Cherry Coloured - Alex Turner

20. Delete the Kisses

His hands were sticky when he pulled the lever of the tap. A rush of dark brown liquid came bubbling into the glass pint he held beneath the steady stream and swirled around until it reached the rim with a thick cream coloured foam. His attention saw through the glass to something completely out of sight as it had been all night. A quiet night at that. This has been the seventh beer he'd served thus far and the place was peaceful without the racket of an underdeveloped band playing on the empty stage. It was music to his ears.

  Alex stood alone behind the bar, tired, bored and obsessively checking his watch to see how long he had until he could go home. Internally, he cussed at Danny Rent, his mate who owned the place, for sacking one too many of the employees. Alex was happy to lend a hand, especially when it meant getting an extra twenty or so pounds a night to help his parents out, but it had gotten to the point where he no longer found himself 'filling in' and instead had realised that bartending at Rent's had become a reliable second job. He'd been working no less than three nights for the past five weeks and was starting to grow exhausted. The call of driving directly home after a nine-to-five had never been ringing louder.

He didn't think she was truely coming until he saw her walk in through the door. The empty bar gave him the remote pleasure of admiring her every move. She glanced around the empty tables and booth, noted the vacant stage, and then began walking towards him with her eyes deliberately trained to her side so she wouldn't have to acknowledge him until they were parted by no more than the wooden bench he was stationed behind. The warmth of a summer's night had influenced her choice of clothing, Alex could barely take his eyes off her collarbones as they eased in and out of her body with every breath she took. No coat accompanied her hand, proving that she didn't expect the weather to turn on her which provoked Alex to hope that it just might so that he may lend her his jacket to cover her shoulders just once.

Maeve's heart was drumming against her bones and throwing her off her usual composure. She knew he was there, she just didn't want to fold and look at him just yet. The anticipation built up like a house of cards on a day with soft wind currents. A man hailed Alex's attention before the two could greet one another, and requested a new beer as Maeve slyly slunk into one of the stools facing the liquor lined walls behind the bar.

From her peripheral, Maeve watched as Alex poured the dark beer out for the impatient customer. She could see him glance over at her every three seconds like he was checking his rear view mirror to make sure he wasn't being tailed. For the first time, Maeve felt her cheeks flush and had to snap her head in the other direction and pretend she was deciding what to order. Don't make a fool of yourself. Things had always been simpler for her when she didn't admit to herself that she was falling into an affection.

  "So," a low voice said, snatching up her attention. Alex was once again, standing before her, leaning on the wooden bar and hiding a dashing smirk with a layer of nerves. "What's it gonna be then eh?"

  Maeve scoffed, folded her legs, and leant foreword on the bench. Alex held his breath and swallowed hard. "Whiskey," she ordered and placed a note on the bench between them. "Pocket it, put it through, I don't care. Just don't refuse it."

Alex chuckled and picked up the note, popping it through the till and proceeded to wash his hands before he grabbed out her glass and filled it with a cherry-infused whiskey. He could feel Maeve watch his every move and jiggled his arse at her when he turned around to catch her off guard. Maeve let out a loud laugh and looked away from him to hide the colour flushing into her cheeks.

"That's my job," Maeve said and folded her arms.

"I'm auditioning," Alex grinned cheekily and placed the glass of whiskey in front of her. Before she could pick it up, Alex dropped a dessert cherry into the bronze liquid and then stepped back to admire his creation.