Baby Love (29 page)

I put my coat on and gave Preston a kiss goodnight.  As I walked to the parking garage I saw headlights coming around the curve near our spaces.  It was Trey's Mercedes.  I was at a loss as to whether I should wait around until after he parked his car and got out in case he wanted to talk to me before I left. My instincts told me that nothing had changed.  Once he had parked his car on the other side of mine, I backed out and headed out of the garage without looking back.

A tear threatened to spill as I pulled into traffic.  I could understand his initial anger that I had done this without discussing it with him even though I knew darned well he would have nixed the idea and I likely would have done it anyway.

I just couldn't understand him taking his anger to these limits.  The silent treatment was worse than arguing.  When we argued at least we still had the lines of communication going.  The silent treatment seemed emotionally abusive to me.

I filed that away for future reference.  I had given Trey the silent treatment a few times over the course of our relationship and marriage.  It had never lasted more than a few hours or so.  This had been going on for several days.  I made a mental note that if we ever started talking again and functioning as a married couple, I would never give him the silent treatment again. 

Once at the club I busied myself with learning how to enter the drink tabs into the computerized register.  It was not that difficult.  I was working with bar with a bartender named Eddie.  He looked to be in his mid-thirties, totally cute and totally gay.  He assured me that if I got stuck on a drink I hadn't made before to let him know he knew them all.  I asked him how long he had been working at the Sanctuary.

"Six months," he replied, "But honey I started mixing drinks for my mommy at the ripe age of seven.  She was all about the latest trendy drinks, you know?  Let's see there was the 'fuzzy navel,' 'banana daiquiri,' 'tequila sunrise.'  She'd reward me by letting me make myself a 'Kamikaze' or two."

"Really?  At seven years old?"

"Oh yeah," he giggled, "I was a full blown alcoholic at twelve.  My father finally grew a pair and got custody of me.  I spent two months in rehab.  I haven't had a drink since.  Oh, I smoke the occasional blunt you know, but that's the extent of it."

"So it doesn't bother you working around all of this?"

"Not a bit honey.  Great way to meet guys too," he winked.

CHAPTER 22

Gina would be managing the downstairs bars.  There were three of them.  The entertainment for tonight was going to be another '80's knock-off band that Ian had already booked called, "Parachute Pants."  They were setting up and practicing when I had arrived.

By 9:30 the upstairs was getting crowded.  The band had started playing and the club was filling up.  Gina phoned up and asked if Eddie and I were doing okay; she acted as a floater if one of the bars got slammed for a period of time.  She also covered breaks for the bartenders.  I told her that we were holding our own for the time being.  Suddenly she started laughing.

"O-M-G girlfriend, guess who just walked in the door down here?"

Of course she didn't give me the opportunity to respond.

"The Hot Nazi with his hot brother and some chick with long, blond hair draped between them."

(Shit!  Trey, Tristan and Libby - great!)

"Don't worry; they're taking a table down here.  I guess I'll go over and greet them properly.  Call down here if you guys get slammed up there and I'll come up to help.  Cha-Ching!!"

Why the hell was Trey here after he had been so furious with me for investing?

"You okay honey?" Eddie asked as he filled one of the waitress's trays with draft beers for a table of college guys sitting nearby.

"Yeah I'm okay.  Gina called to say that if we get slammed to be sure and call down for help."

"You are doing excellent Tylar for an amateur by the way."

"Thanks, Eddie."

Just then a couple of guys sat down at the bar and made no secret of perusing me from head to toe.  They were nice looking; well dressed in business suits.  They appeared to have gone out after work for happy hour and then decided to make a night of it.

"So what's your specialty drink tonight honey?" the one with the raven black hair and dark brown eyes asked.

He was smiling at me showing straight, white teeth and a rakish look.  I greeted both of them placing cocktail napkins in front of them and handing out our drink menus.

"It's all good here," I replied smiling.  "Do either of you want to start a tab?"

"Here let me Ryan," the other guy said, pulling a credit card from his wallet for me to keep. 

It was club policy.  Ryan's friend was probably about the same age with very blond hair and pale blue eyes.

Ryan looked up from the drink menu and ordered a Captain Morgan and water; his buddy whose name turned out to be Andy ordered a bourbon and coke.  I noticed they both wore expensive watches like Trey's.

By 10:30 the bar was full and most of the tables on the mezzanine were as well.  The band had been playing for an hour and took their first break of the evening.  I was glad when they did as the music made it difficult to hear.  I was handling the bar; Eddie handled the drink orders from the floor waiters and waitresses.  If there was a lull he helped me with the bar patrons.

By this time Ryan and Andy had consumed about three rounds.  Ryan was now waving me over with a silly grin on his face.

"Tylar," he said having read my name off of my nametag, "Over here." 

I went over to where both of them where wearing shit-eating grins.

"Andy and I think that we are ready for something a bit more interesting and fun - to drink," he clarified.

"Tell us a bit about this drink here called 'Adios Mother Fucker."

"I don't think that I would recommend that one for either of you," I laughed.

"Why not?" Ryan asked, encouraged. 

"Is it because you aren't ready to say 'Adios' to us Tylar?"

"Well guys, it's more along the lines of I don't think my conscious could stand giving you a drink like that considering what you've already consumed here not to mention what you probably consumed before you got here."

Ryan laughed good-naturedly.

"You're beautiful and caring at the same time.  I'm impressed Tylar."

"Well then, "Andy chimed in, "We need something for the road Ryan.  Something a bit tamer I would guess."

Andy had a slight British accent as if he was either born in England and had spent most recent years here in the states, or perhaps was from here but spent a lot of time in the U.K.

Ryan leaned forward as if he wanted to share a secret with me.  I was getting restless knowing that with the crowded bar there were other patrons I needed to serve.  I really had hoped they were ready to cash out and be on their way.

"Yes Ryan?" I inquired politely.

"I've decided that I would like you to give me a 'Kiss on the Lips."

"Me, too," Andy piped in, "Only I want you to double mine."

"Excuse me?" I heard a very familiar smooth and silky voice say from behind them.

(Oh shit!)

"Mrs. Sinclair will not be giving either of you a 'kiss on the lips.'  That is unless you are willing to part with your teeth should you try."

"Trey stop," I cautioned quietly.  "They just want a drink."

"A drink is one thing Tylar; I believe they wanted more than that."

"Nooo, Trey, they didn't.  The drink they were requesting
is
called 'Kiss on the Lips." 

I recited the ingredients for him as Ryan and Andy snickered in the background.  Andy was the first one to get lippy.  It was evident he was British.

"Shove off mate," he said, his accent more pronounced.  "We've got it covered here and who are you to care anyway as to what the miss says or does?"

"She is my
wife,
" he hissed towering over Andy with a glint of murder in his blue eyes.

"Don't see a wedding ring on her finger," Ryan cut in smirking.

Trey lowered his eyes to my left hand.

(Holy shit!  I hadn't put it back on after braiding my hair.)

My ring had snagged my hair a couple of times as I was french braiding it so I had taken it off while I finished.  Apparently I had forgotten to put it back on.  Trey was livid.

Thankfully Eddie sensed that something was amiss and quickly came to my side.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"No it isn't," Andy chimed in.

"This fellow here is poaching on what Ryan and I have staked our claim on for this evening."

(Oh Holy Shit!)

The next thing I knew, both Ryan and Andy were picking themselves off the floor while Trey ordered me out from behind the bar threatening to drag me over the top if I wasn't front and center within ten seconds.

"Call Gina up here now," I whispered to Eddie as I made my way past him around to the front of the bar. 

All of the patrons at the bar were watching the drama unfold.

Once I was out from behind the bar area Trey took my hand leading me as he wove his through the crowd on the mezzanine dragging me behind him.  As soon as we got to an area that was somewhat cleared, I yanked my hand from his grasp.

He spun around, looking at me as if I had somehow lost my mind.

"What the hell do you think you are doing Trey?  How dare you come up here and make a scene like that," I snapped.

"What the hell Tylar?  You come here not wearing your wedding ring, leaning over the bar flirting with those two idiots who by the way were enjoying the view down your unbuttoned blouse. So I'm thinking that should be my question.  What the hell do you think
you
are doing?"

"I'm working Trey; I'm a partner in this remember?"

He stood there in a partial slouch, hands resting on his hips looking totally gorgeous and extremely pissed.

"You don't have the right to come into my place of employment and conduct yourself like some overbearing, hormonal crazed jerk!"

Just then Gina and Tristan were at our side.

"What happened?" Gina asked.

"Trey assaulted two of our patrons," I replied, crossing my arms and glaring right back at him.

I saw a flicker of amusement cross Tristan's face.  Trey however was not amused.

"The fuckers were telling her they wanted her to kiss them on the lips," he snarled.

"Oh Jesus Christ, counselor, that's the name of a drink," Gina hissed.

"That may be Gina, but their body language was speaking to much more.  Then the bastards accused me of encroaching on their turf!"

"Trey," Tristan spoke up calmly, "Let's get back downstairs and let Tylar work, okay?"

Trey didn't take his eyes off me.  He didn't answer Tristan because he was too busy staring a hole in me with those piercing eyes.  There was much that I wanted to say to him but here and now was not the time or place to air our dirty laundry.

"Trey?" Tristan said, "Did you hear me?  C'mon let's get back down to our table and leave Tylar to her work.  I left Libby down there by herself when Gina came to get me."

"I'm sure she's been kept entertained in your absence, Tristan.  She's probably humping the bus boy or spanking the bouncer," he spat.

(Oh my God.  He did not just say that!)

I looked over at Gina and her expression was frozen in disbelief.  I raised my eyes to Tristan who had taken on a steely expression.  I had never seen Tristan anything other than congenial or laid back.  I was seeing the angry side of Tristan now and it was a bit intimidating.

"You are out of line Trey," he said, his words edged with calm fury. 

"I will consider the fact that you are drunk at the moment and for whatever reason pissed that your wife did something on her own without your permission.  We all know your need to control, but don't ever speak about Libby in that manner again.  You aren't eight years old anymore and I guess we'll finally see who can whip whose ass."

Tristan turned to depart then stopped and turned to me.

"Tylar, I apologize for my brother's behavior tonight.  Good luck with your new endeavor.  If you need anything, please let me know?"

"Thanks Tristan," I replied softly.

With that he turned and left.  Trey was still standing there staring at me.  He looked totally miserable and out of sorts.  I wasn't sure if it was because of me or a result of the way he had just acted with his brother. 

He raked his hand through his hair then glared at Gina before turning and following Tristan. Now it was Gina and I left standing there in confusion.

(What the hell was all of that about?)

"Wow," Gina said taking a deep breath.  "That was kind of hot."

"Oh Gina," I wailed.  "How can you say that?  Trey hasn't spoken to me in a couple of days then comes in here and gets all jealous and causes a scene.  What's hot about that?"