Working as a bartender wasn’t something you had ever planned on—it wasn’t part of the dream. But that was before she walked in.

She slides onto one of the bar stools, her smirk almost playful as her eyes meet yours.

“Hey, the usual, please,” she says, her voice smooth but with a hint of confidence that immediately catches your attention.

You pause for a moment, wiping your hands on the bar rag. There’s something about her that makes you forget all the reasons you took this job in the first place.