“Do you ever wonder how guys found bars like these before the Internet?”Hot Mall Santa asked.
“Word of mouth, I guess.”
“But you had to be careful to ask the right people.”
Guys openly checked out Hot Mall Santa.One asked if he could sit on his lap.Tom wanted to shove the guy away, but to his credit, Hot Mall Santa declined more politely.
“I’m off the clock,” he said.“But I’ll be at the Oakville Mall tomorrow.”
The guy seemed like he would actually be there.
“I’m sorry you have to do deal with that,” Tom said.
“He’s no worse than the moms.”
“Have moms sat on your lap at the mall?”
He nodded.A bit of foam hung on his lower lip, and Tom wished he could lick it off.“It’s not as bad as it sounds.They don’t really say anything.They just get a picture taken for their Facebook feeds.”
“That’s not so bad.”
Hot Mall Santa shrugged.He tapped his finger against his glass.“They just want to look.”
He didn’t sound flattered, but Tom supposed it got tiring day in and day out.
“My friend Kirsten went to see you.”
“I remember.She kind of gave me a lap dance.”They both laughed at that.
“She said you were a complete professional because you didn’t ‘react.’”He said that last word in air quotes.“Now I get why.”
“One woman grabbed it outright while her three kids waited by the elves.”
“Are you serious?You could get her arrested for that.”
He raised his eyebrows in doubt.“‘Mall Santa Sexually Harassed’ is a headline most people would laugh at.”
Tom didn’t want to admit he was right.“I guess it’s cool that so many people want to see you.”
“I guess.”
“There’s nothing wrong with people thinking you’re good looking.”
“It’s weird when all people do is compliment something about you that you had no part in.It’s not like being praised for something I’ve done or made.Just something I am.Like a zoo animal.”
Tom didn’t know what it felt like to be wanted like that, to be lusted after.He always thought guys like Hot Mall Santa had it made, especially in the gay community.Hell, even now, there were a few pairs of eyes checking him out, while Tom was glossed over.But he saw for the first time that perhaps being the center of attention came with its own perils.He wasn’t sure what exactly the downsides were to being beautiful, but judging by Hot Mall Santa’s expression, they did exist.
“Let me get the next round,” Tom said.
“I won’t stop you.”
“By the way, I’m Tom.”He held out his hand.
“Randall.”
They shook.Hot Mall Santa—er, Randall—had a firm grip.
* * *
