“But you’ve thought about it?” I pressed. Chase nodded. “And part of you likes the idea?” He nodded again. That was enough for now. As long as he was learning how to open up about his desires, I’d consider it a win.
“This isn’t anything like I expected,” Chase admitted.
“I told you it wouldn’t be.” Now that we’d gotten through the initial anxiety of the night, I could explain why I’d been so certain. “The guy who was doing all the talking? He’s my uncle. He wouldn’t stick around if it wasn’t the best place around. What makes The Lodge awesome is it’s like a mullet.”
“I already know I’m going to regret asking, but how are mullets awesome, and how can you make that comparison for a bar?” Chase asked.
Yes, it sounded weird, but it might have been the best analogy I’d ever come up with.
“Okay, so mullets are ridiculous, but stick with me.” I held up a finger as he took a long draw off my beer. I hadn’t planned on drinking at all since Chase couldn’t, but tonight was confusing as fuck for me. I’d promised to help Chase find a Daddy, but every time I thought about watching him walk away with someone, my stomach soured. I caved and ordered one drink, hoping it would settle my nerves. “So, they say the upside of a mullet is that it’s business in the front and party in the back, right?”
“Sure.”
“The Lodge is the same way,” I explained. “When you first walk in, it seems like a normal club with a chill vibe. But then…” I hitched a thumb over my shoulder. “Party in the rear.”
The bartender quickly snatched a stack of napkins and a damp rag when Chase spewed soda over the counter. He jerked his head in thanks, unable to verbalize his appreciation while he coughed and sputtered. “You just had to say rear, didn’t you?”
“Seemed logical to me.”
“Jerk.”
“But you love me anyway.”
“If you say so.” Chase started shredding the napkin, creating a small pile of scraps on the counter. His shoulders hunched as he curled in on himself. “And it doesn’t gross you out? I don’t know if I could even come to a place like this if anyone I knew was there.”
“Nah, we have a pretty open family,” Of course, that could change in the future. This place was sensory overload. I wanted to know more, but I wanted to run away because the man who could answer my questions was also related to me. I didn’t want him knowing some of the things I thought about. “It was never a secret that he was gay, and I wasn’t really surprised when I overheard him talking to Jack about working here after he got out.”
“Jack?”
“The owner,” I clarified. “They were friends when they were kids, and every time my uncle came home, Jack was there. For a while, I thought they might be together.”
“They weren’t?”
“Oh, hell no! Now that I know more, it’s obvious the two of them would have killed each other as a couple.”
“Why’s that?”
“They’re too much alike. If they’d tried hooking up, it would have ended in disaster. They’d have been fighting the whole time, trying to figure out who was going to be in charge.”
The bartender busted up laughing. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
“Not like we’re huddled in the corner and you’re lurking trying to overhear.” I lifted my glass. “Listen away. If we wanted privacy, we could have moved to a table. Say, maybe you can help me out as long as you’re here.”
“Sure, what’s up?” he asked, resting his foot against the liquor well.
“I’m trying to get Chase here to loosen up a bit,” I explained.
“Jesus, Jayden. Why don’t you just stand on top of the bar and tell the entire room what a pathetic loser virgin your roommate is,” Chase hissed through gritted teeth.
“I didn’t say that, you did,” I pointed out before turning back to the bartender. “But it does make things easier to explain. As he said, he’s… inexperienced. He’s a curious little boy but he’s too nervous to do anything about it.”
“Jayden!” Chase’s entire face burned bright red. I worried I’d crossed the line, sharing something personal about him, but that was the whole reason we were here.
“It’s okay,” the bartender reassured Chase, placing a hand on his forearm. I snarled, not liking the easy way he soothed my friend. “You’re not the first newbie I’ve seen around here, and you won’t be the last. It’s okay to be nervous.”
“You don’t think it’s weird?” Chase chewed on his bottom lip.
The bartender looked nervous. He kept glancing around like he was hoping someone would come rescue him. “Listen, I see a lot of strange shit here. Weeknights are pretty tame, and even the weekends aren’t orgies and public beatings in the main area, but it’s not exactly Cheers either. If it makes you happy and you’re being treated well, I don’t see any harm in it.”
