A Bar Tender Tale | Melanie Tushmore 164
“Ohhh, it does, huh?”
Jimmy smirked. “Maybe you’d be better off going shirtless, Nath.”
“Oi!” Tazz nudged Jimmy then turned back to Nathan.
“Go on, bro! Only a fiver.”
“God, all right,” Nathan dug in his pocket. “Get me over a barrel.”
Tazz laughed. “Now, now! Can’t come onto me any more with your boyfriend standing right behind you.” Nathan shot a mildly embarrassed glance up at Auryn.
“Um, you know we’re only joking, right?”
“I know.” Auryn smiled. “Let me get you a drink. I’m going to the bar, get a round in.”
“Now that’s a man with a plan,” Gary perked up. “I’ll come with you. See how they’re coping at this bar without me….”
Nathan’s eyes followed the two men as they left for the bar, his mind in a blissful state of cloud nine. Tazz shoved the T-shirt at him again to get his attention. “Come on, Nath!
I’m gagging for a cigarette, hurry up.” Nathan relented and bought the T-shirt. He hung the wet one over his belt and pulled the clean, new one over his sweaty body. Standing outside in the evening air soon had them both cooling down.
“Good set, mate,” Nathan told Tazz, as they sat on a bench smoking.
“Cheers, bro. I’m trying to tempt Gaz into the band, stop him moping about.”
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“Sound idea,” Nathan nodded. “Although he seems chipper tonight. For Gaz, anyway.”
“Yeah, he’s got another date with Susie!”
“Bless. Hope he doesn’t make a drama out of it.”
“Yeah, right. Speaking of melodrama, we heard about Danny nearly causing a riot at your bar.”
“God,” Nathan made a face. “It was a proper nightmare, but it’s all sorted now.”
“Do you know what’s gonna happen to him?” Nathan shrugged. “The police might charge him. We don’t know. But I did ask my boss not to press charges if we could help it.”
“What? Why?”
“Well….” Nathan flicked the ash from his cigarette.
“Danny’s barred for life from the venue. He can’t come back in now. He’ll have enough to deal with from the police; I didn’t want him to get a record over a stupid mistake. He’s only young. Hopefully it’ll teach him a valuable lesson.” Tazz stared at him. “You’ve changed your tune.”
“I’m trying to be magnanimous.”
“That’s a big word! And what would this new influence be, I wonder?” Tazz smirked. “Anything to do with a certain Welsh man?”
“Gaz,” Nathan teased.
“Not him,” Tazz said seriously. “You and Auryn. So, you’re together now?”
“Yeah.” Nathan looked down shyly, trying to mask it by stubbing out his cigarette.
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“Are you blushing?”
“Fuck off,” Nathan said without conviction.
“He’s a good guy,” Tazz mused. “Well, anyone’s better than the last moron you were with. But still, he’s a good guy.”
Nathan couldn’t help a smile. “Yeah, he is. He’s just like… I dunno, normal I guess. But nice. And very cool.
We’re totally on the same wavelength. I think we’re pretty good together, actually.”
“Mm-hmm. Nathan?”
“What?”
Tazz slapped him across the cheek suddenly. Not really hard, but it still stung.
“Ow! Tazz! What the fuck—”
“You told me,” Tazz wagged a finger at him. “If you started gushing about anyone to slap some sense into you.”
“Oh right.” Nathan rolled his eyes and playfully shoved his friend away. “Well, not this time!” About the Author
Melanie Tushmore wrote her first novel with pen and paper when she was fourteen and sometimes digs it out to read again if she fancies a good chuckle! She continued to write on and off over the years but purely for her own pleasure.
For the first time in… ahem, some years, Melanie wanted to share her writing with others and is delighted when anyone reads and enjoys her work.
They say write about what you know, which is why Melanie’s work usually centers around characters from alternative subcultures. She enjoys giving cameos to her real-life friends and reliving the glory days when she had a lot more energy to go out partying!
Visit: http://www.melanietushmore.co.uk
Blog: http://cocktalesandhotsauce.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/melanietushmore
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/melanietushmore
Romance from DREAMSPINNER PRESS
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Copyright
A Bar Tender Tale ©Copyright Melanie Tushmore, 2012
Published by
Dreamspinner Press
382 NE 191st Street #88329
Miami, FL 33179-3899, USA
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Design by Ria Chantler
This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the Publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 382 NE 191st Street
#88329, Miami, FL 33179-3899, USA
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/
Released in the United States of America January 2012
eBook Edition
eBook ISBN: 978-1-61372-350-0
Document Outline
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Epilogue
About the Author
Romance from Dreamspinner Press
Copyright
A Bar Tender Tale Page 14
