh, hi. You must be new?” Is everyone a regular?
    “Sure. First day, so go hard on me.” They giggled at that.
    “Alright then, are you any good at making cocktails?”
    I smiled to myself. I was better than good.
    “Hit me with your best shot.”
    “Oh goodie, make mine Sex on the Beach. They don’t really make cocktails here, but the boys sure are pretty like them.” The loudest of the three giggled at her own joke.
    “I’ve always wanted a Martini.”
    “Apple?” One of the others nodded enthusiastically “And you?” The quieter one had yet to speak.
    “Do you have a blender?” I looked to Mac who’d started chatting to Angus while watching me. She shook her head with a certain amount of pleasure. I wondered how pleased she would be when a blender turned up