Love Is a Losing Game

“Right, come on guys, we’ve all got homes to go to, but I can’t go to mine until you lot leave!” Matt’s voice boomed throughout the bar as he tried to hurry the last few stragglers out at the end of a busy Saturday night.

“Do you want me to take that as well?” Brian asked Angie as she took the change float out of the cupboard.

“Nah, I’ve got it, you just look after the till trays.” She replied with a smile, turning to walk back towards the office with Brian escorting her with the night’s takings.

“Cheers Brian, go help yourself to a beer, let Matt and Johnny one too and tell the guys up there that they can have one as well once everything is sorted.” Angie said placing the change float onto the desk next to where he’d placed the cash trays.

“Cheers boss.” Brian replied with a wink and what she’d noticed was somewhat of a trademark smirk.

“Oh, you don’t mind Aimee and the other girls waiting for us do you?” he asked, stopping in the doorway.

“Of course not, get them a drink each as well.” She replied with a smile.

“Thanks.” He replied simply with a smile before he closed the door behind him, leaving her to count up the takings.

Angie rubbed her eyes sleepily as she waited for the following fortnight’s rota to be printed, a copy for each staff member. She glanced across to the cameras watching her staff finally take their seats with their drinks now that everything had been cleared away ready for the morning shift. She leant across and picked up the phone, dialling the two digits that would put her through to the bar. She watched as Gabby walked across to answer the call.

“Sorry Hun, before you sit down, can you pour me a Jack and Coke please?”

“Yeah sure. Ice?” Gabby replied cheerfully.

“Please, I’ll be up in a few.” Angie replied before hanging up. She gathered the print outs and shut down the computer before picking up her personal belongings and locking the office up and heading back out to the bar.

All her bar staff were sat at one booth, happily talking as they enjoyed an end of the night drink. In the next booth over Stuart was sat with the guys and their girlfriends. He looked up at the sound of her approaching and signalled to her drink that was sat on the table in front of him.

“Here, take a copy of the rota and one of you can do me a favour and pin one up on the staff board.” She said passing her staff the bundle of rotas she held in her hand. She then turned and took a seat next to Stuart, picking up her glass as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a sideways hug.

“Its ok honey, we both have a well deserved day off tomorrow, we’ll have a lazy day if you want.” He said with a smile as he placed a small kiss on her temple.

“Yeah that sounds pretty good right now.” She replied taking a sip of her drink.

“Oh, we were actually going to invite you shopping with us while the guys watched the game.” Aimee replied from where she was sat in Brian’s lap.

“Yeah, its kinda something we always do, we have a girlie day while the guys sit and drink beers yelling at the TV screen.” Natalie added with a smile.

“Yeah and of course you can come and watch the game Stu.” Brian said as Stuart and Angie exchanged a worried look.

“Would you mind if we swapped?” Stuart asked as they looked back at him with confusion.

“Yeah, I’m really not a spend-the-day-doing-girly-stuff kinda girl and Stuie really hates most sports.” Angie explained with a smile.

“Really?” Matt asked quirking an eyebrow.

“Yep, I’d much rather spend the day shopping or curled up with a movie and popcorn. Angie’s the one who’d happily sit in front of the TV with a beer yelling profanities at the screen.” Stuart said with a chuckle.

The other girls and guys all exchanged glances before nodding. “Ok then, that’s the plan, Stu can go shopping with the girls and Angie can come watch the game with us.” Brian said.

“Cool, it’ll be strange having a guy shopping with us without him moaning constantly.” Beth, Johnny’s girlfriend said, the other girls nodding in agreement.

“I was going to say the same about having a girl watching basketball game with us.” Matt replied.

“So are you a big sports fan Ange?” Brian asked inquisitively gaining her attention.

“Ever since I was a kid. My dad had season tickets for the Broncos and the Nuggets and I went with him to almost every game.” She replied with a proud smile on her face. Brian, Matt and Johnny all nodded, seemingly impressed by her reply.

“Should be interesting Thursday night then.” Brian said with a smirk, which Angie mirrored, knowing he was on about the game between the Lakers and the Nuggets.

“Yeah, especially after last seasons game.” She replied.

“Nah, the Nuggets were lucky, the Lakers will beat them Thursday, easy.” Brian replied confidently.

“Care to make it interesting?” Angie challenged, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the table.

“How much?” Brian replied mimicking her stance.

“Fifty. Nuggets win.” She stated calmly holding out her hand for the deal.

“You’re on.” Brian said shaking her hand.

“Can I get in on that?” Matt asked with a smile.

“Great, like he needs any encouragement to gamble.” Aly, Matt’s girlfriend muttered as Matt and Angie shook hands to finalise the bet.

“Yeah, sorry about her, she can get quite competitive when it comes to sports.” Stuart replied shaking his head with a smile.

“So is he.” Aly replied jabbing her thumb in Matt’s direction.

“Ok, so back to tomorrows game, come over in time for the pre-match, have a few beers while they spend the afternoon shopping.” Brian said.

“Sounds good to me, tell you what, I’ll bring the beers, you bring the munchies.” Angie replied. “Can one of you guys do me a favour?” she asked turning to face the bar staff in the booth behind her.

“Sure.” Darren replied with a smile.

“Great, here, go down to the cellar and bring up a create of Budweiser, actually bring up two.” She said passing him her keys. “Remind me I owe for them on Monday.” She added turning to Stu who nodded.

“Can you do that?” Beth asked staring after Darren as he disappeared towards the cellar.

“Yeah, I pay cost for them, so anytime you guys want beer for a party just let me know, I’ll let you have the same ‘discount’.” She said using air quotes.

“Awesome.” Matt said with a smile that showed off his dimples.

“I think I love this woman.” Johnny said smiling over at Angie.

“What, sorry babe, but she’s beautiful, loves sports and can get us cheap beers.” He added in reply to the glare Bath was now giving him.

“Aww, honey, as flattered as I am right now, you’re not my type at all.” Angie replied with a smile and a wink before letting out a loud yawn.

“Right, sorry guys but lets drink up, I want to get home to my bed.” she called as she quickly drank the remainder of her drink.

Everyone quickly complied with her request and made their way to the door, Matt and Brian picking up a crate of Bud each to carry to her car.

“Actually, just take it with you, that way it’ll be already at your place for tomorrow and I won’t have to carry them over.” Angie said as they went to put the crates into the back of her Escalade.

“Good thinking.” Brian said turning to his Escalade which was parked next to hers and taking his keys out of his pocket.

“Night guys, thanks for your help.” She called as she climbed into the driving seat. “See you tomorrow.”

The others all called back with their goodbyes and see you laters as they all turned to make their own way home.

“You fancy him don’t you.” Stuart accused as soon as she pulled out of her parking space.

“Who exactly?” she asked quirking her eye brows as she glanced quickly between him and the road.

“Brian. I’ve seen the look in your eyes when you look at him.” he stated. Angie chuckled as she felt herself blush.

“Oh come on, you can’t tell me that you haven’t noticed how extremely good looking he is, or any of those guys are.” She replied.

“Ok, I’ll give you that one, they are all pretty good looking and if I didn’t work at the place I’d quite happily get myself into trouble so that Matt could manhandle me as he escorted me off the premises, but you definitely like Brian more than you should.” He replied as Angie felt her face getting hotter as she blushed more.

“Well, he doesn’t make things easy for me does he? I mean, he’s probably the most beautiful man my eyes have ever seen, and he just has to be a nice guy to go with it, and we enjoy sport and stuff and now we’re also going to be working together and stuff!” she ranted with an exasperated sigh.

“Why do you always fall for the guys you shouldn’t?” Stuart asked sympathetically.

“I haven’t fallen for him, and this is nothing like the David situation.” She said sternly as she turned into their driveway.

“Ok, sorry, I know it was different, and I know this is easy for me to say but try not to fall for him. I don’t want to see you hurt again.” he said as they got out of the car and walked up towards their front door.

“Believe me Stu, I don’t want that to happen either.” She replied as he let them into their house. As she went to follow she heard another car pull up and turned to see Brian getting out of his Escalade and waving over to her. She quickly waved back before turning and closing the front door behind her, promising herself that she wouldn’t fall for him.