10-10, but maybe later if something goes tits up
Fancy a drink after? At Dorothy’s?
I’ll do my best — R x
Jodi slipped in the side door of Dorothy’s and scanned the faces already sitting at the bar. None were Rupert, and he tried to reason with the wave of disappointment that tickled his belly.I’ll do my best, Rupert had said. Chances were he wouldn’t make it at all, let alone be waiting for Jodi an hour before his shift finished.
In need of distraction, Jodi got himself a pint of stupidly pricey hipster ale and took a seat at the end of the bar, half an eye on the West Ham game replaying on the big screen. Not that he cared much who was winning. Football was for overpaid douche bags and lagered-up wankers. His first pint slipped down like a dream. He bought another two while he scrolled through a few stock sites on his phone, searching for vectors to use on his current project—a full rebrand for a tattoo studio. The shop was an old-school ink parlour, awash with flaming skulls and biker paraphernalia, but it had been recently bought out by a younger artist, and Jodi was hoping she’d be game for something a little more modern.
He bookmarked some images and logged out just as the lights dimmed to signal that the bar was about to get hot and heady. A bottle of WKD appeared beside his empty glass. He glanced up to find a thirtyish redhead grinning at him.
“Can I buy you a drink?”
Jodi smirked. “Looks like you already have.”
“Nah, I bought it for the twink over there, but he turned me down.”
Jodi followed the man’s gaze to a slinky young figure tearing up the dance floor. “That’s a woman.”
“Really?” The man’s eyebrows shot up. “Fuck. You’d never tell.”
Dick.Jodi started to turn away.
“I was only joking, mate. I bought it for you.”
Jodi regarded the man and considered his options. Boozy pop wasn’t his bag, but Rupert’s shift had ended ages ago and it appeared he wasn’t coming.Fuck it.Jodi lifted the bottle to his lips. He felt like another drink, or three, and the sickeningly sweet WKD was the closest thing, even if he had to make small talk with an idiot who was clearly after a cloak-and-dagger handjob in a nearby alley.
On cue, the man leaned closer. “Have you been here before? I’ve never seen you. I’m Dean, by the way, in case you were wondering?”
“I wasn’t.”
“What’s your name?”
“Jodi.”
“Jodi, eh? Isn’t that a girl's name?”
“If you say so.” Jodi rolled his eyes. Like he hadn’t heard that before. Like he gave a shit that his name made people assume he was either a girl or a little bit gay. Besides, they were half right. Hewasa little bit gay, perhaps gay enough, drunk enough, and stupid enough to give Dean the Dick a second glance.
At least until Dean encroached too far into Jodi’s personal space and belched stale smoke-laced beer breath across his face. “Want to ditch this place and come back to mine?”
Fuck no.Jodi downed the WKD and slid the empty bottle along the bar. “Nice try, mate, but if you’re after a shag, it’ll take more than a bottle of pop and some shite small talk. See ya.”
Jodi left Dean to it and wandered through the crowded bar. A few blokes made eye contact, but he didn’t stop. By his body clock, it was early, but despite Rupert’s warning that he might not make it to the Tottenham bar, Jodi had counted on seeing him and him alone. Didn’t seem much point staying out.
He edged around the dance floor and headed for the side door, his mind on the bottle of Sailor Jerry and teensy bag of weed he had stashed at home. A few shots and a jazz fag would mellow him enough to sleep—
“Leaving already?”
Jodi jumped and stumbled into the tall frame blocking his path.
Rupert steadied him. “Whoa. Easy now. Didn’t think you’d be falling over your feet just yet.”
Jodi stared at Rupert’s hands on his arms. “I didn’t think you were coming.”
“Isn’t much that would keep me away.” Rupert put two fingers under Jodi’s chin and tilted his face until their eyes met. Jodi’s world narrowed to Rupert’s tired grin, his warm, gold-flecked gaze, and the crazy heat blooming where they touched. “Do you want to get a drink?”
“No. I want to go back to mine.”
