Page 26 of Boards & Betrayal

We fell into an easy silence for a moment before she broke it again.

"So, what brings you here tonight? You don’t seem like the regular type."

I took another sip of my drink, considering how much to reveal. “Rough night at work,” I finally said.

Her eyes softened slightly. “I get that. Sometimes it’s good to just escape for a bit.”

“Yeah,” I agreed quietly. “Sometimes it is.”

I watched her as she moved around the bar, her black pants hugging her legs just right, and a simple white shirt that contrasted with her auburn hair. The way she moved was efficient, yet there was a grace to it—like she was dancing through a routine she'd perfected over countless nights.

"You know," she drawled, catching my eye as she reached for another rag. "If you're so fascinated by what I do, I can teach you. I will warn you, though. Wiping down a bar takes precision."

"Does it now?" I asked, amused despite myself.

"Absolutely," she said with a mock-serious nod. "It's an art form. You need the right amount of pressure and the perfect circular motion. Otherwise, you just end up smearing everything around."

"I think I can handle it," I replied, leaning against the bar with a smirk. "I've dealt with worse."

She laughed, a genuine sound that cut through the haze of whiskey in my mind. "Oh really? Like what?"

"Like trying to get a bunch of college kids to skate like they actually care about winning," I said, the frustration from earlier creeping back into my voice.

"Ah, so you're a coach," she said, her eyes lighting up with interest. "That explains the intense vibe."

"Intense?" I raised an eyebrow.

She shrugged again, tossing the rag over her shoulder and leaning against the bar across from me. "Yeah, you've got that look. Like you're always thinking three steps ahead."

"I guess that's part of the job," I admitted.

"Must be exhausting," she said thoughtfully.

"It can be," I agreed, taking another sip of my drink. "But it's worth it when they actually listen and pull off something amazing."

"And when they don't?" she asked.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Then it's nights like this."

She nodded understandingly. "Well, if you ever need a break from all that intensity, you know where to find me."

"I might just take you up on that," I said, surprised by how much I meant it.

"Good," she replied with a wink. "But don't think I'm going to let you slack off on your first bartending lesson."

"I wouldn't dream of it," I said, feeling more at ease than I had in months.

The banter flowed naturally between us as we continued talking—about everything and nothing at all. For the first time in a long while, I felt a flicker of something that wasn't anger or regret.

Maybe this night wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Show me," I said, leaning against the bar with a smirk.

"Show you... what?" she asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

"How precise wiping down a bar can be," I replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh no," she said, shaking her head with a playful grin. "I don't show. I instruct. Come on." She waved me over.

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