I steal some glances, noticing that he's approached by a few different guys.
Skyler was always the popular kid, from kindergarten through to high school, and it looks like that hasn't changed one bit.
They sit and chat before leaving him and his friends. It's clear two of the guys are a couple, which explains why he's in this bar. I can't imagine Skyler would frequent a gay bar. Though Vino and Veritas isn't exactly a gay bar, more a welcoming space for the LGBTQ+ community.
For all of Skyler's flaws, homophobia was never one of them.
I know because I came out to him when I was twelve.
My mind takes me back to that time when I'd spent two weeks picking fights with him until our moms grounded us together and I came clean. I thought I was going to lose my best friend as soon as I told him I liked boys, so I'd decided that if we hated each other already, it would be easier.
Skyler simply said he didn't care that I was gay, but he was annoyed that we had to spend the afternoon indoors.
Tanner taps my shoulder and nods for me to follow him to the storage room.
This is it. The moment he decides that no amount of wine knowledge can make up for breaking a glass and pissing off the cook.
"Settling in okay?" he asks.
"Yeah, everyone's been great. I'm trying to memorize the drinks. I did break a glass, which I can pay for, of course…"Shut up, Jud.
Tanner seems to ignore my ramble because he picks up a box and takes it to a nearby table.
"We got these samples from a new supplier. I have no clue if they're good or not."
I look at the wine bottles and take one out of the box. It's a Guigal Côtes du Rhône, a red wine with bold flavors of dark fruits and a peppery note. The next one is a white wine produced at the Cave de Lugny.
Tanner stares at me, and I can't tell if he's about to fire me or if he's testing me. An idea builds in my head.
"These are good, inexpensive wines. If you want, I could do a wine tasting session for the bartenders and tell them more about the wines, especially why they're good choices when paired with some of the food we serve."
He grunts his reply, and I'm not sure if he likes the idea or not.
"Can you come in early on Wednesday?"
"Sure."
"Okay, thanks."
He closes the box and puts it back on a shelf.
"That's it? I'm not fired?" I ask.
"Should I?" He raises a brow.
I shake my head, and he leaves the storage room.
When I return to the bar, I no longer see Skyler or his friends.
A tiny pang of regret settles in my stomach until I quash it. I’m not the one who betrayed my best friend.
Cleaning the bar after we close feels surprisingly soothing. Someone picks a soft jazz playlist, and Molly sings along to it. She does have a beautiful, soulful voice. All the clumsiness and forgetfulness is nowhere while she's singing, and I wonder if she'd be a better bartender if she could sing while she's working.
The house is quiet when I get in. I grab a shower and go to bed, knowing I'll still be up early enough in the morning, thanks to my chef's body clock.
Maybe it's time to ask my mom some questions. Specific, Skyler-related questions.
She's been pressing for me to reach out to him. I won’t tell her why I can't do that, but I can find out what's been happening while I was gone.
