Your Neighborhood Bartender (The Neighborhood Book 1) Read online

  Your Neighborhood Bartender

  The Neighborhood #1

  Tarrah Anders

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  Dear Friends,

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Tarrah Anders

  I dedicate this short story to the women that fall in love with bartenders.

  They aren’t all cocky assholes.

  Only some of them are.

  COPYRIGHT © 2019– TARRAH ANDERS

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the email address below.

  Tarrah Anders | Tarrah Anders, LLC [email protected] |www.tarrahanders.com

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Book Formatting: Tarrah Anders, LLC

  Cover: Jess Bryant Designs

  Ordering Information: The Neighborhood Bartender

  AMAZON ASIN:B07MFZTYVD

  Chapter One

  I'm not exaggerating when I say this, but I am a total catch.

  I’m tall, dark and handsome. I’m brutally honest, sarcastic as fuck and a loyal friend, to those that I actually would label as such.

  I am Noah Baker, a grade-A piece of -I’m ready for you always- kind of man. I’m sexy and I know it, a good lay and a total hot commodity in this small town of Mercy, the town to the east of Hollybrooke.

  It's not because I'm cocky, well okay, maybe it is... To be perfectly honest, it's because no matter what, I have someone interested in me. So of course, I’m going to pat myself on the back and say that I’m a lucky son of a bitch. Both men and women want me. I have my pick of the litter. Granted, I don't go for the dick, but it's nice to know if I did root for the same team and like to play hide the banana that I would have my options open there too. I would have my pick of whatever I want, as if it was handed to me. But I like women, every part of them. From the top of their dyed or over sleeked out hair, to their painted toe-nails – and just about everything in between. The only thing that I don’t do is the clingy shit. So, I hook up and that’s about it. I don’t do relationships and that’s not something that I conceal.

  When I graduated from junior college, I didn’t want to leave the small town that I’ve called home my whole life and instead went to work for my dad, who owned the bar. When he passed, he had left the place to me, and even though I was the owner, I loathed paperwork so I hired someone to run the joint, so I can stay behind the bar – slinging drinks and flirting with the folks who chose to spend their nights in this fine establishment.

  The Neighborhood.

  That’s where I spend my time. I'm a bartender, the bartender and likely what you can call your neighborhood bartender, and women find that sexy. At least that's what I'm told. That's the main reason why I work here at the Neighborhood, the only hot spot in town. The bar is rustic and gives the feeling of warmth when you are inside, we have music, food, booze and good people. It also doesn’t hurt that our kitchen makes the best burgers and onion rings that Mercy has ever seen- so we stay busy. And with the amount of usual’s that come into town, along with those from the city or just traveling through – there’s always, always some new people coming through here. That means new women for me to perhaps spend some time with, horizontally.

  The woman sitting at the end of the bar is no exception. I’ve never seen her before, and strangely I want to know all of her. Her wavy chestnut hair, the dusting of freckles across her cheeks and her plump kissable lips tell me screams innocence, but something else tells me that she’s a vixen despite her good girl exterior. Her black tank top clings to her curves and ample breasts hidden underneath in a red laced bra, telling me that she's a wildcat and just wanting someone to tame her. I should tame her.

  Wait, what? I don’t need to tame anyone, lest be tamed myself. I’m a wild wolf, not some good old dog.

  She's currently ignoring me, but I bet that she's interested, who wouldn't be.

  I want to find out what makes her tick, what she looks like underneath me and what she sounds like in bed.

  I make my way down the bar, wipe the counter in front of her, throw down a coaster and lean on the bar top towards her.

  "What can I get you, beautiful?" I give her the smirk that has drenched plenty of panties and wait for her to respond, to meet my eyes and to melt in my hands.

  "Can I get a Moscow mule, please?" She asks feigning disinterest.

  "Coming your way." Our eyes meet and I sense her apprehension as she gives me a weak smile and a look over She doesn’t seem like she cares and that unnerves me.

  I mix her drink, pour it into a mason jar and place it in front of her as she digs out her card and hands it to me.

  "Keep it open," she instructs as she stands with her drink and without a fleeting glance, turns and heads to the booth in the corner with a table of her friends.

  What. The. Fuck?

  I look down at her credit card and read her name - I've never had a woman ignore me the way that Valerie Dubois just did.

  I look up to the direction of her table. She laughs with her friends and is not even glancing in my direction.

  Strange.

  Must be an off night, or maybe, just possibly she can be into chicks. Yeah, I'll go with that. She’s a muff diver. Man, that’s pretty hot too.

  I notice a short time later that one of her friends has left their booth and is giggling at the side of the bar. When I approach her, she overtly flirts when I take her order. I hand her the drink and she passes me a ten with a torn piece of paper, then winks and walks away, putting an exaggerated sway in her hips as she sashays to the booth. I look down at the piece of paper with her number on it and crumple it up then toss it in the trash.

  She’s cute but I’m not interested tonight, I want her friend. I want that unmentioned challenge.

  The girls all giggle as she sits down. She looks in my direction, flips her hair and starts talking animatedly, casually glancing back at the bar every few minutes. I ignore her and my challenge – to tend to the other patrons of the bar without another thought.

  Three hours later, a packed bar, and one woman who has continued to not show interest in me - my constant inner battle of what the hell is wrong with the universe comes to a halt when I look up from the right side of the bar, I see Valerie waiting where she first sat earlier in the night. I casually walk over to her and cross my arms.

  "Another Moscow?" I ask.

  "I'd like to close my tab." She shakes her head.

  I total her up and place her tab in front of her. "I'm curious." I say.

  She signs the slip and looks up at me with an inquisitive quirk of her eyebrow.

  "Pardon?"

  "I'm curious. Most women go
to bars and flirt with the male patrons, especially the bartenders. But I watched you all night and you never strayed your eyes from your friends."

  "I don't see how any of that is your business, but I am enjoying a night out with friends." She looks at me with a scowl with her hands on her hips.

  "Do you like dick?" I ask her.

  Her mouth drops open and I can envision it wrapped around me.

  "Incredibly rude. You don't know me." She stuffs her card into her wallet and turns on her heel.

  "Honey, I'm the bartender, The Neighborhood shrink. I'm just observing. I call it like I see it honey." I yell after her. The crowd swallows her and I'm left wondering. And wanting, who is this amazing woman who is immune to me and poses a challenge?

  Chapter Two

  A week goes by before my next busy shift at The Neighborhood. I'm restocking my garnishments when I look up and see her again.

  She looks carefree and unbothered as she sits in the same booth she sat in last weekend. I note the lack of drinks in front of her and her friends and wait impatiently for her to approach.

  The night wears on and the place gets busy. I'm making my way out of the back office from my break when I see her in the small hallway.

  I look around, thinking she's lost.

  When she notices my presence, I smile and stop in front of her.

  "The ladies room is around the corner." I say stopping in front of her.

  "I was looking for you." She says with a firm tone.

  "Oh, really now." This I've got to hear.

  "I like dick." She says as my own perks up to the news hoping to get pet by her. But she walks away before I can say anything.

  What is this game she's playing?

  I walk out of the hallway speechless and confused. I'm behind the bar and back to work within seconds to unclog the bar. Miles, the newest addition to the bar team at The Neighborhood seems to have a backup and is still learning drinks by the herd of people waiting.

  I start taking orders and when I get to the last row of customers, I see Valerie. She's chewing on her bottom lip and her eyes are roaming her surroundings as if she's never seen the bar before.

  "Nice play back there." I say to her. Her eyes zero in on me and I smirk.

  "It wasn't a play, I was just stating a fact since at our last meeting you had some preconceived notions. I figured that I would clear that up,” she shrugs.

  "And why would you feel the need to clear that up to me?"

  "Because, I wanted to make it known that I like the dick, I just may not like yours."

  "But you haven't even met him yet."

  "Keep the yet out of there buddy. I have no plans to meet him,” she shoots a glance down at my package.

  "You sure about that?" I tease her with a playful tilt of my head.

  "Yup,” she says popping the ‘P’.

  I nod towards her drink. "Moscow mule?"

  "Not tonight. Can I get a blueberry mojito?"

  I mix her drink up and as I'm pouring it into one of the bars fancy glasses, because fancy glasses make everything more expensive and taste delicious. I push it in front of her.

  "You know, I'm a pretty great guy." I say my elbows leaning on the bar and flashing my smile.

  "I'm sure to some you could be, but honestly you're just not my type."

  "Oh, doll. I'm everybody's type."

  "Sorry..." She searches my shirt for a name tag. As if this is a name tag place.

  "Noah, my name is Noah." I give her.

  "Sorry, Noah. You're just not mine today." She says with a smile, gives a small wave and then disappears into the crowd.

  “Tomorrow then.” I shout after her. Why am I constantly doing that?

  "She's hot," Miles comments from my side.

  "You're not her type." I say dryly as I rinse a tumbler.

  "I think I heard her say that you're not her type. She said nothing about me."

  "I think you heard wrong." I turn to him and stare him down.

  Mile’s hands go up in surrender and he turns to help another customer, leaving me to my side of the bar.

  I'm hanging out at the Neighborhood before my shift starts eating dinner when a busty blonde comes and takes a seat across from me.

  She's cute, and I know that I’ve seen her around here before – but I can’t place her name.

  "Hey Noah." She says in a sultry voice, crossing her arms in front of her creating the appearance of cleavage as she leans in, as if we’re old friends. I’ve definitely hooked up with her, she’s familiar.

  "Hey." I say throwing a French fry in my mouth.

  "You looked lonely." She notes. “So, I wanted to come over to say hi.”

  "Nah, I'm good." I relay, hoping that she will get the hint, any fucking hint.

  "Mind if I join you?"

  "I'm thinking that you already have." I say in annoyance.

  She smiles and settles in despite my tone and gives me a smile.

  I'm not a total dick, so I'll entertain the idea of her company, after all I've got time to kill and why not do it with a blonde.

  "So, are you working tonight?" She asks.

  "Yup, just finishing up my lunch, then my shift will start and I'm here until closing. The usual."

  "Oh. Cool." She fidgets with her bracelet on her wrist. "I was wondering, if you would like to hang out sometime this week?"

  I think about it and normally I would take up the offer, but my mind is fixated on Valerie and how she assumes that I'm not her type. I give blondie a good look, she's the typical girl that I would have no problem hooking up with. She's cute and looks like she would be a fun time. But she doesn't have chestnut hair and innocence attached to her like Valerie does. Plus, I have an inkling that I’ve already been there, done that and I usually hate to double dip. Considering she’s familiar, but I still can’t remember her – I’m going to say it’s a hard pass and just move on.

  "I have a busy schedule and can't commit to anything, sorry." I say, my tone dry.

  "Oh, that’s a bummer, maybe next week."

  "Actually, I'm kind of dating someone." I lie. The lie so smoothly and when I say it, Valerie’s face pops in my mind.

  Her eyes go wide in shock at my declaration. Why was I saying that?

  Yeah, I forgot to mention that I have a reputation. One for never having a relationship. Anyone who comes into my path is aware of this, and news travels fast around this town. That’s the problem with small towns like Mercy. I’m not sure that blondie will buy my new relationship status, but the words flowed out of my mouth before I could even stop them.

  Everyone knows everyone and they all know each other's business. Which makes me wonder, why don't I know Valerie Dubois? How come I have never seen her in this bar before, or around town?

  My thoughts drift to Valerie's comment of liking dick and I can't help but to feel my dick swelling to thoughts of her liking mine. Despite what she thinks, I'm everyone's type, she just doesn’t yet know that I am, in fact hers.

  I leave blondie sitting at the table and get rid of my plate. As I'm walking back towards the employee break room, I get a slap on my back.

  "I need your shift to start now, the kid working right now has to get to the hospital for his kids birth and there's nobody better than you." The bar manager says to me as we walk into the lounge.

  "Sure man, let me just get changed and head to the john." I smile. Of course, there's nobody better than me, I am the best in the town. At everything.

  Chapter Three

  I start my evening shift a little earlier than I was intending, but just the same, not even half-way through I see Valerie again. She's becoming a regular, something that I don’t mind, but my thoughts from earlier come to my forefront, is she new to town? I've got to ask her.

  Valerie walks up to the bar, this time not alone and waits patiently while speaking to her friend until I come to stand in front of them.

  "Noah." She breathes as I throw some coasters down in front of them both. "N
oah, this is my friend Masie. Masie, this is your friendly Neighborhood bartender. The one that I was telling you about." With knowing eyes, Masie looks me up and down and smiles.

  "So doll, you're talking about me now?" I ask playfully with a tilt of my head.

  "More so whining about you." She rolls her eyes with a smirk, her demeanor completely different from all of our interactions.

  "Hello Masie, it's nice to meet you." I say holding out my hand. Maise's small hand takes mine and I smile at her.

  "You're talking about me, that's what's important here." I wink at Maise who blushes.

  "Can we get some drinks?" Valerie smiles. Her smile lights up her face which send jolts up my spine as it electrifies me.

  "Moscow or mojito?" I ask.

  "Blueberry mojito tonight and whatever Maise wants." Valerie waves her hand, “We’re celebrating tonight.”

  “Well ladies, what are we celebrating?” I ask leaning towards Valerie.

  A blush creeps up her cleavage and she averts her eyes for a split second. “I just got a new job, which is awesome because I was expecting more difficulty since I don’t have that much experience, well with anything really,” she says fingering the heart necklace at her neckline.

  “Well, then your first drink is on me tonight, congrats.” I say quietly as she breathes out a shaky breath. "Celebratory drinks coming right up." I say loudly, turn to grab my glasses and get to work making their drinks. I overhear Maise comment on my good looks and I wait for Valerie to say something, anything – but she doesn't – at least nothing that I can hear.

  I put the drinks in front of them and smile. Maise hands me her card with instructions for future drinks and to not take Valerie’s card and the ladies turn and walk away allowing me the pleasure of watching Valerie's ass sway away. She looks over her shoulder and smiles to me as she catches me admiring the view, the view I’ve become accustomed to, her walking away from me. The temperature between us is getting warmer. I’m not sure if she’s wearing me down, or vice versa.