Romeo stalked up behind him and waited with his elbow on the bar.
This man had tried to take Chad from him.Maybe he’d been subtle in his approach, maybe Chad had been too blind to see it, but Romeo had.
“Been working here long?”he asked.
“A few months,” Dean replied.“I didn’t like to stay in one place for too long, was part of a company that rushed bar staff wherever they were needed, but then Olivia, my boss, offered me a permanent place here,” he shrugged.“I thought it was about time I settled down.”
“And have you?”
Dean glanced at him.He raised an eyebrow.“Have I what?”
“Settled down.”
Dean placed the pint on the bar.He scrunched his brow.“I guess...”
“With someone.”Romeo clarified.
“Oh.No.Not yet.”
“Haven’t found the right guy?”
Dean narrowed his eyes.“Who says I’m after a guy?”
Romeo snorted, and leaned his mouth down to take a sip of beer.
“You haven’t paid.”Dean snapped.
Irritation twitched his nose.He didn’t like Romeo, and Romeo as sure as shit didn’t like him.
“My apologies.”
Romeo reached into his pocket and pulled out a note.He slapped it down on the counter.Dean stared at the back of Romeo’s hand until he lifted it, revealing the note.There was a flicker of something on Dean’s face.
“That should cover it.”
Dean shifted his jaw.“Actually, you’re a few coins short.”
Romeo snorted as he reached back into his pocket.He pulled out his change, sorted it in his hand, then dropped it on the bar.A few coins bounced and rolled away.
“What the hell is your problem?”Dean asked, laughing in disbelief.
He gathered up the coins and the note then stashed them in the cash machine.He slammed the drawer shut, shaking his head.
“You want to know about my problem?”
Dean crossed his arms.“Not particularly, but if it explains why you’re acting like such an asshole, I want to hear it.”
“I have...Ihada boyfriend.I love him.I love him more than anything, but he’s scared of me.He’s asked—pleaded for me to let him go,” Romeo lifted his beer.He took a gulp.“And maybe ...maybe I know I should, maybe it’s therightthing to do but I don’t want to.I really fucking don’t want to.”
Dean shuffled.His face was serious, and he lowered his voice.“I think if he’s asked you to let him go, that’s what you need to do.”
“Weren’t you listening?I don’t want to.”
“It’s not about what you want—”
“Why isn’t it?Why can’t it be?”
“Because of what you just told me.You love him.And sometimes loving someone means letting them go.”
