~ Noah ~

"Guess what." Erik leaned backward on the bar, smiling. "I came up with a name for that berry cocktail."

The hand in which I was holding a towel stopped running circles over the bar.

"Were we supposed to come up with names so soon?" I shot out. "Did Ash say something about new menus again?"

"Relax, Noah." He lightly squeezed my shoulder. "Ash hasn't given us a deadline. It just came to me."

"Oh." I let out a sigh and he released my shoulder. "So, what did you name it?"

"Berry Brunch. Nothing that fancy, but..." He shrugged, not finishing the sentence.

"It's better than mine. Right now it's called 'that green thing I'm working on'."

"I'd offer to brainstorm some names with you, but we both know naming isn't my forte."

"Thanks all the same," I said and went back to cleaning the bar, hoping someone would come over, order something complicated and get my mind off the fact that the final version of the cocktail wasn't even ready yet. It was early in the evening and quiet - even the music seemed to be lower than usual - and no one had approached me or Erik in the past fifteen minutes.

As I looked about, my hand automatically wiping the bar simply so I'd have something to do, two people entered. With the dim lights and the distance between us I couldn't see their faces clearly, but Ash seemed even more angry than usual, walking in fast, long strides, and Dex... Well, he seemed... Stiff.

"No idea." Came from my side and I turned to Erik to see him also looking at the Bailey brothers. "But it's been a while since I've seen Ash so pissed off. I think the last time was when..."

Erik stopped himself, an uncharacteristically deep frown appearing on his usually smiling face.

"Excuse me for a sec." He walked around the bar, but instead of going to our boss on the second-level terrace, he headed to the corner where Jess was chatting with Toby, the two of them keeping an eye on the few clients we had, in case they were called to serve. Erik first said something to Toby, who nodded and left him and Jess alone. The two siblings huddled together, their faces hidden from my view, even though confusion and worry over what was going on made me stare at them shamelessly. Their conversation was brief before Jess headed towards the front entrance, every fiber in my being telling me she was looking for Gracie to hear her two cents on the matter.

Time seemed to slow down as I waited for Erik to return, my stomach twisting, and my fingers tapping madly over the bar.

"So..." I began, but he just shook his head.

"Jess doesn't know anything either," he cut me off, without looking at me, and my gut stopped twisting, a weight settling in it.

She didn't know, but they had a theory, and obviously, I wasn't worthy of hearing it. For the first time since I stepped foot in Nightfall, I felt excluded, and the rejection stung so strongly, it scared me.

When had I gotten so attached to these people?

I shook my head and went back to wiping the spotless surface of the bar while Erik busied himself checking in on how much alcohol each liquor bottle on the shelves had.

This wasn't about me.

This was about Ash, whatever made him angry, and whatever made Dex... Whatever Dex was. I'd only had my eyes on him for about half a minute, but I could tell something was off, even though I couldn't pinpoint what. Perhaps he was worried about Ash. That made perfect sense, given how close they were.

It also made perfect sense that this situation would worry Erik and Jess because the two of them - along with Gracie and Mac - were not only employees but friends of Ash and Dex. Something I wasn't and therefore I had no reason to pry into my boss's business, even though I liked him and was also worried.

But whatever it was, I couldn't help Ash.

He wouldn't want my help, not to mention that he'd probably prefer I pretended I hadn't noticed he'd looked like he wanted to strangle someone.

Dex on the other hand...

If I was right, and his problem was that Ash had a problem, then perhaps I could help him. I could find a way to distract him, get his mind off of things... I wasn't sure I had the right to even try that because even though Dex had said he'd like to be my friend nothing had changed between us and we were more of acquaintances, but I wanted to do something for him. It was a strong urge that made me restless and anxious, even more so than me not having that cocktail ready...

The cocktail.

The cocktail he'd said he'd like to help me with.

I bit my lip.

It was a flimsy excuse to talk to him and a lousy distraction, but it was something. Maybe when we got to work on it together, he'd open up enough for me to know how to better help him out.

Or maybe I'd mess up and make things worse.

That was a possibility, but I couldn't just stand there, knowing he was upset. I had to try something and hope for the best. But I had to wait for a chance to approach him without a furious Ash fuming on the seat next to him.

~ Dex ~

Coming to Nightfall was usually a way to unwind, but being here tonight was torture for me.

With Julian still fresh on my mind, all I wanted to do was be left alone. I'd taken a shower, but I could still feel the ghost of his embrace around me; I could still smell his bergamot scent, even here, in the club, so far away from him.

Had he returned to his new home, the one he'd built without me in that other town?

Or was he still in Plymson, waiting for another chance to see me?

To talk to me about whatever he'd come to say?

Was he going to ask me once again to get back together?

And was I...

"Dex!" My brother's shout made me turn my head towards him so fast, pain shot through my neck.

Worry and anger - the former for me, the latter reserved for Julian - were a powerful mix in his grey eyes.

"I've been calling you for a whole minute," he said, no reproach in his voice. The fact that my exceedingly impatient sibling wasn't annoyed with me having spaced out on him spoke volumes.

"Sorry," I said without really meaning it, my tone flat.

He sighed, or so I gathered by the movement of his shoulders as the music was too loud for me to hear such a light sound.

"Did you want something?" I asked more to get over with whatever he had in mind than because I actually gave a damn what he was about to say. I knew it was unfair when he was so distressed about me, but I just didn't have the strength to care at the moment.

"I said, I have to go to the office and make some calls. Do you want to come with me or are you staying here?"

'I want to go home' is what I felt like replying and I almost did speak it out loud, but I realized that letting Ash look after me for another few hours meant that he'd let me be afterward. If I left to go back to my apartment at this very moment, he'd call and text me, and come to check up on me in person when the club closed. Suffering through his good intentions now seemed a fair price in exchange for some privacy later, so instead, I said: "I'm good here."

He gave me a look that showed he knew I was not good here and that I wouldn't be good anywhere, but after a while of silently staring at each other, he took his glass of vanilla-flavored vodka and left. The drink he'd ordered me stayed untouched on the table where someone - Jess or another staff member; I hadn't even noticed who - had left it. It was a clear liquid, in a tall glass. I took it and sniffed it.

There was no odor.

Then I took a sip.

There was no flavor.

It was water.

Just plain H2O.

Apparently, my brother didn't trust me to take anything stronger in my current emotional state. I frowned and put the glass back on the table and then, for the first time since Julian had left, I was taken out of my haze and became aware of my surroundings, and more specifically that someone was standing next to me.

I turned to see an anxious Noah, biting his lower lip. On any other night, I'd reprimand myself for the inappropriate thoughts that sight put into my head, but not tonight.

Tonight him being here made me angry.

He was just one more person to get into my personal space when I wanted some solitude.

How dared he come, looking all concerned?

And what gave him the right to be worried about me?

Why was it that everyone thought they could just butt in on my business?

Something dark built up in me, exploding in one snarled word: "What?"

Noah flinched as if I'd struck him, taking a step back from the madman I no doubt looked like. The darkness dissipated, replaced with regret so overwhelming, I wanted to jump out of my seat and beg for forgiveness.

Instead, I leaned back in the leather seat, closed my eyes, and breathed in deeply, praying he'd be there when I opened them.

And he was, frightened and unmoving.

"I'm sorry." I slowly leaned towards him, gauging his reaction, until I was sitting with my elbows atop of my knees. He relaxed a bit, but he was still cautious.

"I..." I began and huffed, not sure how to continue. How to explain to him that I was a mess without revealing why that was? "I... It's been a really bad day," I said in the end and he nodded, taking a step closer.

I pointed to the seat next to me and, after a moment's hesitation, he took it.

"What's up?" I tried to ask casually, but it came out strained.

"I wanted to ask you something, but... I see it's a really bad time," he slowly said, then added quickly: "It's not important anyway. It's just... I thought maybe... But never mind."

His rambling, complete with shaking his head and waving, made me want to slam my head against the glass table. Noah wasn't usually so animated, but I'd obviously alarmed him enough for him to move like he was on a sugar overdose.

And all for what?

Because I felt like shit and I wanted everyone who had the gall to get near me to feel the same?

"Ask anyway." My inflection was pleading - not how I'd intended it, but then again, I wasn't sure exactly what I was going for anyway. It was apparently the right tone because after a moment in which he seemed to go through a mental battle with himself, he took in a deep breath and shot out:

"Do you want to help me with the cocktail?"

I'd had no idea what he'd wanted to ask me, but if I had to make a list of possibilities, this wouldn't have been on it. My surprise must've shown in my silence, or perhaps in the way I was staring at him open-mouthed because he groaned and covered his face with his hands. His words came out so fast afterward, that I could barely make them out.

"I'm sorry! It's stupid! I know it's stupid, but Ash seemed angry and you seemed something, and I knew there was nothing I could do for Ash, but I thought maybe I could distract you, and it's stupid, but maybe I could take your mind off things, but you obviously want to be alone, and it's..."

With one last 'stupid', he leaped out of his seat, turned around, and started to walk away from me. I jumped up as well and grabbed his wrist. He stopped and swirled to face me, a question and a dash of hope in his green eyes.

And suddenly I wasn't angry anymore.

Or upset.

I didn't care that Julian could still be in town and visit me again; I'd deal with that mess when it happened.

I didn't care that someone was entering my personal space; I no longer wanted to be left alone.

What I did care about was making it up to the beautiful guy who'd once again looked after me and who I'd wrongly repaid by frightening and disheartening.

"When do you want to do this?"

-----

"When do you want to do this?" *cough, cough* I swear Dex was talking about cock(tails).

So, Dex likes it when Noah is being stupid? Okay, Dex...

Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and see you next week! ❤

Oh, and drop a comment or a like, if you feel like it.

PS: Have you ever been so angry that you lashed out at someone undeserving, but instantly regretted it?