The sound of ice cubes tinkling in the whiskey glass resonated loudly around the empty bar. It wasn't a strange phenomenon for bars to be void of customers or patrons at this hour. Not in this part of Chicago, where the night grew chilly, the hours were quiet and the streets hummed in silence.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbFgBIXLLE 維尼

Sage James liked quiet, and he preferred to be in his own company most times, so being the only employee to close the bar every Tuesday night was something he always looked forward to at the end of his shift.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZ333D8Zll 維尼

Despite living in a bustling city where no one was a stranger to the pollution of light and noise, he thrived and took advantage of any moment of quietness he could get. Thinking, he mused, worked best for him when there's nothing to distract his attention.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡRky7nAgtzv 維尼

And thinking, he did.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbtGnBgiAI 維尼

While quietly wiping the counter top clean, he thought about the amount of money he needed to amass to cover his tuition fees this year, the rent that would be collected by the end of this week, sending money to his mother back home, get some groceries, and….do his laundry.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ovWgMtARi 維尼

The second thing he liked to do was having a solution, a plan he had laid out mentally; the first one was going to be ongoing until he finished with his studies; work extra hours every day except Saturday, because he deserves at least that, and then set aside some leftover money from his previous paycheck for rent. He would bank in some money to his mum, do groceries on Wednesday mornings because for some reason, the prices were a little cheaper and Sage needed to spend smartly if he wanted to make it in the city. He didn't have huge appetites so it was easy to get the necessary food ingredients to survive every two weeks, at least.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLH4HkHpa5 維尼

And finally, he would do yesterday's dirty laundries as soon as he gets home.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIeuFqJ36L 維尼

And, he mused in an immediate afterthought, if he still has any more cash from his previous pay check and some from his soon to be receive salary, those will stay in the bank for future plans.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OvD6AVBH9 維尼

Sage James considered himself to be a practical man.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡSy1LZe9fRZ 維尼

There were times when he wondered why his boss opened up the bar in a secluded place of this city, which contrast greatly with the posh interior, considering the history on the establishment of the club dated almost two centuries ago, built for people of prominent household and proprieties. A part of Sage thought that his boss ran this business as a joke to his aristocrat family, but he also thought it was just plain dry humour on his boss' part. He asked him once, and the man's only response was a shrug and grin a little too sharp than he was accustomed to.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1alWxcQma2 維尼

Sage left it at that.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkZtHudsJa 維尼

Across from him, a man chuckled deeply, the sound vibrating through his body, which successfully broke him out of his thoughts.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hzvSOJTMK 維尼

"A penny for your thoughts?" The man said, a drunken slur evident in his voice.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QP4UQPaIl 維尼

Sage flickered his gaze towards his boss, the owner of Carlisle's Isle. He chuckled. His employer must have thought the name was clever, since it was basically named after him. As if that wasn't clear enough, he thought adding an isle after Carlisle – a pun after his name – would be the real deal. Sage had to bite back a chuckle at the thought.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNKgQquyXy 維尼

Carlisle Rutherford was intelligent, but he was also peculiar.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡieURXIL02W 維尼

He was also a man of few words, but a talkative drunk when prodded. With alcohol.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡcinEOQOT4P 維尼

He eyed the three glasses of whiskey the man across from him had.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SVLP1xiCE 維尼

What a lightweight, he thought.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNQ2gmoW4E 維尼

When he spotted his boss reaching towards the half-empty decanter, he swiftly swept it away from him.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡUS3IupyCLu 維尼

"I think that's enough. Shouldn't you be heading back, boss?"8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1HPGAZ9G3 維尼

Carlisle raised a thick eyebrow at his apprentice and answered, his slur evident. "You're kicking me outta my bar? Jus' who d'ya think – "8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZiNeDsMPF 維尼

"Mr. Carlisle – "8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡardnCDGNyq 維尼

His boss sniffed a little and rolled his eyes. "Carl. Three years working together and you're still stuck in formalities? C'mon kid. You're making me feel old."8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXzcFQwNNO 維尼

Sage quietly murmured something, but it still caught his boss' attention.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUvSfGJ6sI 維尼

"Huh?" Carl barked. The man thought he heard Sage muttered something about him being old, indeed. Truthfully, it was a sore spot for the older gentleman, though he would not admit it to anyone.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLmPvwJvn0 維尼

Despite the older man's rugged and burly appearance, his bark was louder than his bite, a fact known to all of his employees, and so Sage didn't feel as though his life was being threatened.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyIVq5dlqA 維尼

Sage wasn't completely heartless to douse cold water on his boss' pride, so he opted to approach a different topic. Before he could, his employer beat him to it.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmaD8iWjqW 維尼

"Y'know, you'd better do as I say since you're relying on my paycheck and all."8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVLaoHlOkr 維尼

Sage's lips quirked, the first smile in the hour since the shop closed. Carlisle's tone wasn't unkind, though it sounded a little reprimanding, like one would with a son.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6vbWbNlfc 維尼

"When did I not, Carl?" Sage chuckled lightly. The pay was handsome, almost generous even, and Sage didn't know how else he could repay his boss other than being responsible and making sure the business retain its good reputation and not flop because of his incompetency.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5wvJRNBtI 維尼

He hadn't had any complaints against him, nor had he fought with the customers, and he planned to keep it that way if he could help it.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1VdNr0woJ 維尼

The rugged man looked at him through bleary eyes and curled his lips in response.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRPJiVEQWZ 維尼

"Always. That's what pissed me off. If you were a little rebellious, I would have had more fun picking a fight with you."8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEaNkcoonh 維尼

Sage hummed while he cleared the last remnants of the night's activities. As he washed them, he glanced to Carl and said, "A brawl brings bad reputation, especially to a gentleman's bar like this." The place was furnished with dark colours – burgundy, chestnut, and mahogany – all polished and clean, and all leather and velvet.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZxUOV0I7T 維尼

It boasted the idea of masculinity, generosity, and comfortability, all of which was successfully brought into vision.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡDD9Caczixv 維尼

"Besides," He added with a mischievous grin at his boss, "The missus wouldn't like it."8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1izQxJnASj 維尼

Carl guffawed, and waved his hand offhandedly. "The missus wouldn't care. This is my bar, after all."8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNxU4EQDgC 維尼

At the sound of a slight creak, Sage glanced at the door and held his grin, as he busied himself with finishing with the last whisky glass. His boss rambled on obliviously.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdsGa6i5iq 維尼

"This may be your gentleman's bar, Carl, but the missus does own a share of the place, too. And by that, I mean me so there better not be other missus. We're co-operating it, after all," came a smooth, velvety voice from behind Carlisle, with long tapered fingernails caressing his shoulders.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDQUowPVGB 維尼

Carlisle froze before a myriad of emotions flashed across his face; surprise, sulky, and resignation. He shifted to see his beautiful wife looking down at him with a frown on her face, her hands cocked at the hips.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YnbaLghPt 維尼

Carl smoothed his features into one of complacent. "Thea, darling. What are you doing here?"8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5bjAfyZzW 維尼

Dorothea Rutherford, a beautiful woman whose age had been kinder to her as she looked not a day over thirty glanced at Sage and smiled at him before casting a scowl at her husband.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvON7jGU64 維尼

"Obviously to get you. Seems like you've forgotten you have a home. Did you forget you have a wife, too, honey?"8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjw0fQJ2y6 維尼

At the slight emphasis of 'honey', Carl knew he was in trouble. "Of course not, sweetheart. You're everything to me." He tried to soothe her and pulled her closer.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBz7sfDDhF 維尼

In that moment, Carl tried to remember if he had forgotten to do something with her, or if he had missed their anniversary. She was the love of his life and he loved her very much. He didn't think he had forgotten anything important, or did he?8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡn72xpcWbEP 維尼

Carl decided to be upfront with her. "Did I miss anything?"8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWQJWevhLe 維尼

"Just me, I hope." Thea gave him a dazzling and longing look that he couldn't resist. He knew at that moment that he did forget one thing; their thing.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡLciIm6k01o 維尼

And just like that, their love seemed to grow stronger as ever.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡuj6F7smT8v 維尼

Sage never understood the secret that held them together for as long as the bar had existed thirty years ago. He didn't understand the secret and knowing looks they had just by connecting their gazes without communicating verbally, but he thought it was a fascinating thing. Perhaps that was their secret.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡgS1lvmIroh 維尼

It was nonetheless an amazing thing to witness between his bosses, Carl and Thea, and he was happy for them, because he knew they deserve it.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFvpCsllyU 維尼

It seemed a little ridiculous for a moment, especially for a guy who barely thinks of anything other than his motivation to acquire money for his future, but he wondered if he was going to experience something like that too with someone. Someday.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSeSA43Ec7 維尼

Who would have thought him as both practical and a dreamer? It seemed ridiculous, but maybe, maybe he was too.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEP3rF28C7 維尼

"You will, kid." Thea's voice penetrated his thoughts. It took Sage a moment before he realized she was talking to him.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OQmMdilez 維尼

"I'm not a kid," he said to her, his tone almost irritated before adding carefully. "And did you just read my thoughts or did I say them out loud?"8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡrP2AyZ9ahq 維尼

Carl smirked. "You may be a responsible and good employee, son, but sometimes you wear your heart on your sleeve."8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBpxhZlFEo 維尼

Thea laughed and spoke to him in a way one does with a toddler. "Which is adorable."8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡq87bQWlmYt 維尼

She then went to pinch Sage's cheeks, but he swiftly avoided it, his face a slight flush. "Though it could land you in trouble if you're not careful enough," She said knowingly.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1l8bFqQlPx 維尼

He raised an eyebrow and looked as though he wanted to ask what, specifically did she mean by that but she continued fondly.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡn30OOtrr0C 維尼

Though she cast a gentle and loving look at her husband, her words were directed to Sage.8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Af4ccRJg8 維尼

"Everyone's got a soulmate somewhere out there. And who knows? Maybe you'll meet them in the next minute, hours, months or years. Only time will tell." Thea then looked at Sage and raised a brow knowingly. "Now wipe that longing look off your pretty face and let's close the bar for tonight."8964 copyright protection489ＰＥＮＡＮＡzW2p6m0Crt 維尼

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