He frowned and shook his head no.
I wasn’t used to being blown off, but theywerebusy. When a spot at the end of the bar opened up, I took it.
Ben looked over at me and grinned, then elbowed Nick before saying, “Your boyfriend is here.” Good thing I could read lips since he was at the other end of the bar.
Nick frowned, then finished mixing what looked like a Sex on the Beach for a cute girl who was flirting with him. He smiled and chatted, but didn’t give her the attention he gave me. And I’d take that as a win.
When he finally made his way down to me, I looked into apprehensive eyes. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you open tonight?”
I smiled. “Yeah, we’re open. But Stella has it under control.”
He looked at me a little longer. “Then why are you here? Alejandro isn’t on the floor yet.” His ice-blue eyes searched my face for an answer.
“You know why I’m here. Something is off between us, and I need to know what happened.”
Nick stared at me a moment longer, then looked over his shoulder before looking back at me. “I don’t have time to discuss anything right now. I’ve got to get back to work.”
I shook my head no as I relaxed back onto my stool, settling in for the long haul.
He narrowed his eyes at me, trying to assess me with his x-ray vision. “Preston, I said I don’t have time for this right now. Whatever you’ve got up your sleeve, or whatever you’re thinking, I don’t have time for it.”
Nick turned and walked away to take another order. Ben glanced over at me, then grabbed a bottle of Portland IPA from the cooler. He popped the lid off, then brought it over to me. “Guess I’m going to be taking care of your beverage needs tonight. Let me know when you need another one.”
I nodded. “Okay. I’ll be here until closing, or he takes a break. So keep them coming.”
Ben chuckled and shook his head. “Okay. I’ll check on you in a bit.”
Nodding once, I picked up my bottle and took a healthy swallow of the delicious beverage. I could wait him out.
Four hours later, I was on the express train to shit-faced as I drank the bottle of water my buzzkill of a best friend forced on me. That and the greasy hamburger he’d made me eat was ever so slowly stealing my buzz. But my beautiful Nick kept on working and ignoring me.
“How long are you gonna do this? And when was the last time you ate? You’re not a lightweight.” Alejandro watched me lick the ketchup off my fingers.
“As long as it takes to make him talk to me or I get him in bed. And last night, I think. Some salad Stella made. It was good.”
Alejandro shook his head and laughed at my comment. “No wonder you’re off your ass.” I smiled. I was pretty damn clever.
“Well, it wasn’t enough, you idiot. And good luck with getting Nick in bed. This isn’t the way to get him to talk to you. Where are your keys?”
I frowned at him. “I don’t know. In my pocket next to my love rocket.”
My rhyme struck me as hilarious and I laughed my ass off. Alejandro was laughing too and just shook his head at me. But my Nick didn’t hear me, and I needed to tell him about my love rocket.
Because I loved him.
And he needed to know.
Right now.
I turned to Alejandro. “I love him. And I’ve got to tell him. Right now.” I stood, but wobbled a bit before Alejandro grabbed me by the arm.
“Settle down, Casanova. You don’t need to be shooting your mouth off right now in your state.”
I looked at him. “I know. I need to be shooting off my dick at him.”
My friend was trying not to laugh at me, but he was struggling. “Stay here. Don’t get up.”
Blinking slowly, my eyes followed him as he rounded the bar and muttered ‘stay’ at me like I was a dog. I was gonna tell him where he could stay until I saw him walk up and put his arm around my Nick. I don’t know what he said, but my sweetie looked over his shoulder at me.
