“I listen,” I say, then turn my eyes back to Rafael. “You should tell him about the piece you did the other day. The kaiju.”
Rafael adjusts his glasses, then takes a big gulp from his beer, clearly working to process the fact that Drew’s hand is still on my shoulder. “Right,” he says. “The kaiju.”
As he starts to tell the kid about the ink, I find a moment to step away. I’m willing to put myself through this kind of bullshit for Drew, but I still need a breather.
What Drew guessed about me the other night is right. I’d like it if I had a little more company in my life. I don’t really need to hole up like a damn hermit.
When I spot Red alone in the back, throwing darts, I head straight to him.
He spins a dart in his hand as he looks up to me. “So, Mack’s kid, huh?”
Shit.
I grab a stool. “You going to have a problem with that?”
He tosses the dart, which sinks into the board with a satisfying thump. “Nope.”
I sit there, watching him throw, waiting for him to say something. When he doesn’t, I start to feel frustrated.
I came over here to get a minute of peace, and now I’m anxious for Red to talk. My brain is broken or something.
Normally, I’d just walk out the door, head home where things are simple. I’ve got some appointments tomorrow and a novel waiting for me. That should be enough.
But Drew’s up there at the bar, enjoying himself, and I can’t think about much but him right now anyway.
“Must be kind of weird, though,” Red finally says.
I stand and stick my hand out. “Give me those darts.”
“Must make you think of Mack sometimes, if nothing else.” He hands me the darts and steps aside. “Even if Drew is nothing like the asshole. I can tell that just by looking at him.”
I take a second to get comfortable in my stance, then toss all three darts in rapid succession. “Honestly, I don’t think about it that much.”
“Haven’t seen you with someone in years,” he notes.
I walk over and grab the darts from the board. “He doesn’t live here. Don’t get used to it.”
Red arches a furry gray eyebrow at me.
“What?” I bark, then hand him the darts.
“Like your possessive ass ever let a guy go easily,” he grumbles.
I start to object, but he’s right. There haven’t been a lot of men I cared about over the years, and no one else like Mack, but when I set my attention on someone, I’m not very good at giving it up.
Red takes the darts from my hand. “It’s good to see you out, Caesar,” he tells me.
I relax, grateful that he’s not going to give me a harder time. “Thanks.”
“Just explain this to me. How in the fucking hell did an ugly geezer like you get some young guy’s attention?”
“Asshole,” I grumble, and we both chuckle.
When I turn back toward the bar, Drew is standing right beside me. He has a shy smile on his face, and I wonder if just heard me and Red shooting the shit.
Drew hesitates. It feels like he wants to throw his arms around me, and after only a second of wrestling with it, I cave.
I’m not into acting all fucking cute in public, but I’m not going to act ashamed of myself either.
