Amanda walked over to me with a small, smile. She gave me a light hug; it was quick, but kind and she said,
"I tried my best yesterday, Lisa. But you were amazing! I really think you have talent. Who knows, maybe we'll end up learning from you too."
I smiled back, feeling a little shy. I didn't know what to say, so I just nodded, hoping my face didn't look too red.
"Good morning, Lisa," Nora said as she dropped her bag loudly onto the table.
"Morning, Nora," I replied, settling into a nearby chair.
"We better get moving," Harris called out from behind the counter. He opened the freezer, the cold air rising up in little clouds as he pulled out a pack of meat. "Sir Ivan will be here soon."
Nora dug through her bag, looking flustered, like someone searching for treasure.
"Amanda... I forgot the keys to the ladies' department," she said, but the little smirk on her face gave her away. She was definitely lying.
Amanda rolled her eyes playfully. "No worries, Nora. We'll just use Harris's department."
"Use what?" Harris turned around, a kettle in his hand, water sloshing inside.
"Stop torturing each other," Nora laughed, pulling out a set of keys she had the whole time. "I had them! Sorry, Lisa, you'll get used to this. We're like real brothers and sisters around here."
I covered my mouth to hide a laugh. They were all so lively; it made the place feel less scary.
Amanda leaned closer, her voice a little softer. "Tomorrow's Saturday. I'll be on night shift with Nora. There are five of us girls here. Me, Nora, you, and two others; Rachel and Bonita. They're on night shift right now."
"Tell her about 'Botsie,'" Harris cut in from across the room, grinning.
I blinked, confused. Botsie?
Amanda laughed and waved her hand. "Oh, Harris just means Bonita. That's her nickname. She's a little wild, but you'll see when you meet her. She's a lot of fun once you get to know her."
As Amanda talked, my mind drifted away. I kept thinking about the boy next door. His voice, his messy hair, the way he looked when he was fixing his guitar... It was hard to focus.
A pause hung in the air, and I realized Amanda was waiting for me to say something. I quickly blinked back to the moment.
"So... you don't get along with Bonita?" I asked, my voice a little unsure.
Amanda shrugged, her smile turning a little tight. "I don't know why. But you'll find out soon enough."
Just then, Nora walked back in, already dressed in her bar uniform. She twirled once, showing off the fit.
"Let's go," Amanda said. "Time to change."
We headed to the back. In the locker room, I went straight to the bathroom while Amanda started unpacking her things.
When I came out, Amanda was already dressed, and she looked neat in her uniform with her hair tied up, ready to work.
"Be quick, Lisa," she said, already halfway out the door. "Sir Ivan will be here any minute."
"I will!" I promised.
I hurried. I shoved my bag into my locker, pulled out the clean uniform, and started changing. I had just slipped my head through the shirt when I heard it. There was a soft voice calling my name, almost like a breath in my ear.
"Lisa..."
I froze, my heart jumping up to my throat. I looked around, but there was no one there.
"Amanda?" I called, my voice shaking a little.
No answer.
"Amanda? Are you still here?" I said again, louder this time, but there was silence.
I stood there for a second, feeling stupid. Maybe I was just tired. Or maybe my mind was still stuck on the boy next door. His voice... his song... maybe I was imagining things.
I shook my head hard, trying to clear the strange feeling, and quickly finished dressing. I didn't want to be alone in that room any longer.
When I stepped back into the bar, Sir Ivan was just walking in, and he looked serious. Amanda and Nora were busy at the shelves, arranging the bottles neatly. Harris wiped glasses at the counter with his sleeves rolled up.
Sir Ivan's sharp eyes swept the room. "Lisa, take over what Amanda was doing. Amanda, set up the cocktail station. We've got a mojito special today; make sure there's enough mint and limes ready."
"Got it!" Amanda said brightly. She moved fast, grabbing what she needed. Her hands flew over the counter, picking mint leaves, cutting limes. she was fast and sure, like she had done it a thousand times.
I slipped behind the bar, picking up where she left off, my hands a little shaky but willing to work.
Today was just beginning.
And something told me it was going to be far from ordinary.
Sir Ivan stood tall near the counter, his sharp eyes scanning the bar like a hawk. His voice was low and kind enough when he spoke to Nora.
"Nora, can you handle the beer taps?" he asked, his hand resting lightly on the bar. "Make sure we're stocked up on the local brews. The last thing we need is to run out during happy hour."
Nora nodded quickly, brushing a stray hair from her face.
"Got it, Sir," she said, already moving toward the taps with a focused look.
Ivan's gaze shifted to me next. His face was serious but not angry.
"Lisa, keep arranging the bottles for now. But be quick about it. After that, wipe down all the tables and chairs, make sure there's no dust," he said.
"Okay, Sir. I'll be quick," I replied, trying to sound strong, even though my hands were already sweating a little.
He gave a short nod, then turned toward Harris, who was busy stacking glasses neatly on the shelf.
"Harris," Ivan called, his tone a little sharper now. "Have you started roasting the meat?"
Harris looked up, a little startled.
"Not yet. I wanted to finish with the glasses first," he said, wiping his hands on a towel.
"Leave the glasses. They can wait," Ivan said firmly, waving his hand. "Go roast the meat now. We don't have time."
Without another word, Harris dropped the towel and disappeared into the kitchen, the door swinging behind him.
Just then, the bar door creaked open, and a group of customers walked in, their laughter filling the room like the morning sun. Boots thudded against the wooden floor, and chairs scraped back as they found seats.
I felt my heart pick up. Another busy day was starting.
Sir Ivan gave one last look around, then marched off toward his office, his shoes tapping loudly on the floor.
It was just us now; Amanda, Nora, Harris in the kitchen, and me. The bar buzzed with noise and the smell of fresh coffee. I could also smell bacon frying and eggs sizzling, making my stomach growl.
I hurried around, wiping down tables and lining up chairs neatly. As I moved, I caught sight of Amanda heading toward the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron.
"Hey, Harris, can you throw some sausages on the grill for table five?" she called as she pushed the kitchen door open.
"Already on it!" Harris yelled back, though his voice was muffled behind the hiss and pop of cooking meat.
"They just got to wait a minute!" he added.
Amanda reappeared a second later, balancing a plate loaded with bacon and eggs, moving fast but careful toward the tables.
Outside the windows, the sun climbed higher, painting everything in a bright, golden light. More and more customers were coming in, filling the place with noise and life.
Near the bar, Nora was holding her ground against some early drinkers. I could hear her clear voice standing firm.
"Sorry, guys. No whiskey till noon," she said with a smile that didn't leave room for arguments. "But how about a nice hot coffee or some fresh orange juice instead?"
I kept wiping tables, pretending not to watch, but really, my ears were wide open. I couldn't help but wonder; why not just sell them the whiskey? They were willing to pay, weren't they?
One man in particular caught my attention. He was older, with gray beard on his chin and I wondered if he could even blink. He leaned heavily on the counter, looking at Nora like she was his last hope.
"Aw, come on, Nora!" he whined, his voice rough like gravel. "Just a little whiskey... even a drop. Help an old man start his day off right."
Nora laughed, a soft laugh that made the corners of her eyes wrinkle. She reached over and patted his shoulder like he was a stubborn little brother.
"Not till noon, Joe," she said playfully, and she was serious. "But I'll tell you what, I'll bring you one of our special breakfast burritos. It's so good, it'll put hair on your chest!"
Joe threw his head back and groaned dramatically.
"Don't treat me like a schoolboy, Nora! I'm a big man," he said, puffing up his chest. "I'll pay double for the whiskey, I swear!"
Nora just gave him a wink and turned away to help another customer, leaving Joe grumbling under his breath but smiling all the same.
I shook my head, hiding a smile as I went back to my work. This place really did feel like a family; a noisy, stubborn, funny family.
And somehow, I already felt like I was becoming a part of it.
I was busy wiping down the last few chairs when I felt the man's eyes on me. His stare was heavy, like a weight pressing on my back. I straightened up, forcing a small, polite smile as I tucked the cloth into my apron.
He leaned on the counter with one elbow, his old leather jacket creaking as he moved. His wrinkled face twisted into a half-smile.
"Hey. You..." he said, pointing a rough finger at me. "You look like a new one."
He paused, as if thinking hard, then chuckled under his breath.
"Are you enjoying the chaos?" he asked, his voice low and scratchy, like he'd smoked for years.
I remembered Amanda's words; always be friendly with the customers, she had said. So, I laughed a little, light and easy, hoping to sound cheerful.
"I'm loving it so far," I said, setting the last chair in place. "Though honestly, I've never seen so many people drinking coffee at once!"
The old man frowned, his bushy eyebrows pulling together like two angry caterpillars.
"Coffee?" he repeated, almost like it was an insult.
He shook his head, and a crooked grin spread across his face.
"Let's talk about whiskey, and then you can correct that little mistake of yours," he said, tapping the table with a thick finger.
I laughed softly, playing along.
"Oh really?" I asked, wiping my hands on my apron.
He nodded eagerly.
"Yes, of course. Now, how about you bring me a nice bottle of whiskey? I'll pay double for it," he said, his eyes twinkling like he had just thought up the greatest idea in the world.
I froze for a split second, unsure what to do. Slowly, I turned my head toward Nora. She was wiping the taps but looked up just in time to catch my eye. Her look was sharp and clear; Don't you dare. She shook her head slightly and raised one eyebrow, warning me.
I turned back to the old man with an apologetic smile.
Before I could say anything, he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a rough whisper.
"You know... you look familiar," he said, squinting at me.
I felt my heart skip.
"Yeah," he said, tapping his forehead as if trying to wake up a memory. "You're that girl from Charles Marvin's case, aren't you? The suspect."
The cloth slipped from my hand, falling to the floor without a sound. I could barely breathe.
He smirked when he saw my reaction.
"Don't worry, kid," he said, his voice low and a little too relaxed. "Charles Marvin is going to be out of the hospital real soon. And when he is..." His eyes darkened, and his grin faded into something colder. "He's coming after every werewolf in this town, one by one."
I opened my mouth to say something, but at that exact moment the sound of breaking china rang out from the kitchen, sharp and unexpectedly, cutting through the air like a whip. Everyone in the bar flinched and turned their heads.