Love, Inherited

Ch. 9 "Viva Las Vegas!"

Hayden threw on a pair of jean cut off shorts, a black tank, and her red cowboy boots. She did a mantra and let it all go. Everything. Tonight was about getting out and having a blast with Star, umm, Christie. Whoever she was, whatever Hayden was going to call her, it didn't matter. What mattered was having her first girls night in forever. 

Down at the bar things were quiet. The staff were wiping down tables and placing chairs upside down on them. Hayden blinked twice and walked over to the bar where Star was cashing out an orange tinted man in a Hawaiian shirt. When he got his change, he winked at her and slipped her a dollar, along with a business card she promptly threw into the trash the minute he turned around.

"What gives Star?  I thought we were going to have drinks?  Looks like the bars closing up!"

Star waited until the bright orange man walked out of the bar to answer. As soon as he left, Tye placed a closed sign on the door and let out a loud boisterous "Ohhhhh yeahh!"

The entire staff responded with a chant!

"Closed Door Open Bar."

Tye stood on the pool table and Star placed a giant tray of frosted beer mugs on the bar. He ripped off his apron, cleared his throat, and at the top of his lungs yelled:

"What time is it?"

The entire staff came charging to the bar, each grabbing a cold mug. A girl in micro shorts with pink hair and a blue bandana handed a mug to Tye.

"Mail Call". They all chanted in return.

Star rang a cow bell behind the bar and everyone stopped mid lift to glare her way.

"Sorry peeps. We've got a newbie!  It's Hayden's first time behind the scenes. She's a tap time virgin!"

Hayden stood mouth hanging open, checks feeling like they'd ignite any minute, waiting for the joke reveal. But everyone in the room circled her. She had visions of cult activity and was expecting a Dixie cup of kool aid any minute.

Star handed her a frosted beer mug. It's coolness taking some of the heat away from her. It wasn't kool aid, but still she looked at it with the same side glance she'd give a viper named friendly.

"Hayden. You are now the owner of this fine establishment. But, you are not the boss during tap time. Dee set this up her very first month here. We are free to do, say, spill, share, say and do whatever we want without fear of retribution. As are you!  As was Dee. This is Vegas Night. Whatever is said or happens never leaves this room."

The staff all gave a rowdy "whoop whoop". Followed by "oath, oath, oath!!"

Star held out a large knife. Hayden felt sweat run a path down her back. She tried stepping back, but found herself run right into Tye's muscled chest.  Star stepped closer and continued her speech.

"Do you, Hayden Holt, swear to uphold the laws of this ceremony. Leaving your title on the other side of the door and coming in as an equal?  Preserving the sanctity of our greatest weekly tradition and telling no one of its content or existence?"

Hayden only paused because she was concentrating on the knife in Star's hand. But seeing the smirky grind on the faces of the staff she felt like a member of Coyote Ugly. She raised her mug and gave an enthusiastic "hell yeah!"

Star handed her the knife and the room went completely silent. A tray was brought from the back with a sheet over it. Beneath the sheet was something tall and pointy. For a moment Hayden envisioned a head and felt herself hyperventilating.  When Tye removed the sheet a giant pineapple was sitting in a silver platter.

"You must slice the pineapple to seal your sacred vow!"

Hayden giggled as she handed Tye her beer mug and grabbed the knife with both hands plunging it into the center of the pineapple. Juice splattered down the tray and ran down her hands and arms. The bar burst into cheers and applause. The jukebox started playing and everyone began drinking.

Star sidled up next to her and they clinked their mugs together in cheer. Hayden grabbed Star by the arm and yelled into her ear. 

"That was intense!" 

"Of course it was. This is serious stuff. We bare our souls in here. Next comes mail call, that's where Dee used to read all your letters. Then bitch fest, then we just chill until we stagger home to start tomorrow pretending none of it ever happened."

Hayden finished her drink while the pink haired girl "Chelsea" read a letter from her brother back home. Star read a letter from her former girlfriend declaring their break up to be a huge mistake. And Tye read a love poem one of the spring break girls had written him on both sides of a bar napkin.

By the time mail call and bitchfest were over Hayden felt completely comfortable and slightly woozy from the never ending flow of free beer.  Dancing began and she found herself in the middle of her very first line dance.

She was warm, and sweaty and having the best time of her entire life. When she got back to her table and chugged the remaining beer in her mug she felt the beer, the excitement, and the jet lag hit her like a punch in the face. Her legs wobbled and the room had a wicked spin to it.  She cursed herself for her lack of pacing. She did want to be just one of the gang, but she also wanted to keep a good reputation. Being the staggering drunk boss at the party was not a good first impression.

She did the most professional thing she could think of, and called Tye over to her table.

"I need to get back to my room.  Preferably without people seeing me stumble. It's the jet lag. And, the beer. Can you help me Tye? Please?"

Tye gave her a mega smile. "Can I have a raise?"

She tried to frown at him but her face had other plans and ended up making a fish face instead. "No!"

He sat next to her in the chair and put his hand on her arm. "I'm just kidding. Of course I'll help you. But I'm going to need your boot."

"My boot?  Gross Tye, I don't want to know about your fettish's!!"

"Ha ha Hayden. We can say you sprain your ankle, just to get you out the door.  Then once were out of the bar it doesn't matter if you wobble."

Hayden kissed him on the lips. Then jumped back at her invasion of his personal space. "I'm so sorry, I just got excited because you're a genius!"

He waggled his eyebrows and winked. "I get that a lot. No biggie. This is Vegas remember?"

They made a rather unnoticed exit by walking behind the bar. Her center of gravity was eased by leaning on Tye to stop the floor from spinning. As he put his arm around her for balance she lay her head on his chest waiting for the elevator door to close.

As the doors slowly slid closed she looked up, and straight into the eyes of Warren Williams, whose perfect face held a sad expression that looked as though he had been picked last for dodgeball. Hayden lifted her arm to stop everything and explain, just as the doors closed.

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Funnest chapter to write ever!! I want this to happen to me. Not my crush seeing a skewed picture of me in another guys arms, but that initiation at the bar??? YES. Someone please make me stab a pineapple with a large knife in solidarity!!!!