Chapter 11
Brendan's point of view
I don't know why I get so annoyed when Steven doesn't reply to my texts straight away, when I'm left for maybe twenty minutes and I still don't have a reply, I know he had went out last night for a few drinks so he's probably a bit rough since it's still early but I can't help myself.
Chez is huffing and puffing trying to sort out the boxes from the delivery, she pops her head out the door and looks at me leaning against the banister.
"God sakes Bren," she moans "Some help here would be nice."
I breathe out not looking away from the deli window hoping maybe I'll get a glance of Steven. Maybe buying this club was a mistake,
"Instead of staring longingly at the deli why don't you go down and speak to him?" Cheryl suggests "Then maybe you can get some work done."
I shake my head, "No it's fine I'll come help." I say, I don't get what's gotten into me moping about waiting for some lad to text me back.
We spend the full morning carrying boxes up from the cellar, stoking up the bar, putting the extras in the cellar and making sure all the pipes work.
Before we know it, it's lunchtime already.
"Bren, I'm just going to jump out and get something for us to eat. I'm starving" she says, "What is there still to be done?"
"Toilets need a bit of a paint job." I mutter, the toilets look disgusting I wouldn't be surprised if they hadn't even cleaned it since it shut. Whenever that was. "Better get some of the staff in, a cleaner to clean the place up a bit and whatever bar staffs working on opening night."
She runs into the office and comes back with a bundle of flyers,
"I'm gonna hand these flyers out," she says then passes me a bit of paper, "You sort out who's working and when." and before I can protest she's gone.
I look at the list, it says Jackie cleans aswell as works the bar so I'll phone her to come in and I might aswell ask Rhys Ashworth to come in. They've both worked in here before so they should know what they're doing.
I phone the number I have for them, they share the same number so I'm guessing they're together. Some girl answers the phone and as soon as I say it's for Jackie, she shouts out her name. I pull the phone away until the noise stops,
"Hello?" a woman's voice says who I think is Jackie.
"It's Brendan Brady from the club, I need ye to come in just a quick clean up and introduction to the bar." I say speaking as clear as I can.
"A bit more notice would've been good mate," she sighs "Yeah I'll come in."
I feel my jaw tense when she calls me mate, I don't say anything about it I'll at least let it slide this time. "Tell Rhys to come in aswell."
"Yeah kay" she says quickly before putting down the phone and hanging up on me,
"Okay then." I say clearly talking to myself.
I get the bleach, sponges and gloves out of the cleaning cupboard and put them onto the bar and sit at one of the stools, I check the time on my watch, Cheryl has been gone for a while now. How long does it take to hand out some flyers.
Ste's point of view
It's been busy in the deli this morning so much that I've not even had a chance to stop properly, Doug keeps going on about his wedding, asking me things as if I know. I've never even been to a wedding before but he convinces me into helping him plan his and I know it probably won't end well.
"If you don't feel comfortable doing it Ste it's fine. It's just your good with this sort of thing" he sighs,
I think about taking the quick way out and saying I don't want to do it but I don't instead I smile at him, half expecting him to know its fake. "Its fine Doug honestly." I say while handing him a cheese baguette which he hands over to the last customer.
We take the chance to sit down while we can but Doug puts a big book infront of me and starts flipping through the pages,
"It's Leanne's but she said I could borrow it for some ideas." He tells me,
"Yeah I were wondering why there was a wedding dress." I say snorting a laugh, he shoots me a quick evil look but carries on talking,
"Do I get a best man or a brides maid?" he asks me,
"Well I dunno, normally the bride has so many brides maids and the groom has so many groomsmen, it's just whatever you prefer I think." I murmur, why did he even ask me I don't have a clue.
"Well in that case, how would you like to be my best man?" he says, grin on his face,
"Ya being serious?" I ask to which he nods, a big smile spreads over my face, "Yeah I'd love to, obviously! But what about Reilly?"
"What about him? He can still be a groomsman but your my best man" he says raising his eyebrows, I pull him into a tight hug.
The door opens and in comes a woman that has a mass of blonde curls, she turns round and grins at me, Cheryl.
"Ooh who's getting married?" she says, grin stretching bigger.
"Doug," I say while pointing to him, she nods her head in understanding.
"I love weddings, your planning it the now." she says grabbing Leanne's book and flicking through the pages,
I roll my eyes while Doug says, "Yeah getting some of it done anyway, what can we get you?"
She tuts, "I'm really good with weddings by the way love." she says smiling at Doug,
"Good cos we ain't got a clue" I sigh, Doug turns round to look at me frowning before I shrug my shoulders, it's the truth though and if Doug wants it to be special then he should speak about it with someone that knows what they're talking about.
She grins before slipping onto the couch in between us, Doug makes some messed up face at me before slapping a fake smile on when Cheryl turns to face him.
"Right, I'll make something for us to eat the now then." I say while standing up.
"Here love ye don't think ye could put some of these up could ye?" she asks while extending her arm towards me which is filled with flyers so I take them out of her hand.
It's flyers for the club, it's been named Chez Chez. Opening night is on Saturday, how come Brendan didn't even mention this to me? I smile at her again "Yeah course, so hows the club panning out?" I ask while slipping behind the counter and putting a few of the flyers beside the free food samples laid out.
"Yeah it's goin great love. Our Bren is putting a lot of work into it, he's been dead busy." She says giving me a sweet smile before going back to looking through the book.
"Brendan? Is that the guy you were with at the Dog?" Doug asks, scowl now on his face.
"Yeah" I mutter, "So Cheryl what was it ya came over for?"
"Hmm, can I get a salad please? With a coffee, and Bren will probably want a jam sandwich, coffee but put three sugars in it." she says with a small smile.
"How about we just sort this wedding stuff out later?" Doug says grabbing the book back off Cheryl and marching into the kitchen.
Cheryl looks at me with a confused look on her face as if to say what just happened but I don't have an explanation for it so I let out a shrug.
I sit her order onto the counter, "How much do I owe ye love?" she asks, rummaging through her purse.
"It's alright, this ones on the house." I smile pushing her things towards her.
She grins at me before grabbing it,
"Thanks Ste, your a wee gem do ye know that?" she says, I smirk back at her, "Make sure your at the opening night!" she exclaims, "I'll probably see ye before that though." she says giving me a wink and heading out the door before waving.
Doug comes out shortly after, "So who's that?" he snorts at me about Cheryl,
"Cheryl, Brendan's sister." I say to him, he shakes his head at me and picks up the flyers before scanning his eyes over it.
"They've bought the loft?" he says eyes wide,
"Yeah" I say, don't understand what Doug's problem is.
"Well I guess we better get used to them then?!" he says tugging at his hairs "Now there our business neighbours."
"Calm down Doug, what's your problem?" I ask him,
"I don't know, I just can't stand the guy! He makes me feel uneasy, I don't trust him one bit." he sighs,
"Ya don't need to worry about it Doug, he's alright really." I say.
We don't talk for the rest of the day, but that's probably because it gets busy again and we're ran off our feet until closing time, Doug goes outside to get the sign an bring it in but stops in his tracks looking out the window.
"What's up Doug?" I ask walking towards him and following his eye line.
I see Brendan, he looks like he's in a heated argument or something with this guy he's with, something about it doesn't sit right with me.
Suddenly he grabs the guys arm and pushes him into the doorway of the club before slamming it behind him.
It's hard for me to swallow and when I look at Doug he's giving me a sympathetic look,
"What?" I snap at him, my voice coming out harsh.
"What was that all about?" Doug asks pointing towards the club, I shrug my shoulders trying to pretend I don't care, even though my mind is screaming at me to match over and find out what's going on but I can't bring myself to do it. To scared of what I might see if I do go over plus I don't even have the right to either do I? Brendan isn't my boyfriend and even if we did agree to not seeing other people he has already broken that anyway.
"They looked awfully close didn't they?" Doug asks, his voice sounds snide, as if he's been waiting for this moment for ages. For someone to hurt me like I hurt him.
"Yeah they did," I say shrugging and walking towards the door, when I get outside I almost go over. I manage to stop myself though and grab the sign instead, every moment I'm out though I'm looking at that door, practically burning holes in it from my gaze.
I snap myself out of it though, it could've been anyone and even if they are doing the deed then at least I'll know what Brendan's like and I won't need to waste more time with him. I mean what's so special about that boy anyway? He wasn't exactly ugly but he's nothing to look at not from what I seen anyway.
I go back into the deli and Doug's eyes are still on me, he looks as if he feels sorry for me but somewhere in his features I can see that he's smug about it and he's glad it happened.
I decide to push thinking about Brendan out my head, "How about we go to the dog? Could sort out some of this wedding." I offer to Doug.
"No it's okay, I've got a date with John Paul." he says looking at the clock on the wall, "Speaking of which I need to go."
Before I can even reply he's grabbing his jacket and out the door, looks like I'm clearing up myself today then. I lock the door before starting to count up the takings for today, normally Doug would do this since I'm not really good with numbers but I manage to do it in alright timing.
I put away all the food products back into the fridge and cupboards, wherever they're supposed to go and give the full place a quick mop before turning the electricity off and heading for the door. I lock up and head into price slice but on my way back out I barge into Brendan.
Literally walk into him, he looks surprised to see me.
"Steven." he says, his voice shooting shivers up my spine but I ignore it.
"Alright" I grunt at him hoping he'll figure out I'm pissed off at him.
He doesn't though, he gives me a soft smile and cups my cheek.
"Ye look tired. Ye been busy?" he says speaking softly to me. I almost melt at the touch but I can't.
"Yeah, I'm shattered. Cheryl was in earlier handed in a few flyers." I say,
"Yeah she said, the jam sandwich by the way." he moans before dropping his voice and whispering "Was delicious."
"Glad ya enjoyed it." I say, small smile on my face, I can't help but be nice to him when he's like this.
"So ye busy tonight?" he asks stepping closer.
I swallow down my throat, I don't really have it in me to turn him down, "Nah not really.." I start to say.
His phone makes a noise and he sighs before getting it out, he reads whatever's on the screen before looking back up at me, I can see he's trying to hide it but there's guilt there, practically written all over his face.
"I'm sorry, something's just came up," he says holding his phone up but not showing me the screen, I don't expect him to though he doesn't really have anything to explain. "I better go, I'll text ye" he says before bending down and planting a soft kiss on my lips.
It takes me by surprise but I guess that's the type of person he is, he likes to string people along but it won't work with me. I don't let on that I know anything but just nod and smile at him "Yeah alright I'll see ya." I say, he smiles back at me before going back towards the club.
I shout on him and he turns round looks surprised, "Were ya not goin to the shop for somethin?" I say pointing to price slice behind me.
"No" he states, which makes me frown, "I saw ye go in, I came down to speak to ye." he says, before looking about embarrassed and walking back into the club.
He's definitely the biggest mind fuck I've ever met.