Niall turns John around, and walks us over to a table. “Caleb and John dated for about two years, until John caughtCaleb with his hands down the other bartender’s pants here one night.”
“Which was just one of many indiscretions I discovered after the fact.”
I take a heavy sip off my beer. The music is a bit loud, and it’s one of those moments when I really start to feel my age. The more I look around, the more I notice how much older I am than most of the crowd. That group of forty-something couples have now vacated, and we look like the oldest patrons remaining. No, we are definitely the oldest people in here.
“I get it,” Niall says, sidling up next to me.
“Get what?”
He laughs. “The look on your face. Yes, we’re old.”
“But why—”
“Because otherwise we would just be sitting around the same pub, or watching the same show for the thirteenth time at home, or just…wallowing.”
“Wallowing.”
Niall clasps my shoulder. “I’m just saying. It’s good to get out there. I’m proud of you.”
I shrug out of his grasp. “How about another beer? Or something stronger.”
***
It’s been a number of rounds later and I’m hanging at the bar, trying to get Caleb’s attention. It seems, after him seeing me talking with John, I have lost favor with him.
“Didn’t get the chance to buy you dinner yet, but how about a drink?” I turn and the vision that is Jackson is standing in front of me.
“I mean, I think I could be persuaded. I also think I’m actively being ignored, so hopefully I don’t rub off on you.”
“I could only hope you’d rub off on me.”
I feel my face flush as I try to hide the smirk on my face. Jackson does, indeed, get Caleb’s attention. Soon enough we have two French Martinis.
Jackson carefully slides one over to me. “Thank you,” I say, taking a sip and almost choking on it. “Holy shit.”
Jackson’s face also looks pained. “I forget how strong they make the drinks at these things.”
“Gay bars?”
Jackson shrugs. “Yes? If you can call this that. I’m not complaining.”
“I don’t usually do this.”
Jackson raises his glass to me. “That makes two of us.”
I take another slightly painful sip. If I keep drinking these I’m going to be fucked up, and fast. “So why tonight?”
Jackson points to the back. “Because I actually came here for the pizza.”
“It’s so good,” I respond. Wait, now I want pizza. “You can still buy me that dinner if you so desire.”
Jackson immediately pulls himself off the bar. “Trust me to pick the flavors?”
A few minutes later, Jackson and I have secured one of the high tops near the pizza window. Jackson with the misstep, ordering a Pancetta & Pineapple slice, so he is now stuck eating that while I devour the Pepperoni Red Top slice.
“What you’re eating is an abomination to the pizza world.”
“The pizza here? It’s amazing.”
