Pieces (Riverdale #1)

Cara shook her head and was sure her face was as red as a tomato. She busied her hands and took two shot glasses from beneath the bar. She poured one shot of whiskey for Sam, and one for herself. She rarely drank while she worked, but right now it seemed necessary. She pushed Sam’s in front of her, but before she could even lift the glass, Cara threw hers back.

Eyes wide, Sam did her shot and placed the empty glass back on the bar. She shook her head as the liquid fire burned her throat. She shook it off and turned to Cara. “Ok, so the way I see it, is you need to get under a hot guy, or on top, however you prefer.”

Cara moaned for she could not believe she was having this conversation. What made it worse; was as Sam spoke the words, there was only one body she picture above hers, and it was Jake’s. She could see his sly grin spread across his face as she begged for more.

“Hello? Earth to Cara,” Sam said as she waved her hand in her face. “I can’t help you, if you’re a million miles away.”

Cara shook her head, hoping that she shook her thoughts away. “I’m sorry. What did you say?” Then she remembered what Sam had been saying provoked her little vision of hot sweaty sexy Jake. “Wait, on second thought, don’t repeat that. Is it hot in here?”

Sam giggled, and Cara looked at her sharply. Aware of her stare, she watched her friend try to muffle her chuckle. “Cara you work in a bar for God’s sake. This place is crawling with hot guys. Just make nice with one, and have a little fun.” Sam leaned back against her bar stool, looking back at her smugly, like she had just invented the cure for cancer or something.

It was obviously going to be a long night, so she poured herself another shot. Sam slid her glass towards her, signaling she, too, wanted a refill.

“Here you go.” She slid the glass towards her. “And for the record, I can’t just pick up one of my customers and take them home with me.”

“Sure you can!” Sam said enthusiastically.

“How do you suppose I do that? Next time someone asks for a beer, should I tell them I come with it?” She groaned and downed the shot. This was not getting better.

Sam leaned over the bar, splaying her palms flat across the carved wood of the bar. “I’ll help you! The next pair of guys that sit at this bar; will be putty in our hands.” She winked at Cara.

“I hope they are gay.” Cara mumbled and nodded at the group of guys at the end of the bar that were holding up their empty beer mugs. “Be right back.” She said as she sauntered over to her regulars.

After Cara had poured their refills she involuntarily made her way back to Sam. Who was applying a fresh coat of lip gloss. She looked up from her little compact mirror and puckered her lips before handing the tube to Cara.

“I’m not putting lip gloss on for the gay couple that is going to make their way through those doors, and offer myself up to them on a silver platter. My luck they’ll ask me to be their surrogate or something.” Cara crossed her arms underneath her breasts, defiantly.

“Come on Cara, have an open mind. You are not leaving here alone tonight, I guarantee it!” And then her eyes widened. “Unless of course you’re shutting me down because you’re, already hung up on somebody!”

“What? No!” Cara stuttered and grabbed the tube of lip gloss out of her hands. She turned her back towards Sam and looked at the mirror behind the bottles that lined the shelves. She started to apply the gloss. She’d play by Sam’s rules as long as she didn’t have to admit to her that was in fact hung up on someone, someone that she had no business being hung up on.

She smacked her lips, and even gave her hair a little fluffing. “Ok, fine, I’m game. If you really think this is going to get me lucky—“She turned around and Sam had her head in her hands. Then she realized there were two men beside her. Her cheeks reddened as Jake stared at her.

“I take it back.” Sam mumbled into her palms.

Nick, who was too polite to laugh in her face, covered his mouth with his hand and pretended to cough while Jake’s gaze bore into her, something fierce.

“Uh, Sam was just, well I was. You guys aren’t gay and in need of a surrogate are you?” Cara asked hopefully, and swallowed her embarrassment.

Sam sighed and turned to Nick and Jake, “What’re you two doing here anyway?”

“Obviously interrupting your mission to get ‘lucky’,” Jake said, but his eyes didn’t leave Cara.

Nick slid onto the bar stool next to Sam and smiled at her. “Are you looking to get lucky, Sam?” He said his voice all silky and husky.

“Not by the likes of you.” She said, rolling her eyes. She glanced at Cara. “Cara, can I get another shot please?”

Cara broke her stare off with Jake and glanced at her. Sam eyed her curiously, but mouthed ‘I’m sorry.’ Cara let out a shaky breath as she poured the shot. Her hands were shaking, and she got more liquor on the bar than in the glass. She quickly wiped it up with the rag that she kept tucked into the back pocket of her midriff baring jeans. She didn’t dare lift her head as she spoke. “Can I get you guys anything?”