Cheat (Karma Inc. Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

almost a pro,” Brandon grinned and I shot him the bird.

Chapter 7
Don’t Forget to Tip Your Bartenders
    W e walked into the Spotted Calf and Brandon went directly to the bar. Bishop was the bartender on duty, I recognized him from his headshot. His picture didn’t do him justice. He was all sorts of good looking in that laid back dreamer type of way. He was quick to smile and I could tell his ego was full to brimming as I watched him catch his own reflection in the mirrors behind the bar. He stopped to fix his hair and check his teeth. When he turned to take our order, his eyes lingered for a second on my face and then didn’t come up from my tits as Brandon ordered.
    Brandon ordered a pint of the local microbrewery IPA for both of us. He was paying so I couldn’t argue. I had no way of paying. Everyone always paid for me. I forgot to ask about that. Could I concentrate and will up some cash? A bit of meditation and I’ll get a Black card?
    “Stop over-thinking things. You look constipated and you’re supposed to be vapid and easy, the perfect bartender,” Brandon hissed as Bishop was filling our pints.
    “I think you just insulted bartenders everywhere,” I rolled my eyes. I pointedly ignored his constipated insult.
    He slid over a phone, one of the slick new models nestled in a bright pink case.
    “Press your index finger to the home button,” he said gesturing to the phone. I did and the phone came to life.
    “All your information is in there, check the wallet app, your driver’s license and credit cards are all in place. For case related purchases only, if you try to buy random crap it comes back denied.”
    “How do they even know?” I asked looking through the phone. I even had social media accounts that had a considerable amount of activity, going back five years. Thorough.
    “They always know, and too many attempts get you flagged. Anything you make, like tips or shift money on the job is yours though.”
    “How gracious,” I rolled my eyes. Bishop set our beers in front of us.
    “Look Cassidy, they’re hiring a bartender.” He pointed to the help wanted sign taped behind the bar. "Hey man, that position still open? My friend here is a bartender and looking for work.” He gestured toward me, like I wasn’t the only person sitting next to him at the bar.
    Bishop wiped at the counter in front of us with a bar rag and nodded his head, looking me over again.
    “Yeah, actually, the owner’s in the back. Let me get him.” He left the bar unmanned while he went to the back office.
    “You don’t think I could have handled that?” I whispered to Brandon.
    “I had to make you look non-threatening. If you can’t speak up to ask about a job, you’re not a threat. You know, you’re the kind of girl that has to have a man do it for you, Bishop won’t worry about you. You need him not to worry about you, so he won’t be on guard around you. You’ve got to play the part, Cassie. This guy is threatened by independent women.” Brandon sipped his beer and stared toward the back of the office.
    “Maybe he needs a woman to kick his ass then, that’s my idea of karmic retribution,” I huffed. My words had little bite. I was talking tough even though I had never been in a fight in my life. At least not one I could remember. It bugged me that I didn’t remember a lot of my life. Who knew, I might have been some kind of Kung Fu master when I was alive. I frowned and took a sip of my beer.
    “He needs to be put in his place, not beat to a pulp,” Brandon corrected and I nodded. This was what I did. Karma wasn’t a beating, it was a spanking. A spanking that hopefully changed the person’s life drastically.
    “Can I ask you something off topic?” I asked. He looked at me and gestured to go on. There weren’t many people in the bar. I figured we wouldn’t be overheard if I brought up some Afterlife things. “Why can’t I remember my life? Is that normal?”
    “I don’t know, not usually.”