She opened the door and stopped near the fire ring shooting flames in the air and looked around the busy room for an empty seat in Monica's section of the bar.
Most of the tables were occupied. Deciding to sit on a stool at the bar, she took the first one nearest her.
The bartender, wearing a Slag leather vest, approached the counter. "What can I get you?"
She needed to watch how much money she spent. While she would love a drink, she needed food.
"I'd like an order of chicken fingers and fries." She leaned against the bar. "Ice water would be great."
The man motioned to someone else in the room and stepped away. So many of the Slag members were blond of some shade and had long hair. With the leather vest, it was hard to keep them all straight. She couldn't remember if she'd met the bartender at the party or not.
She half-turned on the stool and found a waitress approaching her with a smile.
"She wants the chicken basket," said the bartender.
"Thanks, Peer." The woman's gaze came back to Dinah. "Anything to drink?"
"I've got that part," said Peer.
"Great. I'll get the food order for you." The woman moved around the counter and hung up a piece of paper in the kitchen window, then turned back around. "I'm Coco. If you need anything else, I'll be happy to help you."
"Th-thanks." Dinah looked away, so as not to be caught staring.
She remembered seeing the woman at the Slag party and admiring the way she had her hair cut in uneven layers and applied summer colored makeup to brighten her face. She was cute and peppy. A look she wouldn't be able to pull off. She wasn't that cheerful or petite.
She glanced around the bar while she waited. Peer brought her a glass of ice water, and she sipped the drink.
Her wait for the food passed quickly, and soon Coco brought her order. As she took her time eating, she tried to listen to the conversations around her, but hunger won out.
Monica appeared in front of her. "I didn't see you come in. Did you get home in time to get some rest and do all your chores today?"
Last night, she'd made an excuse of leaving with Brage as having a full schedule today and needing to go home.
She wiped her mouth with the napkin. "Yes, and finished doing the chores around the house."
"Look at you. I slept most of the day after drinking too much last night." Monica leaned closer. "I have seriously fallen behind on everything lately. My working hours are killing me. I went a little crazy having fun."
Peer cleared his throat. "Order up."
Monica smiled. "I need to get that."
"Go." She smiled back. If anything, eating at the bar several times a week since moving into the rental house, she'd grown comfortable with dining alone.
The other customers normally left her to enjoy the meal in peace. The few men who kept glancing her way or struck up a conversation with her were polite and got the hint she wasn't interested. She had no energy to give to anyone else. Her full concentration needed to go toward doing the job for Tony and getting back home.
Near her, the other two waitresses whispered together. Their voices low enough she couldn't hear, but she tried, knowing one of them belonged to the president of Slag. She'd met her last night but couldn't remember her name.
The employees moved closer to her. Dinah picked up one of the chicken fingers and strained to eavesdrop.
"Roar's supposed to come over." The blonde checked her phone. "I mentioned to him how we need another server, and he wants to talk to you and Monica."
"What about Kelli? Maybe she can work part-time." Coco looked over her shoulder and then turned back to the other waitress. "Is she still with Peer?"
"No." The woman frowned. "Even if she was around, she's going to have the baby in a month or so. There's no way she can be on her feet and serving customers that late in her pregnancy."
She looked at the bartender serving customers at the other end of the counter. So, he was single now, but his ex was having a baby. She doubted that was the kind of info Tony wanted.
Roar walked through the kitchen door. His gaze went straight to the blonde, who stepped over and kissed him, pulling him toward the other women.
Monica joined the small group. Dinah gazed down at her plate, taking her time eating. All her attention centered on the president of Slag.
"Lizzy mentioned we need another server to help take the load of you ladies," said Roar.
Dinah sipped her water. Lizzy. That was the name of Roar's woman.
"At the least, someone to work Fridays and Saturdays. There are more customers coming in every weekend, and then there are the regulars we can count on being here. As it is now, we're not able to give all our customers special attention and Peer struggles to keep up with orders, which draws me off the floor to help bartend. We either need another server or someone to work alongside Peer," said Lizzy.
"Another bartender would be better than a server. Is it possible to have one who serves drinks to the floor? Like a rover? I think that would keep all of us on track," said Monica.
Dinah glanced over at the group. She had bartended before she worked at the car dealership.
Roar cupped the back of Lizzy's neck. "I'll put an ad in the paper tomorrow."
"Isn't there anyone within Slag who can fill the position?" asked Coco.
Roar shook his head. "Nobody who can make more than a handful of drinks. Besides, most of the women have jobs away from the clubhouse, and the men are busy doing other shit."
"Bummer. It'd be nice
