It was sweet, it was romantic, it was all a lie. Tally didn’t really love him, he was just unwell. And that hurt, hurt so much it was like a knife to the heart. No one loved Sam. He was alone. Probably always would be.
And two young men were standing there, wearing Danny’s clothes, but Danny was gone. It was like seeing ghosts. A glimpse of what could have been if Danny had stayed and loved him enough to get him flowers. It was like a kick to the gut. It was a cruel, mocking taunt. All he had ever wanted was to be loved.
As he turned to leave, all appetite gone, he caught a glimpse of Tally standing in the middle of the flower strewn room, looking completely crestfallen. Sam swallowed over the sudden lump in his throat and stomped back downstairs.
Chapter 15
Laterthatnight,thebar was just getting busy when Tally came downstairs with Jinx. He steered Jinx to a barstool, got him seated, and came back around the bar to stand by Sam.
“I’m sorry I got it wrong, Sam. I was trying to show you how much I love you,” he said solemnly, his deep blue eyes intense. And regret clear in the set of his shoulders. He looked truly miserable, and Sam felt awful.
Sam shuffled uncomfortably. “I’m sorry I was a grumpy ass.”
He felt terrible, he never wanted to upset Tally, and it was by far the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for him and he had reacted like a jerk. Yes, it hurt that no one really felt that way about him, or ever had, but that wasn’t Tally’s fault. It was Sam’s problem and he should not have taken it out on the young man.
“You forgive me?” asked Tally, with a huge grin. His blue eyes sparkling. The sight warmed Sam’s heart. He loved Tally’s sunny nature and how he seemed to always be able to bounce back to it quickly. Sam was also hugely relieved to be forgiven so easily.
Sam nodded and was nearly barreled over by a quick, ferocious hug. Before he could return it, Tally had skipped away.
“Keep an eye on Jinx, he needs to feed so I’m going to find him someone,” he called as he bounced off into the crowd.
Sam looked around. Deirdre was behind the bar as well, and seemed to have it all under control. He turned to Jinx, who was staring at him. Sam sighed and poured him a lemonade. He popped in a pink, twisty straw and slid it over to Jinx.
The young man grinned delightedly at him, his striking amber eyes blazing with clear, focused intelligence. Then instead of picking the glass up, Jinx lowered his head to the straw and sucked. Sam shook his head, he could see why Tally and Jinx were friends. They were both completely bonkers.
And what on earth was Tally on about, finding someone for Jinx to feed on? It made no sense. Hopefully Tally would explain later, or it would all become clear.
Sam snapped his focus back to work as a customer came over and stood next to Jinx.
“Gin and tonic, please,” the man said to Sam.
Sam was about to get the customer’s order, when the man noticed Jinx, and Jinx looked up at him whilst still sucking on his straw.
“Oh my! You are gorgeous!” said the customer, nearly stuttering.
Jinx beamed at him, launched himself off of the barstool and into the stranger’s arms. The customer caught him and stared at the young man he was holding. Either too shocked or too enthralled to give any other reaction.
“Um… Jinx, you are supposed to wait for Tally,” tried Sam, as he wondered if leaping into someone’s arms was the traditional greeting in hell, before reminding himself that hell wasn’t real.
Tally had asked him to keep an eye on his friend. Sam was pretty sure that included not letting him go off with random strangers.
Just then Tally appeared, towing a bemused looking middle-aged man by his jacket lapel. Tally looked at Jinx and frowned.
“Sam, is this one decent?” he asked, gesturing at the customer holding Jinx.
Sam shook his head helplessly. “He comes here occasionally, I haven’t heard anything bad about him.” It felt awkward as hell talking about the man as if he wasn’t standing right there, but Sam didn’t see he had any other choice.
Joseph piped up from his seat. “Chris is alright.”
Tally let out an exasperated sigh. He let go of the middle-aged man’s collar and gave him a shooing gesture, which the man obeyed whilst looking very confused. Tally watched him go before turning back to Jinx. “Fine, you can have him. The toilets are over there.”
Sam grimaced. He ran a bar, he knew his toilets weren’t exactly a chaste location, but it still made him uncomfortable.
Chris hadn’t stopped staring at Jinx the whole time. “No, my place is around the corner.” he said, still not taking his eyes off of the young man in his arms. Jinx nodded enthusiastically.
Tally put his hands on his hips. “Fine.” he said begrudgingly.
Jinx slid down off of Chris in a very seductive move and Chris smiled warmly at him, draped his arm around his shoulder and led him away. Across the bar and out of the door.
