Cherry Locked Ch. 04-05

"Maddy, stop torturing the poor guy;

he probably came all night."

"I hope he did," I leer.

"You're dirty."

"I know."

We eat lunch in a white break room, salads and water. Lily reads my chat with Brad. "Are you gonna let him get a sneak peek?"

"I don't know...I think I gave too much already."

"Hmmm....true, take it slow...although you're hooked on the dick."

"Am not." I stab at the salad and munch.

"You are. I saw your face when you were in the groan zone. You were hooked!"

I look to the side and curl my lip. "Okay...I was craving it a little."

"You were craving it a lot."

"Was I?"

"That was hotter than our pornhub stash. It was good practice for Jace Harrison too."

I choke on my spinach, gulping it down before bucking my eyes. "Huh? Who??"

"Your rich boo." Lil drinks her water. "His name is Jace Harrison. I looked him up in the work system. His ID picture is unbelievable; he had to take modeling classes."

"You did what?!"

"I looked him up; then I googled him. Girl, he's beyond wealthy."

"Why did you do that??"

"Come on, if you're keeping your legs closed, it might as well be for a billionaire."

My entire face roasts. I can tell I'm as red as a tomato. "That's never going to happen!" Lil acts as if I said nothing and swipes my phone to type on it. "What are you doing?"

She smiles to herself before turning the screen around. "Live a little...I'm working on a plan to get you two talking."

"You're not listening!" I steam.

"I'm aware; now read."

My eyes go to the screen to read google headlines about Jace Harrison. Professional photos are beside each article. He has an extreme stare that reaches past your soul and boils your blood. His green eyes are crystal, dark, and artistic. Almost as if drawn on. His black hair is so fine and shiny....luscious too. Even his facial hair is impressive, short and nicely textured.

Jace has the shoulders of a man made by God; they're well shaped and wide. He wears a suit like a mob boss would and gives clothes a sex appeal. The opened top shirt and pushed-back suit jacket show off his thick thighs. His complexion is a sunburnt tan which contrasts nicely with his colored eyes.

The headlines read:

JACE HARRISON, 28, CONTINUES A DENT IN WORLD HUNGER.

J.H DONATES $9 BILLION TO CUT WORLD STARVATION DOWN BY 23%.

THE HOTTEST BACHELOR OF THE YEAR, SEEN WITH A MYSTERY WOMAN.

FILTHY RICH AND SINGLE, FIND OUT WHY J.H IS WITHOUT A RING.

WHO IS J.H, YOU ASK? FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE MAN VOTED WORLD'S SEXIEST.

"Impressive, right?"

"It is...." I shrug in agreement. "I still think he's beyond me. Plus, he was seen with a mystery woman and is single. That means he's a Casanova. That's not my type, so don't set up that talk." I throw her a stern look and then go back to eating. As much as I'm denying him, I can't help but allow his photos to stain my vision.

He's beautiful...more beautiful than I assumed. From far away, I couldn't tell. I knew he was good-looking, not that the guy was drop-dead gorgeous. He's a billionaire, so he has women in bed daily, if not weekly. I'm not that cheap...or that disposable. I'll just continue treating him as eye candy.

At the bar, I conjure up fizzy gin drinks. Bloody Mary, Bloody Elixir, Anna Bananas, Sour Whiskey, and Mai Tai. And the toughest drink for any bartender. The Old Fashioned. I select a fine De Luxe Crown Royal, syrup, 3 dashes of bitters. Combine all ingredients into an icy mixer and stir until the drink frosts. I strain it into a glass of chopped ice and add an orange twist.

I hand the drink over to a platinum-blonde guy who's dazzled by my accurate technique. "It appears you made it to perfection." His baritone voice praises. "But looks can deceive."

"They can." I watch the icy glass in his hand. "Have a taste." He puts the glass rim to his lips without taking his gray eyes from mine and samples the drink. I lower my gaze to his mouth, then back to his eyes. "Good?"

The man swallows the liquid, then sniffs the beverage. "It's perfect, doll. I'm sure you're the same."

A furious woman spots me blush and bat my eyes. The scorned glare she shoots at the back of his head reveals that she's his wife. "Adam!" A redhead woman stomps over, glowers at me, then pulls her husband away. "You damn slut!" She says more to me than her husband. I snort and begin to tidy my station.

"You need to stop starting drama with wives," Lily says from the opposite side of the counter. "You damn slut!" She mocks the woman's catty voice and bursts into laughter.

"The men always start it. I just wanted him to taste the drink."

"Lies, all lies, you did not word it that way."

"Okay...maybe it was 5% my fault."

"5%??" She raises her brows.

"Okay...it was 40/60."

"That sounds about right."

"DAVIDSON!" A big-bellied guy yells.

"Uh oh."

"How many times do I have to tell you this isn't a chat room?? Work the tables!" He barks.

Lily whips around and hurries back to the dining guest. "Sorry, sir."

I go on sorting bottles of alcohol to one side and equipment to another. "Madison." The bald man in a suit, walks to me with a proud smile. "Have you read the Yelp reviews...and the feedback notes in the breakroom?"

"No..."I shake my head. "Why? Is it bad news?"

"The bar has ten five-star reviews and twelve notes about your quick and precise service."

"Oh!"

"Keep up the good work. I need you on the 4th of July, don't let me down."

"I'll be here."

"Good, good, carry on." The big man pats me on the back before strolling the banquet hall to survey his subordinates.

Yay! Hopefully, I'll get a raise soon. I wipe the counter and rinse out shakers, glasses, and utensils. This Sunday night is slower. The lines aren't bad; my area has a few buyers here and there. This is one of the true Sundays where time slugs. I double wash bar equipment, so I'm not standing still for too long. Then I stare around the hall. The tables are full of plates of shrimp, lobster, glazed bread, steak filets, chili con carne, potato salad, and veggies.

The smell of the food rumbles my stomach. When dessert, cheesecake, is laid on the tables, I want to gorge. I want to steal a plate and chomp it down. But that will ruin my beauty diet. I have to say, my skin is glowing, and my pores are tighter. Even the bumps on my forehead have decreased drastically. I'll keep to the cleanse just so I can look good without makeup. I really want that natural beauty appearance. I'd rather not cake up my face with makeup whenever I want to feel pretty.

The white cloth tables clear one by one; it's close to 10:00 pm. That's when this joint shuts down. I can't wait to get home and soak my feet. I enjoy being a bartender, but it's killing my feet! When the hall is clear of customers, the crew and I start cleaning up. Wiping counters, removing tablecloths for washing, and placing decor from each table into a tall bin. This takes about 30 minutes every night. The last one to finish gets laundry duty and has to lock up.

Lily is going slower than she usually does. I find this odd. I pull down a gate that divides the bar and bend to lock it. The others sweep and dust and twist keys into the holes of the French doors. I go to see why Lil is dusting so slowly. "Come on, turtle, my feet hurt."

"Wait..." She sneakily eyes the other workers.

"What's that look?"

"Nothing." She says in a higher octave.

"You did something."

"Nope."

"Lil?!"

"See you guys tomorrow." One employee bids us farewell. A few seconds later, the remaining five head out with fatigued waves and mumbles. They're beat...so am I. We wave back. Lily drops her duster onto a cart with the others and pushes a laundry bin underneath it. I collect the brooms and scan the room for anything else that might have been left behind. Nothing is on the floor or the tables.

"Spill it." Lily steers the cart from the room and into a corridor. I shut the entry doors and lock them. "Well??"

"Nothing." In the laundry room, we load the tablecloths into the washer. It has a chute that connects both machines so the wet laundry can be transferred over when ready.

"Nah...you did something." My friend zips her lips and winks at me. I get nothing out of her for the rest of the night.

In the morning, I use the five-step skin routine, starting with the blackhead mask that I keep on for 5 minutes. I rinse my face with ice cold water for 3 minutes, then use a cotton pad to dry off. My skin looks flawless! Beauty sleep is no joke. I lean forward in awe and examine my face. It looks like I just got a facial. My black and white heads are gone. My skin is lighter and smoother. I love the squeakiness.

"This is crazy!" I add aloe vera, glycolic acid, oil, and sunscreen. The primer in it has a blurring effect. "Oh wow, look at my face!! Ahhh!" I happy dance and take a selfie without a filter. I look like I have glass skin...my dark circles have even lightened. Omg, this is bomb! My skin has never looked this amazing!

When Lily sees me at work, her mouth drops to the floor. I know I look good in the sunlight; I did a check on my camera on the way here. I rotate in front of lockers and pose like a model. "Holy shit!! Why doesn't my face look that nice??!" She grimaces. There're tiny red bumps on her chin and a few on her cheeks. "What the hell? I'm doing the same shit!"

"Maybe you're allergic to something. Those look like allergy pimples." I analyze the red bumps.

"Maybe it's the acid..."

"Try cutting that out and see what happens."

Lil dials in a combination and opens her locker to stuff a cross-body bag inside. "You shouldn't waste the glow you have. Use that beauty power."

"Oh, I will. I feel super hot."

"Good...use that energy on him." She closes her locker and tosses me a leather wallet. I squint at it in my hands, baffled. Why is she giving me a wallet??? "It fell out of his pocket and slid under the table. Jace will be in today for it, hopefully before the sun goes down. You're shining; he has to see you in daylight."

"You. I...said...you need to stop! That's stealing! You're probably on camera!" I stammer furiously.

"I was sly with it." I try to give the wallet back, but she races off when I jab it her way. "Get that rich life!" She shouts on her way out.

Lil?! Ugh!" My hand goes to my forehead. What the fuck?!! Is this what she was planning last night??? I'm not keeping this! My feet peddle to the lobby to hand it over to Sam. "Hey, a diner dropped their wallet." I hold it out for him to take.

He throws his hands up as if surrendering to a cop. This confounds me. "No way! Lil threatened to beat my ass if I took anything from you today."

"Well, report her!" I rage. "This is against company policy; you're supposed to hold lost and found."

"Sorry...but she scares me." His dark eyes dash to the staircase in fright. "She's heavy-handed...my arm is sore."

"I'll tell Mr. Thompson then!" I threaten.

"No, you won't, then he'll fire your bestie." He shrugs. "Deal with it; Lily has you checkmated."

I groan angrily and stomp up the stairs. "Fuck both of you!"

"Oh, when?" He taunts in a titillating tone.

I storm through the doors to the banquet hall and probe the room like an eagle. A few diners look at me while chomping on French toast and sunny side eggs. I reserve myself and smile at them awkwardly. "Good morning," I blurt, and stride past. Lily is waiting on a table; she glances at me with a smirk, then jots in her notepad.

Oh...I'm going to...I'm going to slap her! I inhale all the air I can, my nostrils flare. I roll up the gate to the bar and circle around to the back. I put the fancy wallet in a drawer and close it. This isn't funny! Upbeat jazz music flows through the room and pisses me off because I'm the opposite of cheerful. The corners of my mouth curl downward like the Grinch.

I bend to take apple juice and orange juice out of a mini fridge and grab lemons and strawberries. I cut up the fruit like a mad chef and decorate the rim of glasses with slices. I ready drinks in advance. When I'm done, twenty beverages line the bar counter. I look over at Lil, who pushes through the kitchen flap doors, carrying two full trays in both hands. She serves omelets and bacon to the guest.

When she comes over to fill the trays with the brews I've made, she says, "turn that frown upside down," in a chipper tone. Then balances the trays on her palms and steps off. I brutally glare after her.

Time passes into the evening, when only wine is served. I keep my eyes on the French doors as I hand out the red drinks. He doesn't come on Mondays, only Sundays. I'm sure Jace is too busy stopping world hunger and adding notches to his belt. The guy won't come in today. I'm sure. If he does, I'll give as little communication as possible...same as he's done with me. It'll be nice to return the favor of being uninterested.

When all the guests are seated for good, I have nothing to do. After wiping the counters, I stand there twiddling my thumbs and scratching my head. My eyes dart to the drawer. Hmm...I could take a peek inside. I wonder how a billionaire's wallet looks. I check if the coast is clear, glancing ahead and then to the side. No one is around. I roll out the drawer and unlatch a button on the side of the leather wallet. I unfold it, keeping it in the drawer.

The ID photo is the first thing I see. It's by itself on a jumbo picture slot. Lily wasn't lying. His state ID picture stirs up jealousy. There's no embarrassing blinking, no off-guard reaction, not a single hair out of place. The lighting is even different. It's not ultra-bright and unappealing.

On the other side, there is a row of ten cards. White, silver, and gold. I can tell that each has weight by their widths. I stare down in amazement. Wow...I'm scared of having three credit cards, and he has ten??? It must be nice to not face the risk of getting rejected. My eyes fill with envy like a hypnotized peasant. My fingers reach toward the cards, sliding down the occupied slots. These aren't made of plastic...maybe steel; if anything. Unbelievable!I pull my hand away and clamp the wallet shut, then push the drawer in.

That's enough spying. My curiosity has been squashed. Jace is a spoiled man, just like the others here. That's all. The evening comes faster than any Monday I've ever worked. It's annoying how time speeds up when something unwanted is on the way. Even my break feels shorter.

I smell the veggie soup before the servers exit the kitchen with the meal. It's spicy and robust. I chop ice to a slushy consistency. Mix margaritas and daiquiris in wide-rimmed glasses and insert limes. Every now and then, I peep at the drawer. If he's super wealthy and gives out billions a year, how much money is on those cards? I'm pretty sure it's more than a few million. The thickness of the cards proves that each is loaded.

If I was a thief or greedy enough, I would take it home and skip town. But I can't do that...I'm too moral...too righteous. Also, too smart. Cards can be tracked and deactivated right from an app. I wouldn't get far with how fast suspicious activity is reported. How quick cards are locked. It's not worth going to jail for money when I can work for it.

I spot Lily flapping her arms from my peripheral vision. She's flagging me down. I turn, she points at the French doors. I look in the direction. There, in an all-white suit, is Jace Harrison. When he opens the door, my body goes rigid. My gut flips. His lime eyes eagerly search the floor for the wallet. He doesn't find it because I have it.

He waves down an employee to exchange words; his lips move in a sleek fashion. Lil's sight stays glued on him while she collects empty plates from tables. My co-worker points the rich man in my direction. I rip my eyes away just as Jace follows the point. I look down at my workstation.

He's coming over!!

I spot him walking my way in a flawless glide. The fabric of his pants bunch at his crotch and thighs, and his belt cuts across hefty hips. My face goes scarlet. No, stop! Why is that happening??? My throat tenses, my mouth moistens, and my skin grows goosebumps. The billionaire reaches the counter and rests his veiny hand atop it.

"Excuse me, miss." My sight trail from his hand to his face. "I was told my wallet is with you." Jace's voice is as smooth as butter and deep. His eyes are so delicate and precise. The setting sun radiating behind him illuminates the shape of his machine of a body. "Thank you for holding it for me."

I love how long his hair is...he belongs in a CoverGirl commercial. I want to play in it! Okay, get a grip and speak before he assumes I'm a mute! "You're welcome," I reply in a murmur. My lung power appears to be weak; I swallow to dry my wet mouth. His penetrating gaze falls onto my throat as I gulp. "It...fell under the table." I drop my eyes.

"Did it? I thought I lost it on the grounds, and a guest pocketed it. That's a relief."

I give a short laugh and gaze back up at him. Jace's eyes hold a twinkle that has nothing to do with the dim lighting. "Yeah, I bet you're glad there are still good people in the world." I pull out the drawer and pluck the wallet from it.

"Is there?"

"Yes."

"So, you're telling me everything is how I left it?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying." I pass it to him. "You can check if you like."

Jace's suit jacket slides back; the cuffs of his dress shirt reveal that his arms are just as veiny as his hand. He unfolds his wallet and examines it. I watch his lush lips part, and his Adam's Apple stretch. "Interesting..." Our eyes collide. "Why didn't you steal it? I would have."

"Maybe because I'm not desperate...or dumb." I retort.

He smiles at my earnestness. "I'm surprised to meet a smart blonde."

"We come in different varieties." I play along. "I don't associate myself with the lesser half."

Jace chuckles. "I see why you work here; you have a good sense of humor."

"And fast hands." I boast.

"How fast?"

"What's your drink?"

"Commonwealth." He says in a dare.

"Which style?"

"European." He watches my hands collect liquids. Basil, red apple, maquie berry, blueberries, potato, lavender, star anise, rosemary, wild strawberry, and cotoneaster. Each bottle has a nozzle on its end.

"Coming up." I pour the liquids over ice and measure one and a half inch without difficulty. Like a chemist, my hands handle the bottles in a flawless motion. I know I'll surprise him with my blazing speed. I practically juggle the bottles two at a time. I stir with a red straw to churn the flavors before handing it over.

He takes a sip, swishing the liquid around his mouth before swallowing. "Hmm..."

"I don't speak that language. I need an English translation for feedback." I poke.

Jace titters amusingly. "That's impressive...not too overbearing or underwhelming."

"Perfectly balanced?"

"Maybe even beyond that." He sips more and exclaims a satisfying "ahh."

"I told you I'm fast. Now you can add accurate to the list." I raise my brow. "I have a reputation here."

"I'm sure you do...you must be a heartbreaker."

"Only a little." I grin.

Jace stuffs his wallet into the front pocket of his trousers. "Or a lot. It's fun being in that club, right?" He downs the drink in one big gulp, then sits the glass on the counter. "Thank you again, darling...have a wonderful night."

"You too."

Jace nods me farewell and goes the way he came in. The way his ass muscles contort within his trousers is hypnotically sexy. What just happened?? I said no communication! I was supposed to give back what I got in return for the past year. Instead, I gave. Stupid! I wasn't supposed to! Why did I flirt?? Why did I fail?! Lily snaps her fingers in front of my face. "Hey, did you hear me?"