The One after my Heart

The place where Kyra worked was called 'Gaffers', located on 5th avenue just around Sunset Park in Brooklyn. It was a quaint old resto-pub that had been around for more than two years now, inviting old and new customers. The food and drinks were great, and the ambience was friendly and comfortable, which was all what one needed.

As Kyra walked into her second most favourite places in her life currently, she saw Mitch, the owner from afar, on his usual routine directing the cleaning staff and ensuring everything would be set just as every other day before Gaffers Pub opened up.

Mitchell Gaffer, who preferred to be called Mitch, was the one who owned and ran the business. As a good looking tall, well-dressed and well-spoken man in his thirties, with his warm smile and knack for business, he had made quite a reputation around locally already.

Mitch recruited her one night from the nearby local diner three years ago, where she used to wait tables, for his new resto-pub that he had then planned to start. At first, he was smitten by her looks but then instantly also recognized her charm in handling the customers.

In time, Mitch realized that Kyra had a knack for bartending when she had to assist him once on a very busy night.

Kyra was an instant-hit with the crowd with her cheeky dimple smile and also later managed to bring in loyal customers. If not for him, she would probably be waiting at endless tables, so she was always grateful to him. The tips, pay, and the crowd now were many times better.

Maggie always pushed and suggested her to seduce and pursue the good-looking 'single' Mitch and settle down for real, but Kyra used to laugh it off as she had never thought of him as any more than a brotherly figure who looked out for her occasionally. Besides, he had never let anything on, and neither did Kyra want to do anything to spoil their current relationship.

"Hey there, Mitchy. What's up, old man? Nagging the poor staff as usual I see", she teased him, getting a glare from him as she saw him walk towards her at the counter.

It was harmless banter between them in private, of course, as she had long found out he was a big softy on the inside.

"You know, you don't have to lecture them every single day. Heck by now they probably know all your lines by heart.", she jokingly reminded as he made his way over.

"Yeah, right. You'd think they'd know this by now, but I see no difference", Mitch harumphed gruffly, trying to smoothen his frown as he let out a loud sigh and sat on a nearby chair. "Ha-They never do anything right, Kye! Unless told they never do it and you know it too, Kye."

"I know boss, I know", Kyra consoled and pacified him. She pretended to massage his shoulders from behind with a serious look as she struggled to stand on her tiptoes, making him laugh.

God, she kept forgetting how tall and good-looking he was. Maybe she should reconsider Maggie's advice someday, she thought to herself with a small smile creeping up her lips as she entertained that thought. She liked being around Mitch, and he did make her feel secure.

"Alright, let's get things ready. It's gonna be a busy day. It's the weekend not to mention it's the last day of the year as well. I'm going to check up on the kitchen staff and when the temporary bouncers we've hired will arrive. I'll be right back", said Mitch as he hastily went over with that signature frown once more appearing on his broad forehead.

Kyra shook her head as her eyes lit up in excitement for the coming day. New years eve always made one excited her since it brought new hope for the coming year.

She loved the crazy party crowd: the loud blaring music, dances, and laughter. There were people of all sorts-happy couples, singles, gloomy ones, heartbroken ones, people who showed up hoping to find their so-called better-half or the one, people who were there to get drunk and then, also some who would just be there to make trouble and watch the chaos. Which explained the temporary bouncers. Besides, the tips she made on days such as these were quite good!

By eleven o'clock, Gaffer's was soon ready to open with the decorations in place and staff present along with the addition of two new buffed-up muscular bouncers, Bob and Larry, who had tattoos over them, giving them quite a scary look.

'Well, that should deal with any troublemakers', though Kyra to herself.

"Alright then, let's open up", hollered up Mitch as though he was preparing his battalion for war after taking a final look around the place.

Soon in no time, the place was packed to the brim with customers getting in and out. Kyra was completely occupied with serving drinks, engaging the customers with small talk, and keeping an eye around helping out Mitch whenever his attention was occupied elsewhere. She was so busy that she didn't even have time to grab a bite for lunch.

Luckily she found stacks of energy bars stashed in the counter inside, which she knew Mitch had secretly put in for her, making her bless the caring man in thanks.

As she managed to sneak in small bites of her energy bar between orders, with Mitch who had just gone to take a look at the kitchen, her eyes darted over to one of the furthest corner table booths. She saw three guys and a girl who wore a light pink jacket there. 'Lucky rich brats', she thought to herself as she looked at their clothes.

But oddly, the girl with them, who seemed like she was barely in her late teens, appeared to be quiet and shy around them, creating a contrast as the girl seemed clearly uncomfortable from her body language.

Somehow the girl didn't fit there among them was what Kyra thought to herself but who was she to argue. 'Probably it's her first time,' thought Kyra to herself as she shook her head inwardly. Such scenes were familiar, and she was quite used to it by now.

But just as she was about to dart her eyes away, she saw one of the guys who wore a mean earring on his right ear with spiked up blond colour hair slowly take out something white secretly. He sneakily poured it into the girl's drink while she seemed to be distracted.

The guy winked at both of his other friends as he accomplished his deed secretly, and they grinned back.

'These bastards', thought Kyra fiercely to herself as she made herself over to their table.