Love on the Rocks (Bar Tenders) (23 page)

As he approached, his mum spotted him first. She smiled broadly and waved. “Hello, love!” She stood to greet him and kiss his cheek, much the same way Chi Chi had done earlier—carefully, so as not to leave a lipstick mark. His mum always wore bright red lipstick; tonight it matched her cherry earrings and her cherry print halter dress. Her long blonde hair was sculpted into a quiff at the front and held neatly at the side in a cascade of curls. Justin knew it would be rock hard from all the hairspray, and the smells reminded him of her.

Careful of his drinks, he gave her a quick hug, then turned to his dad, who had also got to his feet. With his black quiff and thick sideburns, he still had the good looks to carry off his ensemble tonight: the ghastly Hawaiian shirt and vintage turn-up jeans.

“Good show, Justin,” he praised, also giving him a hug. “I’ve never heard you sing so well.”

“Ah.” Justin fought a blush. “Thanks, Dad.” He set the drinks on the table before he spilled them. “Got these for you… and, um, I’d like you to meet someone.” He half turned, making sure Yena was still with him.

He stood there patiently, offering an encouraging smile.

“This is Yena.”

Justin had never seen his parents lost for words at the same time. He realized now how much glitter was on Yena’s face, shimmering under the lights, and wondered if they’d think he always wore glitter, or put two and two together.

His dad spoke first, by asking Justin to repeat the name.

“
Yena
, Dad.”

“What now?”

Justin had briefly forgotten his dad could be a bit deaf in loud places. He leaned in closer, burning up with embarrassment, as he said slowly. “Yena, Dad. Y-E-N-A.”

“Hmm.” His dad grunted in thought, looking Yena over. “That’s a funny name. You’re not English, then?”

“Dad!” Justin was mortified.

Yena only chuckled. “Justin also had trouble with my name when we first met.”

Now Justin’s face heated. “Well….” He cleared his throat. “Cloth ears run in the family, I guess.”

His mother laughed heartily. “That’s a true statement!” She turned to Yena, holding out her hand. “What a lovely name, Yena. I’m Vanessa.”

Justin took the other drinks from Yena so he was able to shake hands with his mum. It all seemed rather formal. “This is my husband, Jules.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you both,” Yena said, which seemed to win Justin’s dad round.

“Oh, yeah?” He flashed a smile. “Don’t listen to what Justin says. Gift of the gab, that one.”

“Dad.” Justin glared at him. “I bought you a drink; the least you can do is
not
be annoying.”

This only made Jules guffaw, while Vanessa swatted him on the arm.

“Jules, come on. Behave yourself.”

“Ah, don’t fret. He knows I’m only teasing.” He grinned like a naughty schoolboy and settled back into his seat. “Come on, everyone. Take a load off.”

“We’re lucky to have the extra seats,” his mum said as they all sat down. “The other couple sharing our table left early.”

Justin quipped, “Were we that bad?”

They laughed, and his mum got her phone out. “I enjoyed it very much. I took pictures on my new phone.”

“Mum.” Justin was ready to bury his face in his hands, but she insisted that he look and admire her photography skills. “Oh, and here’s some of Jules from the wedding gig today.” She showed Justin and then leaned across him to show Yena. “Did Justin tell you Jules does an Elvis tribute?”

“Tribute!” His dad snorted a laugh. “I channel The King in my
veins
.”

Justin groaned, but Yena seemed pleased to see his mum’s photos and asked questions about the act, which his dad was only too eager to regale them with. Justin had heard it all before, but as he watched Yena chatting easily with his parents, his nerves unwound a little.

Huh. They’re actually getting on.

“Of course, Justin got his first tread of the boards with
me
,” Jules was saying. “I gave him his first gig.” He reached across the table to point a mock dramatic finger in Justin’s direction. “Don’t forget that, when you’re prancing around the West End next.”

Justin couldn’t help smiling. “West End? Yes, Dad, when that likely event takes place, I’ll make sure I remember my roots.”

His mum pitched in, “Don’t sell yourself short, my dear. You and Tam are wonderful. You stand out among all those girls like—”

“
Men
,” Jules quipped, grinning again. “You stand out like men. But seriously, Justin, I don’t know why you waste your time at these fluff gigs. With an act like that, you could be doing corporate events. Enough people like that disco”—he grimaced slightly—“
music
to make a good living from it.”

Justin slumped under their nagging. “I’ll mention it to Tam,” he promised. “Give us a chance; we’ve only been doing it a few months.”

“Strike while the iron’s hot,” his dad said.

“Yes, Dad.”

Jules turned to Yena and said, loud enough for them all to hear, “Much better than that awful electro band Justin used to be in. Bloody racket that was.”

“Argh!” Justin prodded his mum on her arm. “Mum, make him stop.”

Yena seemed to be finding the exchange amusing. “Justin’s very talented,” he said diplomatically. “It obviously runs in the family.”

Flattery always worked on his dad, and he glowed under the praise. “Come to my next show in Brighton,” he said, smiling. “I’ll teach you how to dance to
All Shook Up
.”

“That was how he first chatted me up,” Vanessa said, gazing at her husband fondly. “He strutted up to me in a bar and told me quite confidently that after watching him dance to one song, I’d be going home with him. Then he marched up to the jukebox and put on
All Shook Up
, and the rest is history.”

Justin cringed, not wanting to think about his parents’ first night of passion. They’d embarrassed him with this story many a time, but tonight, maybe it wasn’t so bad. Yena glanced at him with a twinkle in his eye and said, “I see confidence also runs in the family.”

Justin grinned back. “That’s why I’m irresistible, right?”

He was so caught up gazing at Yena that it took him a long moment to realize he was flirting openly in front of his parents. A flush heated his face, but Yena smiled at him.

“Yes, Justin, that’s why you’re irresistible.”

About the Author

M
ELANIE
T
USHMORE
is a British writer and has tended bar at various watering holes, one of her favorites being Camden, London. Melanie likes bars but is not overly fond of drunk punters who use terrible chat up lines on the bar staff, but concedes that without one particular handsome young man doing just that one busy Saturday night, the plot for this story would never have materialized.

Drink responsibly, and always tip your bar staff!

Visit Melainie's web site: http://www.melanietushmore.co.uk, her blog: http://cocktalesandhotsauce.blogspot.com, find her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/melanietushmore, or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/melanietushmore.

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