‘Beer it is.’
The bartender approached to take their orders.
‘Two beers, please—’
‘And four shots,’ Alex quickly added.
Rain threw a glance at Alex with raised eyebrows. ‘Going straight for the hard stuff, huh?’
‘You know it. Life’s too short for half measures. Sex and alcohol are my two favourite vices,’ Alex said, with a mischievous grin.
‘At least you didn’t throw “gambling” into the mix.’
Alex laughed. ‘Oh, I like a good risk as much as the next girl. Just not the kind that ends with me sleeping on a park bench.’
The bartender appeared then, setting down two beers and four shots.
‘In that case, here’s to calculated risks,’ Rain said, as they clinked their bottles together.
‘I’ll drink to that.’
They each took a swig of beer, followed by a shot. Rain grimaced, slamming the glass back onto the bar.
‘Not a fan of shots?’ Alex said, studying Rain’s reaction with a smirk.
‘How could you tell?’
‘Might have had something to do with the look of regret written all over your face.’
‘You’re right. I think I’ll stick to beer,’ Rain said, pushing the extra shot towards Alex, who picked it up and swiftly knocked it back in one gulp.
‘I needed that after the day I’ve had,’ Alex said.
‘That bad, eh?’
‘Yep. Customers and their fucking entitlement and demands. Drives me crazy.’
‘Sounds like a grind. How long you been working at the hotel?’
‘Five years and counting.’
Rain let out a low whistle. ‘How come you’ve stuck it out for so long?’
‘As opposed to?’
‘Finding something you actually enjoy.’
‘That’s just it. Unless I became an escort, there’s nothing else.’
‘You could always be a beer taster?’
Alex laughed. ‘Now, that wouldn’t be such a bad idea.’
‘There must be some positives about the hotel, though,’ Rain said, treading carefully. ‘At least I hope so, otherwise I’ve made one hell of a bad choice working there.’
‘Okay, let’s see. The pay ain’t bad, the people can be cliquey, but on the whole, they’re a laugh, and . . .’ A mischievous smile spread across Alex’s face as she feigned wiping sweat from her forehead. ‘The owner’s daughter, Lauren, is hot.’
Rain’s stomach dropped at the mention of Lauren’s name. She masked her reaction with a long sip of her beer, hoping her expression betrayed nothing.
‘The owner’s daughter, huh?’ Rain feigned nonchalance.
‘Yep, I’ve had a major crush on her since day one, but she’s completely out of my league,’ Alex said with a self-deprecating laugh.
‘Do I detect a chink in your armour?’ Rain teased.
‘Nah, just that married women are more drama than a soap opera. Trust me, I know,’ Alex said, her tone tinged with a hint of bitterness.
‘And the downsides?’ Rain asked, genuinely curious.
‘Secrets and lies,’ Alex stated simply.
‘Sounds like the plot of a suspense novel.’
‘Not far off, but there’s an unspoken code. Keep your head down, don’t ask too many questions, and you’ll be fine,’ Alex said, a hint of caution in her voice.
‘That’s what I intend to do.’
Rain signalled to the bartender for another round of drinks.
