Right now, I was just thankful I'd managed to convince my family to go somewhere else until dinner rolled around. I'm pretty sure Yia-Yia had said something about a nap on her way out, but I'd seen that woman nap, and if riding a horse bareback was the only place she could sleep, she'd do it. God only knew where they were or what hell they were unleashing upon Whiskey Key, but I didn't much care as long as they weren't unleashing it in Dirty.
I pushed open the door to the bar and reached back for the sign. The wooden feet dragging against the bar floor screeched like nails on a chalkboard, making me wince as the sharp sound danced across my skin. I shook it off as I grabbed the chalk pens and a damp cloth.
It was Saturday, and I felt like doing a special to counteract the hellish day I'd been having. It took me only minutes to decorate the board, complete with a drawing of a cocktail.
The door opened behind me.
""Buy one Dirty Screw, get one half-price!"" Parker read over the top of my head. "Is this a bar or a brothel?"
"A murder site," I muttered, capping the orange pen and standing up. "It's quirky. That's the whole point. It makes you stop."
He pouted out his bottom lip before tilting his head to the side. "If I had to buy sex, I'd definitely be stopping to check out this offer."
I rolled my eyes. "Now you're just being annoying. Don't you have anything better to do? Like your job?"
"I can't think of anything better to do than piss you off, hotshot."
I looked at the board. I was going to ignore him. "Damn it, I should have said buy a Filthy Hooker and get a Dirty Screw for half-price."
Parker choked on a laugh. "What the fuck is a Filthy Hooker?"
"Jack Daniels, tequila, and coke."
"Do you put tequila in everything?"
"A good three-quarters of my drinks. I like tequila. It's kind of my thing."
"Your thing? Is that like big hair was an eighties thing and pot was a sixties thing?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure pot is just a 'thing.' It didn't exactly go out of fashion the way neon leg warmers and over-crimped hair did."
"Fair point." He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked out over at the beach. "Is tonight going to be as wild as last night?"
I shook my head and gripped hold of the pens tightly. "No, we have the right number of staff tonight. Don't worry. You won't be dragged into being my bar bitch tonight."
He laughed. "It was pretty fun. I didn't know you could mix drinks that fast."
"Ah." I smiled and backed up to the door. "That's why I use tequila in everything."
"Lazy bartending."
"Do you want a Filthy Hooker?"
"Will I get the Dirty Screw?"
"No. The Dirty Screw offer is for Dirty Screws. You have to buy one of those first, but it'll cost you."
"How much."
"Like eight bucks. They're cheap."
His laughter followed me into the bar. I walked around the back as he pulled out a stool and spun it between his legs.
"All right," he said. "Get me a Filthy Hooker."
I reached for the cocktail shaker, then paused. "Do you want a Wet Filthy Hooker, or just a Filthy Hooker?"
His eyes flashed with amusement as those goddamn full lips tugged to one side in a smirk. "What's the difference?"
I held out my hands and waited.
"I might regret this. A Wet Filthy Hooker."
I grabbed a shot glass with one hand, lifting it to the optical on the Jack Daniels bottle, and picked up the tequila bottle with the other. I topped the JD with the tequila, added a dash of lemon juice, and set the double-measure shot on the bar in front of him.
Parker picked up the glass with his finger and thumb. "Am I allowed to drink this on the job?"
"Can you handle your liquor?"
"Not as good as I can handle a woman, but well enough."
He was so fucking cock-sure of himself, it was almost too much. "Yeah, well down that and see if you can handle a Wet Filthy Hooker."
He met my eyes and held my gaze as he lifted the glass to his unfairly pink lips and threw back the shot. He'd barely swallowed it when he shuddered, and I grinned, sweeping the glass up.
"Motherfucker," he whispered, banging his chest. "That's strong."
"That's why she's a wet one." I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as Sienna walked in.
She glanced at us. "What did you give him?"
My smile widened.
"A Wet Filthy Hooker?" She shook her head. "How's he going to cook tonight?"