Read Online Because the Night (The Night Songs Collection) by Kristen Strassel - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kristen Strassel
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light. He smiled when he saw us approach and came up from behind the bar to exchange one of those fancy handshake slash chest bump thingies with Blade.
“Jack, this is Callie,” Blade introduced me, and Jack smiled warmly as he shook my hand. He had the appropriate amount of body heat and I let out a sigh of relief. I hadn’t expected to find someone living and breathing here. Maybe this place wouldn’t be all undead patrons and blood martinis.
“Blade tells me you have a ton of restaurant experience and you’re looking for a job.”
“I’ve worked in my mom’s restaurant for years. But it’s not a bar. Do you guys serve food?”
“We don’t have a big eating clientele.” Jack smiled and Blade rolled his eyes. “And we can teach you to make the drinks. What does your schedule look like?”
“Wide open. Just one little thing. I don’t drive.”
He looked down at my application. “One of other bartenders, Lennon, lives in your complex. I can ask if she wouldn’t mind giving you a lift. Or the bus will bring you here.”
“That would be awesome.” This was so easy, I had to wonder if it was too good to be true.
“I’d be pairing you up with her anyway for training. You can start this weekend. Do you have any questions?”
“I don’t know. Is there anything I should be asking you?” Like, ‘what’s the catch?’
“We have a very specialized clientele here. A lot of people think they can handle being in such close contact with our patrons, but they can’t. They see too much, then freak out and leave. I want you to be comfortable here. If you have any concerns, you can come to me.”
Blade and I walked out hand in hand into the late afternoon sun. “Thanks for hooking me up.” I stopped so I could kiss him.
“No problem.” He wrapped his arms around me and I leaned against Molly to let him return the kiss. “I’m so glad you stayed.”
**
“Are you sure this is legit?” Janelle asked as I pulled my hair back in preparation for my first shift. “I’ve never heard of this place.”
“Whatever it is, it’s definitely a bar. I don’t care who goes there. It’s a job. I thought you knew everything about the vampires?”
“I specialize in Immortal Dilemma.” She sounded a bit condescending.
I was starting to think Janelle needed me more than I needed her in Operation Tristan.
She shrugged and leaned against the bathroom door. “I rely a lot on the fans for news, too. I can’t be everywhere at once. And honestly, other vampires just don’t matter to me.”
I waited outside for Lennon. An unfamiliar beat up Toyota pulled up in front of my building. The girl driving craned her neck to squint at the house numbers. She stopped in front of my building, waved at me, and rolled down the window as I approached the car.
“Hi, are you Lennon?”
She was a pretty girl, with multicolored curled hair caught up in an old fashioned style fastened by a flower. Her red lipsticked lips broke into a wide welcoming smile. Most of the rest of her face was covered by oversized sunglasses with crystals along the side of the lenses.
“Yes! You must be Callie! Hop in.” She pulled away from the curb, jerking and fast, before I even had a chance to fasten my seatbelt. “So how long have you known Jack?”
“Just for the interview. He’s a friend of Blade, the guy I’m seeing. I just moved here like now.” I didn’t know how to explain what I was doing here.
She raised an eyebrow at me. “Seriously? From the way Jack was talking, I thought you guys were old friends. He speaks pretty highly of you.” Lennon wove in and out of traffic, hitting the brake at the last possible second before we rear ended the car in front of us.
I clutched the door handle and my foot hit the imaginary brake the whole way to Embrace.
“How long have you known Blade?” she asked. I couldn’t tell if she was just trying to be nice and make small talk, or if she was seriously interested.
“About a week.
“Jack, this is Callie,” Blade introduced me, and Jack smiled warmly as he shook my hand. He had the appropriate amount of body heat and I let out a sigh of relief. I hadn’t expected to find someone living and breathing here. Maybe this place wouldn’t be all undead patrons and blood martinis.
“Blade tells me you have a ton of restaurant experience and you’re looking for a job.”
“I’ve worked in my mom’s restaurant for years. But it’s not a bar. Do you guys serve food?”
“We don’t have a big eating clientele.” Jack smiled and Blade rolled his eyes. “And we can teach you to make the drinks. What does your schedule look like?”
“Wide open. Just one little thing. I don’t drive.”
He looked down at my application. “One of other bartenders, Lennon, lives in your complex. I can ask if she wouldn’t mind giving you a lift. Or the bus will bring you here.”
“That would be awesome.” This was so easy, I had to wonder if it was too good to be true.
“I’d be pairing you up with her anyway for training. You can start this weekend. Do you have any questions?”
“I don’t know. Is there anything I should be asking you?” Like, ‘what’s the catch?’
“We have a very specialized clientele here. A lot of people think they can handle being in such close contact with our patrons, but they can’t. They see too much, then freak out and leave. I want you to be comfortable here. If you have any concerns, you can come to me.”
Blade and I walked out hand in hand into the late afternoon sun. “Thanks for hooking me up.” I stopped so I could kiss him.
“No problem.” He wrapped his arms around me and I leaned against Molly to let him return the kiss. “I’m so glad you stayed.”
**
“Are you sure this is legit?” Janelle asked as I pulled my hair back in preparation for my first shift. “I’ve never heard of this place.”
“Whatever it is, it’s definitely a bar. I don’t care who goes there. It’s a job. I thought you knew everything about the vampires?”
“I specialize in Immortal Dilemma.” She sounded a bit condescending.
I was starting to think Janelle needed me more than I needed her in Operation Tristan.
She shrugged and leaned against the bathroom door. “I rely a lot on the fans for news, too. I can’t be everywhere at once. And honestly, other vampires just don’t matter to me.”
I waited outside for Lennon. An unfamiliar beat up Toyota pulled up in front of my building. The girl driving craned her neck to squint at the house numbers. She stopped in front of my building, waved at me, and rolled down the window as I approached the car.
“Hi, are you Lennon?”
She was a pretty girl, with multicolored curled hair caught up in an old fashioned style fastened by a flower. Her red lipsticked lips broke into a wide welcoming smile. Most of the rest of her face was covered by oversized sunglasses with crystals along the side of the lenses.
“Yes! You must be Callie! Hop in.” She pulled away from the curb, jerking and fast, before I even had a chance to fasten my seatbelt. “So how long have you known Jack?”
“Just for the interview. He’s a friend of Blade, the guy I’m seeing. I just moved here like now.” I didn’t know how to explain what I was doing here.
She raised an eyebrow at me. “Seriously? From the way Jack was talking, I thought you guys were old friends. He speaks pretty highly of you.” Lennon wove in and out of traffic, hitting the brake at the last possible second before we rear ended the car in front of us.
I clutched the door handle and my foot hit the imaginary brake the whole way to Embrace.
“How long have you known Blade?” she asked. I couldn’t tell if she was just trying to be nice and make small talk, or if she was seriously interested.
“About a week.
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