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Chapter sixteen
"Happy St. Patrick's Day."
St. Patrick’s Day was one of the busiest nights at the bar, so there would be four of them making drinks. Cooper would play his usual part as bouncer and give Paxton, Gage, Cabe, and Rand their breaks. Both Becca and Londyn would come in to help after the restaurant closed at seven. Rand would help Remington and Brynlee in the kitchen before moving to the bar. The kitchen would be serving Shepard’s Pie, Soda Bread, and Irish Apple Cake to mark the holiday.
Gage left the newspaper office at four and went to the tavern to help Paxton prepare for the night. It was already getting busy when he arrived. He went behind the bar and Paxton shook his hand.
“Are you here to stay?”
“Yeah. What do you need me to do?”
“Catch up on the dishes. Top off the fruit trays. Stock the beer cooler.” He smiled. “That’s a start.”
Gage nodded. “I’m on it. How’s Elaina?”
“Not too happy.”
“I imagine. But you’re off tomorrow. You just need to make it through the night.”
Gage started in on the dishes, but never quite reached the end of them. When he figured he was at least ahead, he stopped and took care of the fruit. They were short on limes, so he cut several. Then he cut up a few lemons. When the three fruit trays were filled, he went to the back room and picked up a case of beer. They’d sell a lot of Guinness tonight. But they also had Murphy’s Stout and Harp Lager in stock.
When the beer cooler was full, he poured two shots of Jameson and took one to Paxton.
“Happy St. Patrick’s Day.”
“Thanks, brother.”
They tapped glasses and drank the shots.
Paxton set his glass next to the sink. “We should eat before it gets crazy.”
“I’ll go get us a couple plates of Shepard’s Pie.”
“And bread.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Gage left the bar and went through the dining room to the kitchen. It was busy with the dinner crowd. He went through the swinging doors and almost ran into Becca, coming through with an armload of plates.
“Whoa, sorry.”
“Stay to the right.”
“Got it.”
Remington and Rand were busy at the grill while Brynlee was making salads and putting bread into baskets. She was six months pregnant now and tried to stay in the prep area rather than at the stove.
She looked up from her work and smiled at Gage. “How’s the bar?”
“Starting to fill up. Pax and I were hoping to get a couple servings of the Shepard’s Pie if you’re not too busy.”
“No problem.”
Rand handed her two servings of the pie and she put some bread on the plates before passing them on to Gage.
“Thank you.” He pointed at her. “Don’t work too hard.”
“I’ll try not to.”
