“Zeke, are youworking?” the man asks, seemingly outraged. “Jesus, they didn’t even give you the night off to enjoy the party?”
“We tried,” I grumble under my breath. Apparently, it’s louder than I thought because the ski patroller eyes me likewho the hell are you?
Zeke shrugs. “I don’t mind, Stone. I can still mingle, and I get to eat and drink on the clock tonight,” he says, holding up the mug of spiked hot chocolate.
“Is Palmer coming?” Stone asks in a clipped tone.
Palmer? Zeke called his boyfriend Derek. So, who the fuck is Palmer? And why the fuck do I want to know so badly?
“No,” Zeke answers quickly.
Stone huffs a humorless laugh, shakes his head, and lowers his voice. “He left you alone for Christmas, didn’t he? That fucker.”
“He’s traveling to see family, Addario. He’s really not that bad; you’ve just seen him at a few of his not-so-great moments.”
“Those are the only kind of moments he has, Zeke. The guy’s a piece of shit. When are you going to snap out of it?”
It takes everything in me not to tell this guy to back off,but I don’t, because as far as they all know, I’m just a waiter,andthis guy genuinely seems to care about Zeke.
Zeke waves behind him with his mug, clearly dismissing the guy and his small group of patrollers.
“Enjoy the party. Last call is eleven. Last gondola trip will be at midnight. Merry Christmas.”
Zeke takes a gulp of hot chocolate as I step forward, unable to stop myself from leaning down and asking directly in his ear, “Who’s Palmer?”
He jumps at my proximity, and I place my hand on his back to steady him. It startles me how much comfortIreceive from the gesture until Zeke flinches and pulls away.
“Derek. His last name is Palmer,” Zeke explains.
“Hmph,” I grunt, choosing to keep my mouth shut. Zeke and I are finally making progress, and I don’t want to go backward by bringing up the night I almost punched his stupid boyfriend square in the face.
“What’s ‘hmph’mean?” he asks.
“I don’t like him,” I answer honestly.So much for not going backward.But to my delight, Zeke lets out a bark of laughter.
“You and everyone else.”
“So why do you stay with him?” I press.
“I told you, it’s complicated.” Then he turns the tables. “What about you? Any wives, girlfriends, mistresses?” he prods.
I can’t help my smirk. “Why do you assume I’m straight?”
I regret it the instant I see the flash of…is that hope in his eyes?
It fucking guts me.
What a stupid game to play, Talon.
“Aren’t you?” he asks, making me want to cut out my tongue. It’s the first time I’ve ever felt bad about being attracted to women.
“Yeah, I suppose I am.”
“Mmm,” Zeke hums as another employee steps up to the host stand to check in.
“What does ‘mmm’mean?” I ask, using his own question against him as more employees approach from the gondola, quickly get checked in, and head inside. I’m not offended, just…curious.
Zeke lifts one shoulder in a shrug.
