Page 36 of The Ex Next Door
Suddenly every eye in the bar was on them. Amy wanted to shrink and disappear. Somehow, she hadn’t handled this right. She should have stopped serving him much earlier, but she thought she’d sound like a mom telling this grown man he had to stop drinking.
Why did grown men still need mothering?
“Who the hell died and left you in charge?” Paul stood.
Everything happened fast after that. It almost looked like Paul was flying, as if he didn’t need his legs because his body was propelled forward on its own. But it was Declan behind him, lifting him, carrying him, shoving him forward and out the door.
“Sorry about that,” said the designated driver before he shut the door.
“I’m sorry. I should have stopped serving him.”
“You didn’t know, now you do,” Declan said, his hand on her shoulder. “Areyouokay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Does Paul do this a lot?” He’d said Rob took his job, something she hadn’t heard about before and wondered whether it could be true.
“Seems to be only when he’s with his buddies that he gets tanked.”
“I’ll be ready for him next time.”
“Hope he left you a good tip. You deserve it after dealing with him.” Declan hooked his thumb back to the bar. “I better get back.”
The rest of the night went smoother, and a few of the patrons even asked if Amy was okay. A group of senior citizens called themselves the Almost Dead Poet Society and were among her biggest defenders. Amy knew all of them from the occasional poetry readings they performed at the Once Upon a Book store in town. Mr. Finch worked the register as a volunteer, and Amy was a regular who probably kept them in business. Naomi devoured books.
“I saw Declan propel him out that front door like he had wings,” Patty Villanueva, Valerie’s aunt, said.
“Declan is the one you want in this kind of situation,” Mr. Finch said. “He won’t tolerate that kind of behavior.”
Of course, they all wanted to know how Amy was doing after “that Rob” left her.
“I’m glad to see you working here,” Lois, Mr. Finch’s wife, said. “You’ll meet someone new in no time at all.”
“Honey,” Mr. Finch said. “Maybe she shouldn’t be in a rush. Take your time, dear.”
“You’ll need someone who loves children, of course.”Mrs. Villanueva dug through her purse. “I’m sure I knowsomeone.”
It had come to this now, Amy getting fixed up by these cute senior citizens.
“That’s okay, I’m going to sign up for those dating apps when I’m ready.”
“The dating apps?” Mrs. Villanueva went hand to heart. “Oh no, you’re liable to meet a serial killer!”
“Or one of those people who pretend they’re someone they’re not,” Lois said. “Like a prince.”
“Anything else I can get you?” Amy said brightly, after serving their soda and iced tea.
She had to keep moving even if her feet were slowly assassinating her.
As usual, Declan’s inspirational talk later that night made her feel as though she’d provided Paul with a valuable service instead of being the one to serve him one too many. Debbie complained about tips, as was her habit, and Declan made her feel better.
“If someone drinks too much? Your own damn fault. I ain’t your mama. We provide a service here but it’s not day care.”
“But I know him,” Amy had said. “He lost his job and he said it was because of Rob.”
“I seriously doubt that,” Debbie said. “Some drunks have a way of feeling sorry for themselves and then it’s everybody else’s fault.”
“Debbie’s not wrong,” Declan said.
He’d heard it all since working here.
