A group of men entered and glanced around, looking at their tickets. I strolled over to them.
“Evening gentlemen. I’m Frisco Martinelli, and welcome to Bello. You’re here for the event, I presume?”
A man with unusual violet-gray eyes and sleek black hair extended his hand. “I’m Marcus Feldman, one of the owners of Sparks downtown and Man Up in Midtown. I have a table for myself and my friends.”
Sparks was one of the city’s premier gay dance clubs, and I’d heard stories of its infamous owner and his sexual exploits.
“I haven’t been to Sparks in years. Not since I met my fiancé.”
Marcus’s eyes twinkled. “Being monogamous tends to put a damper on flirtation. Once Tyler and I got engaged, I cut back my hours and took on a partner. Now that we’re married and raising our daughter, I’m more than happy to spend my evenings ogling him, instead of waiters in skimpy shorts.”
“Such a hardship.” A good-looking, well-muscled man slipped his arm through Marcus’s, and I assumed this was the husband. “I’m the long-suffering spouse, Tyler Reiss. Nice to meet you.”
I laughed, enjoying the banter. “You as well.”
A tall, lean man with cool green eyes checked me out. “Julian Cornell, and this is my husband, Nick Fletcher. Rounding out our group is Zach Cohen and his husband, Sam Stein.”
That was the man Jonathan needed to speak with. “Nice to meet you all, gentlemen. Welcome to Bello. Julian Cornell, the designer? I own some of your suits. This tux is yours, as a matter of fact.”
With a smile, he tipped his head in acknowledgment. “I appreciate the business. You wear it well.”
After all the handshakes and introductions, I led them to their table. “Zach, I heard you supply all the computer systems to the youth centers. That’s an incredible gift for them.”
He blushed and adjusted his glasses. “It’s a drop in the bucket compared to what they need, but I do what I can. I’ve also donated a bunch of laptops, tablets, and games. The kids should have some recreation as well as work.”
“All work and no play makes Zach a dull boy. I’ve always told you that.” Marcus winked.
“I get no complaints,” Zach replied smugly, and Sam leaned over and kissed his cheek.
“No, you don’t. Marcus just loves to stir the pot.”
“I’m well aware,” Zach responded, rolling his eyes. “I’ve been putting up with him since I was a child. Some of us never progress past a certain point. Ty deserves a medal.”
“Tyler loves me and so do you.” Marcus nudged him. “Admit it.”
“If I must.” Zach heaved out a dramatic sigh. “But getting back to what’s important. Frisco, I want to meet with Jonathan Hernandez at some point tonight to talk about setting up a scholarship for kids who are interested in learning software development and coding. That kind of training can help them get good jobs in the industry.”
“He’s anxious to meet you as well, so I’ll make sure to bring you to him at some point in the evening.”
“Great, thanks.”
Val came hurrying over.
“I can’t believe Julian Cornell is here. His clothes are to die for.” Her loud whisper couldn’t contain her excitement, and I could see she was hoping for an introduction.
“Julian Cornell, this is Valerie Rossi, the wife, mastermind, and brains behind my partner, Mike Rossi. She knows more about style than anyone I know.”
“Thank you, Valerie. I can see that—your outfit is stunning. Stop by my showroom during the week, and I’ll have some samples for you. I’ve been branching out into women’s ready-to-wear, and I think you’d love it.”
Her brown eyes grew saucer-like. “Really? Oh, my God, that’s amazing. Thank you, I’d love to. I’ve been nagging Frisco to update his wardrobe, especially since he’s going to be getting married soon. Don’t you think he should buy a new tux for the wedding?”
Julian’s lips twitched, and I could see he was trying to be polite, so I performed a rescue operation. “It’s a benefit, Val. The man paid good money to drink and eat my food. He doesn’t need to talk shop.” I smoothed the tumbling waves of hair off her face and kissed her cheek. “Go torture your husband. Tell him I’m taking you to Chanel tomorrow.”
She whooped with laughter. “Do you want to give him agita?”
“Every chance I get.”
With a saucy wink she hurried off.
