Page 52 of Love Potion

Lowen nods again, spreading papers over the bar top. “I worked on our budget this morning. Our profits are much higher than we expected when we first did our projections, so we can afford it without affecting our operating budget.”

“How many people and what positions?” Indy asks.

“I was thinking one dishwasher and three servers,” Lowen says. “But if we need a barback we can work that in.”

“I agree with Salem,” Jerryn says. “I think we need an additional bartender during the week to give Florian and Jax time off, plus a barback.”

Lowen nods, scrawling notes on his papers. “So for the university job fair, I think we post the barback and server positions. Those have the most flexible hours for students. For the bartender, we can post on the industry job boards, and for the dishwasher position, we’ve had good luck posting locally in town.”

“Works for me,” Indy says.

“I think Florian might know some people interested in the bartender position,” I say. “He mentioned it a couple of weeks ago.”

“Even better.” Lowen writes that down too. “Salem, are you up for being the face of Moby’s again?”

“Sure thing.”

“I’ll go too,” Indy says, gazing at his man. “When is it?”

“Two weeks from tomorrow. I’ll reply to the school and let them know to count us in and then I’ll forward any new details to you both.”

“Perfect,” Indy says, wrapping his arm around Salem as they walk off.

Ridley heads to the bar to pour himself a glass of ice water, and as Jerryn goes to the patio to unstack chairs, I pause to chat with Ridley.

“Hey, man.” Ridley bites down on a piece of ice. “What’s good?”

“Everything.” I glance at the patio.

“Yeah?” He leans against the counter. “Did you finally decide to shit or get off the pot?”

I laugh. “Kind of. I’m not really sure how it went down, to be honest, but we finally talked.”

His eyes go wide. “And? Don’t leave me hanging, man.”

“I think we’re gonna date.” Just saying the words makes my stomach flutter. “But don’t make a big deal. We said we’d let everyone know as it comes up, but I felt like I needed to tell you since it was your advice that kickstarted me.”

He mimes zipping his lips. “Won’t say a word, but I sure am happy for you.”

“Thanks. We’re taking it slow, but it’s progress.”

“So if the room is rocking, I won’t bother knocking.”

His comment makes me glad Jerryn isn’t close by. It’s not Ridley’s fault. We joke about sex all the time, and fuck knows there’s plenty of it happening in the house at all times. I can’t help but wonder if it makes Jerryn uncomfortable sometimes, but if it does, he never says anything about it. Maybe he’s usedto it in a sex-obsessed society, but the last thing I want is our friends thinking of Jerr in a sexual way. Call me protective, but it is what it is.

“It’s not like that, Rid.”

Ridley frowns slightly, but he nods. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to be crude.”

“It’s okay, but…” I shrug. It’s hard to talk about it without telling things that aren’t mine to tell.

“It’s cool.” He pats my shoulder. “You don’t want me talking about your man like that. I get it.” He smiles. “No disrespect.”

“Thanks,” I mumble. “He’s private about certain things.”

“You don’t say? I may have picked up on that in the last twenty years.”

“Right.”

---