"Hey, Maria. The usual?”
Maria nodded with a barely there smile as she slid onto the stool in front of my bar. She’s always the proverbial ray of sunshine, so I was surprised to find her looking less than her usual perky self.
I was also surprised to see her slinking in near closing time. She’s an 8:00 p.m. drinker—one who sips something fruity before heading out for a night of dancing with her giggly friends. She wasn’t giggly tonight, though. If anything, she looked a touch nervous and a whole lot introspective.
Maria is one of my favorite regulars—and my secret crush. She’s a girly-girl, all perfumed and cotton-candy pink, from the tips of her perfectly pedicured toes to the sugar-scented gloss that covers her full lips—lips
that I always have a tough time tearing my eyes away from.
