Jasmine sat at the bar sipping from a pint glass of Bass as a customer closed out his tab. It was a Monday night and the bar had light attendance at this time of night.
Erik, behind the bar, looked good tonight. His black T-shirt tucked into blue jeans, a knot of black ink crawling under the sleeve of his left arm. A hand towel tucked into his waistband. His black hair, shaved tight on the sides and back, but with enough on top that it could comb forward or spike up. While the customer — a grad student probably judging by the way he was dressed and his age — scribbled his name onto a receipt, she caught Erik’s green eyes. He smiled in that lopsided schoolboy way he did from time to time, creating a dimple under his left cheek, his chin with a little scruff on it. The light hit the small silver loops in his ear.
“So you were saying …” He walked back over to Jasmine. His hand wiping at the dark wood of the bar, his other hand taking the customer pint glass and setting by the sink hidden on the counter behind the bar.
“I was just wondering if you were going to be home tonight or if you and Micah were going out.”
“He’s stopping by. But we’re staying in tonight. I should be up in a couple of hours.”
Up indicated that apartment space above the bar that Erik owned. It was nice loft space that Erik and Jasmine had shared for the past year. They’d known each other for the past two. Erik had bought the space before it was trendy to be on the East Side, and had converted the downstairs space into a bar, the two floors above were living and office space.
“What time do you have to be in tomorrow?” Erik asked with a slight drawl.
“I have a shoot at 10:30. A shoot at 4:30. And then some lab work to do.” She extended her hand across the bar, her fingers finding the top of his hand. Jasmine was a freelance photographer in a city full of freelancers. Between gigs, she also taught as an adjunct at the University of Texas this semester. Anything to pay the bills.
“Yeah, I should be up in a couple of hours. Don’t wait up. I’ll try not to wake you.”
Erik washed out the glass and set it on the rack to dry. Mondays were usually quiet in the bar and Jasmine would come down, have a couple of pints and keep him company. It was a relationship that worked for them. It’s the longest either of them had been in a relationship, there was no pressure and there was plenty of love. They were both busy people, but always found ways to make time for each other.
The past few weeks, she had supported his post-work meet-ups with Micah. She understood it meant something for him to meet someone that had a similar “thing” going on. She liked Micah. He was a good kid, a little ADD, but she understood why. It was just his nature. He saw everything just a little faster than everyone else.
“You need any help closing up tonight?”
“If you’d grab those glasses over there, that’d be cool.”
“Mister, you just want to check out my ass.”
“Who wouldn’t?” He smiled at her again.
Micah walked in through the open doorway. Erik had left it open to let the bar air out and to take advantage of the cool evening.
“Hey Jazz. Erik.”
“Hey, kid.” Jasmine replied walking back over with three glasses from a table. She checked around the bar just to make sure there weren’t any others. Damn, it had been a slow night. She hoped the happy hour crowd had been better.
Micah met her at the bar. Erik was wiping it down. She walked around the bar and put the glasses in the sink.
“You don’t have to leave because I got here, Jazz.” Micah sat on the stool next to where Jasmine had been.
“Oh, I know, kid.” She liked calling him kid, even though he was only a few years younger than him. “But this girl needs to get some work done and turn in for the night.”
She smiled at him. Micah liked her. At almost six feet tall, athletic, shaved head, and a small stud in her nostril, she looked exotic. She exuded something regal, too. Erik and Jasmine made a great couple, he thought. Both of them just this side of being dangerous looking, both very friendly to him.
“Don’t be getting old on me, Jazz. You know you could drink me under the table.”
“I can drink Erik under the table, but you, well, we both know that doesn’t work on you.” She leaned in to Erik and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Want me to lock up?”
“I’ll get it. See you in the morning?”
“Sure, babe. You better make me some breakfast.” She turned back to Micah. “Don’t be keeping this old man up too late.”
“I’ll be sure to send his ass to bed.”
She gave Erik another kiss on the cheek. Grabbed her glass and headed toward the back stairs. “Night, MIcah.”
“Night, Jazz.”
Micah waited to make sure she was up the stairs. Erik was still cleaning up behind the bar.
“Beer?” Erik said.
“Sure.”
Erik poured a pint of Stella. “So what have you been up to?”
“Damn, man. Jazz is gorgeous. If she was my girl, I wouldn’t be hanging around down here with me.”
“If she was your girl, you wouldn’t know what to do with her.” Erik handed the glass to Micah. “Close the door for me would you?”
Micah got up, but someone was already in the doorway. The new patron stood about 6’2 and had broad shoulders. Micah hadn’t seen him before.
“Sorry, man. We were just closing up.” Erik said turning back to the bar.
“A little early, isn’t it, Erik?”
Micah looked back at Erik, then the stranger who had come in past him. Something didn’t feel right about this set up.
“And Micah, drinking on a school night?”
“Mister, I don’t know you.”
“Erik. Micah. My name is Nathan. I’d like a Bass.” He pulled up the stool Jasmine had been sitting on. “I think we need to talk.”
