Our Secret Summer(15)

I choke out a laugh. “Don’t plan on it.”

Then Annika tugs me toward another bartender, this one male. He’s tall and cute with buzzed black hair and warm hazel eyes. “Ethan, Elle. New girl.” Then she addresses me. “Now, you shouldn’t go behind the bar at all during your shifts. It might look like there’s a ton of space back here, but things get crazy and bartenders are really territorial about their stations.”

Ethan throws me a wink. “You can come back here whenever you want.”

“Down, boy. She’s been here five minutes.”

I blush, and Ethan sees it and raises his brows. “I think she likes me, Annika.”

Again, Annika yanks my arm and pulls me after her.

“Every guy, and I mean every guy here, is going to try to get into your pants. Just ignore them. Are you single?”

“Very.”

She nods. “Same. Which is fine, because I’m saving myself for Cristiano.” She says this with a wicked wink. “Kidding aside, I’ve done the hookup thing at Aura and it just gets messy fast. I don’t recommend it. Ethan and I were hot and heavy last summer, and by the end of August, we hated each other.”

“You two seem fine now.”

She shrugs one delicate shoulder. “Last summer might as well be a thousand years ago. He still gets under my skin sometimes. He is hot, though, I’m not too annoyed to admit that. Now let’s see if I can teach you how to work the POS system. That’s going to be your biggest hurdle. If you can get fast on the computer, working here will be a breeze.”

I barely have time to take a break during my first shift. I shadow Annika as she takes orders. She’s efficient, but not at the expense of quality service. I notice the way she smiles and subtly flirts with all her tables.

“Is that expected?” I ask her at one point.

She gives me a glare, one of her brows cocked as if she can’t believe I even have to ask. “If you want decent tips it is. I try to think of it like a game: Make your customers fall in love with you and you’ll be rolling in cash by the end of the night.”

“The customers never take it too far?”

She tilts her head to the left. “See that beefy guy in the corner over there? Ramón?” Ramón’s dressed in all black, just like the bouncers out front. There’s a radio and a gun holstered on his hip. “He and his guys watch over the club. He’s head of security, Felix’s manager, and tough as hell. Nothing gets past him.”

Ramón sees us eyeing him and gives me a curt nod before continuing to surveil the club.

I feel better knowing there’s security here. Even though it’s a Thursday night and there’s not a big musical act scheduled, Aura is overflowing with people. I can barely hear my own thoughts over the pulsing music. The alcohol is flowing, the dance floor is packed, and every single one of my senses is lit up like a live wire. The smell of perfume and alcohol fills the air, and though at certain points I feel overwhelmed to the point of questioning every decision that led me here, by the end of the night, I walk into the locker room with a huge sense of accomplishment.

I did it. I survived my first shift.

Bring on the next!



“Our little girl is all grown up, Annika!” Simone says with a wistful tone, batting away fake tears.

“Look at her. I’m so proud.”

We’re in the locker room getting ready to hit the floor. Today marks one week since I started working at Aura, and either I’ve proved I’m ready to graduate to full-fledged server or Hugo needs to pull Annika away so she can train some other girl, because this will be my first shift where I’ll totally be on my own. No shadowing. No more hand-holding.

“Think I can do it?” I ask them as I finish buckling my heels.

“You’ll definitely get a few drink orders wrong and screw up a—”

“Annika,” Simone chides.

“But we all do! You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be hot. Remember that.”

I roll my eyes and stand.

She looks to Simone. “What? Am I wrong?”

Simone shrugs. “It’s true.”

“Now, c’mon. I want to make sure our sections are all near each other just in case you need us for something,” Annika tells me.

I loop my arm over her shoulders then grab ahold of Simone, too, so I can pull them close. They groan about it, but I know they don’t really mind. I’ve only been on Ibiza a week and a half, and the three of us have already grown close. We’re all in our mid-twenties with similar interests. Not to mention, Annika and Felix share an apartment in staff housing on the same floor as Simone and me. For the last seven days, we’ve worked and hung out nonstop. We usually walk home together after our shifts, and on the nights we aren’t scheduled to close, we find ourselves lounging around in one of our apartments and staying up way too late. Simone and I have been going for long walks in the morning before lunch, and occasionally Annika will join us if we can rouse her in time. I’m itching to go surfing but haven’t gotten the chance yet. Next Monday, though, I’m off, and I’m going to make an entire day of it.

“Did your boobs grow overnight or something?” Annika asks, scrutinizing my chest as we walk out into the hall.

I look down and adjust my top, trying in vain to cover more of them. “No. It’s the uniform. I accidentally put it in the dryer yesterday.”