A Bar Tender Tale by Melanie Tushmore Page A

and flopped back under his covers, keeping the futon down as he snuggled in to watch the film
    Just as the Doors were playing on the opening credits, Nathan’s phone buzzed with a message. He spilled his cola over the bed as he scrabbled for it but he didn’t care.

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    “Yes, it’s Auryn. I’m impressed you spelt it right! You’re up early? XX.”
    Nathan’s face broke into a grin. This was promising.
    And he’d been upgraded to two kisses! The joys of decoding text speak. He didn’t care about waiting or playing it cool right now; he replied straight away: “I’m not up, actually. I’m in bed. I can send you a picture if you want?” This time he added on a winking face with his XO’s.
    After he’d sent the message he panicked that maybe he was being too pushy again. He was only teasing after all.
    Well. Mostly….
    It was almost four minutes before he got a reply, and that was a long time to spend worrying if you’d said the wrong thing.
    “I’m not sure what to say to that, Nathan! I’ve got a meeting with my boss and a client in a minute and you’ve got me all flustered! XXX.”
    Nathan snorted a laugh at his phone. Oh well, it was worth a shot. At least he had three kisses now. He brought his flirting down a notch and replied with a cheeky promise but kept it light. He supposed it wasn’t really fair to Auryn if he was trying to concentrate on work. They texted a couple more times, then he said he had to go. Nathan reluctantly let him, settling back to watch the film with a happy, floating feeling inside.
    He did send a message to Gary however, saying,
    “Cheers, Cilla!” in comic reference to Gary inadvertently setting him up with a date. He also sent a reply to his sister, A Bar Tender Tale | Melanie Tushmore 85
    who was checking up on him, and a reply to Tazz telling him to mind his own business, followed by a winking face.
    None of them would be up this early though.

    AFTER the film was finished, Nathan had his shower and started getting ready for work. Friday was his dreaded double shift: six hours at Tequila Mocking Bar and then six hours at Rainbow’s.
    However he didn’t feel as fed up today. Even less so when Auryn texted him again later, asking when they could meet up.
    Nathan was sorry to say he was working all weekend.
    Sunday evening and Monday daytime was his next available break. Looked like it would be three whole days until he saw Auryn.
    I can’t last that long!
    Nathan texted out to his colleagues at Rainbow’s, asking if anyone would swap a weekend shift with him. It was unlikely. Usually everyone wanted the weekend off. Nathan had never been bothered until now, seeing as his supposed other half lived the life of Riley—every day was a weekend for Danny.
    Hm, still nothing from him, Nathan thought. The dimwit had more than likely lost his phone. Nathan thought about calling to check, but the urge wasn’t really there anymore.
    Oh well! He left his phone on the bed as he cranked up the stereo. Today called for some sleazy surf rock. The Cramps’ opening guitar licks to “You Got Good Taste” A Bar Tender Tale | Melanie Tushmore 86
    blasted through his bedsit as Nathan got ready in the bathroom. He squeezed out pomade onto two plastic combs and worked them through his damp hair in front of the mirror while bopping his body to the music. This was the only way to do your hair, like Kenickie did in Grease, with two combs and a thick pomade.
    “Whoooo hoo !” Nathan swept the combs out then pointed one at the mirror as he sang, “And that’s good taste!” Nothing could spoil his mood today. He rubbed and spritzed his body with all his best lotions and cologne; anything to combat the sweat that would undoubtedly appear near the end of twelve hours behind a bar.
    When he started with a day shift he didn’t usually put on makeup, but today he wanted some sparkle. Nathan dusted a little silver shimmer across his eyelids, thinking he