Page 31 of Fool Me Twice
Si ambled straight up to the bar, a warm smile on his face.“Going all right?”
“Yeah, cheers.Be with you in a mo—gotta finish serving this gent.”He nodded towards his current customer, a fresh-faced young lad who’d shown his ID without being asked.Zig’s hands worked on autopilot pouring the drinks, which was just as well as something seemed to have scrambled his brains and tied a knot in his guts.He had to double-check the card reader to make sure he hadn’t charged, like, a hundred times too much for a round of beers and one lime and soda.
Finally, he finished with the customer and could turn his full attention to Si.And his mates, who were now clustered around him like feds flanking a VIP.Zig kept his smile steady.“What can I do you for?”
It was the punk girl who answered.“Rum and Coke for me, Diet Coke for Adam, and Corin and Scratch’ll have a pint of Becket’s each.”
Zig cocked his head.“Scratch?Who’s Scratch when he’s at home?”
“Me, you wally,” Si butted in with a laugh.“It’s from me name, innit?Si Greczik.Scratchit.Scratch.S’what they called me at school.Sash thought it was fun when I told her.”
“Did she now?”Nobody got to laugh at Si.Nobody.
“You got a problem with that?”The punk girl—Sash?—had her hands on her leather-clad hips and was glaring like she’d deck Zig sooner than look at him.
Good job there was a nice thick expanse of bar between them.“Makes him sound like he’s got headlice, don’t it?”
She cocked her head.“Yeah?Cos I can only see one kind of parasite round here.”
Zig was suddenly one hundred percent convinced he wasn’t even a little bit bi.
“Sasha!”Si put a hand on her arm.“Be nice, all right?Zig’s an old mate, come to stay.”
“Oh, I knowexactlywho Zig is,” Sasha said, staring straight at Zig all the time.She didn’t actually do theI’m-watching-yougesture, but she didn’t have to.
Lucky for Zig he’d met plenty of people way scarier than her.“If I’m a parasite, how come I’m the one working here, while you take up my time and stop me serving the punters?”
“Sorry,” Si said, like it was him who needed to apologise.“You pour the drinks, and we’ll get out of your hair.”
Zig couldn’t help smiling at him.“No worries.Coming right up.”
He got their round ready, forgetting nothing cos he was a professional, all right?Sasha gave him a searching gaze and waved her credit card.“Add one for yourself,” she said grudgingly.
Huh.Well, two could play at that game.Zig flashed her his best smile.“Cheers.You have a good night.”
She raised a tattooed eyebrow.“I liked you better when you were giving me grief.”
She was so sharp she’d cut herself.Or someone, anyhow.Zig gave her a genuine grin.Maybe he was a bit bi, after all.“Sorry, love, catering to your kinks ain’t part of the job.”
Sasha cackled, then frowned, like she hadn’t meant to do that.
“Talk to you later?”Si said, and ushered his mates away.
Zig turned to the next customer.
Si was about to point out where there was a table available so they could make themselves comfortable, but Adam strode off to the far wall of the pub.They ended up standing by a pillar with a ledge to rest their drinks on.Si took a hefty gulp of his pint.He reckoned he’d need it.
“What was all that about?”Adam demanded, getting in Sasha’s face.
“What waswhatabout?”She narrowed her eyes.
Adam backed off, but his chin was still up.“You.Buying that bastard a drink.”
Si wasn’t having that.“Oi.Zig’s my mate, so no calling him names, all right?And Sasha can buy drinks for anyone she wants to.”
Corin darted glances between them, like he was worried it was about to start kicking off.
Sasha heaved a high-pitched sigh.“Si, I know that.Adam?We’re on the same side here, so calm your fucking tits.”
