Melanie Clark wasn’t used to relying on people. She hated the thought and what more is she owned a bar that filled men with a little enjoyment to their lives. She worked hard ever since her father died. Every time she looked at the people that came into her bar, they winked at her. But the day he came into the bar that was the day she smiled.

Daniel Radcliffe was bright and had a way with women. The bartender at the bar smiled. “Hi, May, I help you?”

“Yeah, could I see the manager about the sign outside?” Dan was down on his luck and he needed another job fast.

Melanie was attending to other customers at the bar when her employee looked at her. “Mel, someone wants to speak to you?”

Melanie finished her last order then went to see who wanted her. She smiled seeing a young man in his late 20’s to early thirties. Dan saw Melanie come to his side. “Hi, I’m Melanie, the owner of this place. What can I help you with?”

He smiled and shook her hand. “Hi, I was wondering about the job since you have a sign outside.”

“Yes. Follow me.” Melanie waved at Trisha. “I’ll be in the office if you need me.” Trisha shook her head and Dan followed Melanie. Dan looked at this young woman for her to be the manager at such a young age he wondered about her. She took a seat behind her desk and looked for her hiring form. Dan watched while she gathered things together and took a seat.

She sat back and looked at him. “The job is rather simple. You’ll be here every morning doing different tasks from mopping up the men’s room to helping restock the bar. We get deliveries so I’ll need a bit of your help with that and that’s pretty much it. The job pays a little over minimum wage, but if you need time off we need a day in advance so someone can cover your shift. We offer part time and full time. But if you're interested, you can start right now? Oh and there’s no dress requirement, just jeans and a t-shirt is fine.”

Dan thought about it and then agreed to take the job as part time to see how he liked it. Melanie asked him for all his information. His id, social security card and his basic information. While he wrote everything down. She looked at his size. “You’re about a medium right?”

Dan looked up holding onto the clipboard. “In what?”

She got a medium t-shirt from a box. “From time to time we do promotional stuff and they give us shirts to wear. We only wear these on Friday. So here this is yours. You’ll also need a back brace for lifting. I’ll order you one, when you quit you can return the brace, not the shirt.” Dan was writing all his information down like emergency contacts, address and phone number. When he was done he passed her the clipboard.

Melanie’s shirt was a little loose exposing her white bra, He could almost see down her shirt. She looked up with her green eyes and smiled. “Everything looks good. Come I’ll show you what you can do.”

Dan followed her behind the bar into the stock room. She was explaining his duties and what she had in stock. He nodded and paid attention to what she was saying, but she was beautiful and probably had a boyfriend at least that's what he was thinking.

Melanie noticed that he wasn’t really paying attention so she asked out of curiosity. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

Dan was shocked. He wondered why she asked. Was it noticeable that he was looking at her in a not so professional way? “I’m sorry I was looking at you that way. I didn’t mean to stare at you with lust on my mind.”

Mel giggled. “It's all right, Dan. So do you have a girlfriend?”

Dan gave her a straightforward answer. “Nope.”

She paused and walked up to him. He was cute, that was no lie. Mel walked a bit closer. “Here you can borrow this for the time being.” It was another employee’s back brace.

Dan put it on and she went to go get a list. Since it was close to closing time. She needed to restock everything so she got a list she made and when she came back Dan was waiting just looking around.

“OK let’s get started.” She started naming things off a list. Dan got the boxes and loaded them on the trolley. When enough was chosen he put them right next to the exit. So they could restock easily.

Melanie paid close attention to never act on her feelings. Dan knew she was strictly business but what he didn’t know is that Melanie hadn’t dated anyone in several years. She whispered to herself and remembered a few years back when she had dated and caught her roommate sleeping with her boyfriend.

It was painful at first. Them two kissing and moaning. She shook her head and looked at Dan. Dan noticed her. “Something wrong, Mel?”

She took a seat and he took one next to her. “I haven’t dated in years. My roommate and I. She slept with my boyfriend. I thought we were happy. But one night I came up and saw her kissing him. He looked at me like he didn’t even care. I loved him, but I guess he wasn’t the one.”

Dan felt sorry for Mel. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think you should lose hope. There’s someone out there for you.” She nodded and then they went back to work.

Over the following weeks, Dan began to feel things for Melanie. But hid his feelings when she was around. Melanie had a new roommate now. Her name was Erin. She had only known her for a few months and gave her a room to rent. They became close and one night, she found her talking to Dan.

Erin was sitting at the bar looking at Melanie work. “You like her, Dan?”

Dan was restocking the bottles of Whiskey. He glanced over at Melanie. “Of course I like Melanie.”

“No. I mean you know. Do you want to go out with her?” Erin was curious.

“I would, but I don’t think she thinks of me that way.” Dan was just being Dan.

Erin called Melanie. “Hey Mel!”

Melanie had just served her customer. She came over to her roommate and her worker. “Hey guys what’s up?”

Erin started to explain. “Dan and I were talking and he thinks you’re really hot. He wants to ask you out. But he thinks you'll say no.”

Melanie smiled. “Really?” She leaned against the counter looking at Dan.

Dan giggled trying to not look as embarrassed as he was. “She’s just joking. I didn’t say that.”

Melanie picked up a glass. “What did you say?”

Dan was very nervous and looked at the box he was taking out a Whiskey bottle. “Oh just that you wouldn’t go on a date with me.”

Melanie took the bottle from his hand. “When?” She was opening the bottle and she grabbed a small spout to put into the bottle.

Dan was amazed that she was really just going to ask him when this date was. He hadn’t thought about it but just said a day in the heat of the moment. He shrugged his shoulders. “Uh Tomorrow?”

“OK, but that’s really short notice.” Melanie said out loud.

He looked at her and noticed a change in her voice. There had been sexual tension between them for weeks and now she had just made advances. Dan was just in awe and utterly speechless.

Erin smiled. “See, all you had to do was ask. If you score tonight you owe me a drink.”

Dan nodded and took the empty box off the bar. “Deal.”

Melanie was getting herself a cold drink when Dan came up behind her. “I’m all done. What else do we need?”

She went to her list. “Umm that’s it. Looks like everything is done.” “Oh can you check the men’s room?

Dan nodded and went back to his regular duties. Mel came up to Erin pausing as soon as Dan was away.

“Erin, you know I don’t date coworkers, it's weird and I told you what happened to me and Henry.” Erin knew a little more about Melanie then anyone else did.

Erin looked at her and took her hand. “He likes you and I know what happened between you and your ex. You need to get out there again.”

Mel knew Erin was right she needed this. “If this doesn’t work out, at least I can say I tried right?”

“Right.” Erin took a drink of her strawberry daiquiri.

Melanie cleaned up the bar. She looked at her to-do list and paused. “Oh wait, there’s something I need him to do.”

Erin nodded as Melanie went in search of Dan. She paused when she hit the men’s room. “Dan, are you alone in there?”

Dan opened the door and saw Melanie there alone. “Did you need something?”

“Did you wash your hands?” Mel asked.

“Yeah just did that right now. So what was it you needed?” Dan watched as Melanie came forward.

She pressed him up against the wall pulling her hair aside. Dan took notice and pulled her close. He kissed her softly not wanting her to get scared if he moved in too fast. She leaned against him. With her hand on his chest she looked up and smiled. “You have me blushing like a schoolgirl.”

Dan giggled as Melanie pulled him in for another kiss. “Will you spend the night with me?”

“Isn’t that too soon? I mean I have only been working here for 3 weeks.” Dan said, touching her cheek.

Melanie giggled. “It's four weeks, Dan. You’ve been working here for a month.”

Dan thought about it and she was correct. Melanie took his hand. “My birthday is next week. It's tradition here at the bar. That we close the bar for my birthday. It will be catered. All employees are invited and I would like it if you were my date.”

He was happy and took her close. “I’d be honored to be your date. Next Monday right?”

She glanced at his smile and came closer. “Uh huh.” Dan leaned in and kissed her, loving the feeling that this was something special.