Stay For Me - Megan Smith Page 0,2

able to start Saturday night?”

“Yes.” She answers with no hesitation.

I scribble “HIRED” on the application and set my pen down. “One last question.” Her eyes light up. “How do you make a Sex on the Beach – Jersey Style?”

Layla smiles assuredly and I love that. Tapping a finger on her lips she plays like she’s thinking. If she can’t pass this then she hasn’t been working as a bartender in New Jersey.

Finally, she winks. “Peach Schnapps, Melon Liqueur, Rum, Raspberry Liqueur, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, served on ice.”

I stand and hold my hand out to her. “Welcome aboard.”

She takes my hand, “Thanks!”

I walk Layla out of my office and give her a tour of the downstairs where I’ll have her working. She brushes up against me a few times and I can’t help but feel like she’s doing it on purpose. This might make working together a little harder. After showing her around I ask her to have a seat at the bar and write down her class schedule so I know what days and times not to schedule her.

“I’ll be right back. I’m going to grab Jaylinn for you.”

She gives me a confused look.

“I asked her to come in and wait while I did your interview.”

Layla smiles, accepting that answer.

I take the stairs two at a time and open the door leading to the rooftop. Jaylinn is staring out over toward the Atlantic Ocean. It’s one of the main reasons that I wanted this building. The view is gorgeous.

Jaylinn looks so lost standing there. She’s beautiful and one of the sweetest girls I’ve ever met with a touch of sass to her. I’ve always had a little thing for her. I think she knows that but nothing would ever come of it and she knows that too. Cooper is a stupid man for not claiming her already, but I also know that they’ve been through a lot as well.

I stand beside her. “Pretty sweet view, huh?”

Jaylinn startles then quickly reaches up and wipes a few tears away. “Yeah.” I hate seeing her so upset.

I lean against the railing. “Your friend is downstairs waiting for you. I hired her.”

She smiles. “Thank you.”

I smile back. “So, since Layla is starting this weekend does that mean I get to see your pretty face too at the grand opening?”

Jaylinn crosses her arms over her chest jutting her tits out. She doesn’t realize that she’s done that but my eyes are trained to go right to them, I can’t help it. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

When my eyes return to hers, she has caught me staring at her tits and I laugh causing her to laugh too. It’s a nice sound, one I don’t hear enough from her lately. “You should come, pretty girl.” I say as I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Do you call all the girls that?” She asks.

I shake my head. “No, only you.” Then I wink at her.

Her cheeks flush and she sighs. “You’re a flirt, Eli Sabatino.”

I shrug. “You’re hot and I like to flirt with you, but at the end of the day you’re one of my friends’ girls so it’s all in good fun.”

And I hit the nail on the head by bringing Cooper up. Jaylinn drops her arms and starts walking back towards the stairs but stops and stares at the words that are painted on the wall. Inhale your future, Exhale your past. There is a meaning behind those words, I know there is, but I just don’t know what yet. As Jaylinn stands there, she wraps her arms around herself as if she were holding herself together and protecting her heart.

Coming up behind her I wrap my arms around her. She needs this more than she knows and it’s the least that I can do for her. I lean my head towards her ear and whisper. “Throw him a curveball, Jay.” She turns her head to the side. “Throw something at him that he’s not expecting.” It’s the only advice that I have for her. The possibilities are endless.

She stands there for a second letting my words sink in before nodding and stepping away from me. “Thanks again for hiring Layla.”

I wink. “I did it for you, pretty girl.” It’s sort of the truth. The other reason she doesn’t need to know. Jaylinn shakes her head and walks away.

Layla and Jaylinn both leave with smiles on their faces that I put there. I’m glad that I was able