A Bar Tender Tale (10 page)

Hm, still nothing from him,
Nathan thought. The dimwit had more than likely lost his phone. Nathan thought about calling to check, but the urge wasn’t really there anymore.

Oh well!
He left his phone on the bed as he cranked up the stereo. Today called for some sleazy surf rock. The Cramps’ opening guitar licks to “You Got Good Taste” A Bar Tender Tale |
Melanie Tushmore
86

blasted through his bedsit as Nathan got ready in the bathroom. He squeezed out pomade onto two plastic combs and worked them through his damp hair in front of the mirror while bopping his body to the music. This was the only way to do your hair, like Kenickie did in
Grease,
with two combs and a thick pomade.

“Whoooo
hoo
!” Nathan swept the combs out then pointed one at the mirror as he sang, “And
that’s
good taste!” Nothing could spoil his mood today. He rubbed and spritzed his body with all his best lotions and cologne; anything to combat the sweat that would undoubtedly appear near the end of twelve hours behind a bar.

When he started with a day shift he didn’t usually put on makeup, but today he wanted some sparkle. Nathan dusted a little silver shimmer across his eyelids, thinking he would leave it at that but as always got carried away and added eyeliner. His favorite was the black Kohl pencil that already had silver glitter embedded in it. He worked it liberally along his lash lines and finally he twisted open a stick of condensed glitter, swiped it across his outer eyes to his temples and examined his work in the mirror.

Hm, maybe a tad much.

Nathan shrugged as he walked away singing, “There’s a staarr maaaaan waiting in the sky….”

As always when he put on too much glitter, he thought of Bowie. Completing his look today was his smartest pair of navy blue jeans and a black T-shirt with actress Sheri Moon Zombie on the front. He slipped on his black Converse with the hotrod flames on, and roved around his room to locate accessories. It was like a pick ’n’ mix; any one piece of A Bar Tender Tale |
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jewelry Nathan tried to grab was attached to a few others. He spent precious moments trying to detangle them, shoving on bracelets, bangles, and necklaces as he went. Then he picked up his wallet, keys, and phone, grabbed his jacket, and swanned out the door.

FRIDAY was pretty dull and uneventful, considering what Nathan would rather have been doing. His daytime shift at Tequila’s passed slowly. Nathan was relieved to escape at 5

p.m. and make his way down the hill to Rainbow’s.

He picked up a pasta box from a deli along the way. He ate it as he walked along and picked around any salad that dared to have sneaked in. At least the busy bar work burned off most of the calories he was continually eating. He gobbled up the pasta box in record time.

A pudding would go well with that….
Nathan looked longingly into the windows of cafés and patisseries that had their cake stands on display.

How could they? Didn’t they know it was pure torture?

A little flutter in his chest reminded him he might well be taking his clothes off in front of a new lover soon, and he should watch what he ate. Nathan tore his hungry eyes away and strode past with determination. After three steps he gave in and turned back to the patisserie.

He had all good intentions of saving the chocolate caramel slice to share with Stuart. A pudding halved wasn’t as guilty, after all. But by the time he ambled his way down to Rainbow’s, he’d already eaten most of it.

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Nathan skipped up the bar’s steps, now thankfully clean. There was an outside seating area with parasols, tables, and chairs, raised up from the street and protected by a Perspex wind breaker. Being a mere stone’s throw from the blowy sea front, they needed it. Nathan walked through the glass doors into the building. Rainbow’s was a very bright, modern bar.

That said, there was a not-so-modern Cher classic currently playing on the speakers.

At least it was reasonably quiet. The music wouldn't get loud until later on; daytimes were a chilled-out affair. The only customers there were sipping their cappuccinos and talking quietly.

“Stuuuart!” Nathan called as he approached the bar.

Stuart, who was still working his day shift, looked up from his job restocking the mixers. “All right, treacle,” he greeted.

Mathew, their very buff and good-looking manager, was also at the bar with his ledger and a calculator. He looked up as well and smiled. “Nathan! I hear you went on a date with a straight guy?”

“Stuart!” Nathan chided, dropping into the seat next to Mathew. “I’m glad I ate all this cake myself now, you gossiphound.”

Stuart grinned. “We were saying how even going out with a straight is an improvement on Danny.”

“Yeah, cheers.” Nathan frowned.

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Mathew turned to him and said, “We only brought it up because the little pillock came in here looking for you earlier.”

“Oh?” Nathan was surprised. “What did he say?”

“Not a lot,” Mathew shrugged. “Asked for you. We said you weren’t here, then we pretty much ignored him.”

“I gave him my best glare,” Stuart said proudly. “He didn’t hang about though. There was a skinny boy waiting for him outside too.”

“Oh,” Nathan said, feeling a little stab of hurt at the thought. “I’m not surprised. Anyway! It doesn’t matter. I’ve moved on. In fact, I’m going to update my relationship status now.”

Stuart and Mathew watched him as he got his phone out and scrolled through his internet settings.

“What are you putting as your new romantic status then?” Stuart asked.

“Nothing. I’m just taking it away completely. Then I’m deleting Danny.”

“Ooh, harsh.”

“Yeah, that’ll show him.” Mathew snickered.

“Shut up. It doesn’t matter anyway. The guy I met yesterday doesn’t even have any online accounts. Which isn’t a bad thing, I guess.”

“Oh yes.” Stuart perked up. “So what happened?”

“Well, I got a bit drunk….”

“Never a good start,” Mathew commented.

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“Yeah, I know. Anyway, I got a bit drunk and kept throwing myself at him until he finally relented.”

“So you shagged him?”

Nathan made a face. “No, he wouldn’t let me. He said he wanted to take things
slowly
.” Stuart and Mathew exchanged a look.

“So… is he straight?” Stuart asked.

“No! He’s definitely gay. He said he had a nasty break up with his boyfriend recently. And he said he wanted to get to know me before rushing into things.”

“Ah, that’s sweet,” Mathew said wistfully.

“What’s to know?” Stuart teased. “Hello, this is Nathan!

He likes food, loud music, and lots of sex.” Nathan reached over the bar to slap Stuart.

“Sometimes all at once!” Stuart easily dodged Nathan’s hand.

“Where are your manners?” Nathan laughed. “Stand still so I can slap you!”

“Stuart,” Mathew intervened. “As your boss I request that you stand still so I can watch Nathan smack your butt.” With a dramatic sigh, Stuart stepped closer and turned around. “If you insist!”

Nathan stood up on his stool to lean over the bar, stretching his arm out. “Stay still, Stuart!” He aimed his hand to get a good angle, then whacked it hard across Stuart’s left butt cheek.

Stuart affected a girlish giggle and turned around. “I’m getting excited now!”

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“This is why I can’t discipline you, Stuart,” Mathew said.

“You enjoy punishment too much.”

Nathan lay sprawled across the bar. “Oh, I shouldn’t have done that. I’m too horny already!”

“Go beat it off in the gent’s,” Stuart suggested.

“Not in my clean toilets, you won’t!” Mathew cut in.

“Don’t worry,” Nathan said as he sat back up. “I don’t fancy a solo date. I want to do my new man!”

“When’s that going to be?”

“Um… I dunno.”

“Have you got a picture?” Stuart asked.

Nathan caught the mischievous look in his eye. “I wish.

He’s not online at
all
, so we can’t stalk him, and it was a little early to be taking pictures of him on my phone, even for me!”

“Tell us about him, then,” Mathew said. “I take it this one isn’t a trustafarian student as well?” Laughing, Nathan shook his head. “No, he’s a solicitor!” Mathew and Stuart cooed in appreciation.

“We like the same films and comics,” Nathan went on.

“And he likes playing computer games.” The cooing stopped as Mathew and Stuart both made faces.

“Computer games?” Stuart said flatly. “Are you sure he’s hot? You weren’t drunk
before
you met him?”

“No!” Nathan rolled his eyes. “Yes, he is insanely hot.”

“Describe him.”

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“Ooh, I will! He’s total TDH.”

“Tall, dark, and handsome?” Stuart asked. “Is he as tall as me?”

“Yep. Taller.”

“Is he as buff as me?” Mathew asked with a smile.

Nathan looked at him. “How am I supposed to answer that without getting sacked?”

Mathew laughed. “You can’t!”

“I don’t really know anyway 'cause I’ve only seen him in a suit,” Nathan said. “He’s like, tall and broad, definitely. His chest felt pretty solid, but he wouldn’t let me get a good enough feel for what’s underneath.”

“Uh oh.” Stuart raised his eyebrows. “Flabby belly alert!”

“I wouldn’t even care,” Nathan told him. “He’s gorgeous anyway and perfect for me.”

“Yes, shut up, Stuart,” Mathew said. “So what was the rest like, Nath?”

“Well, he’s got like, tousled dark hair—” Nathan waved his hands over his head as he described it. “—and these deep brown eyes. You should see it when he smiles; he’s gorgeous!”

“You sound loved up already,” Stuart frowned. “Watch out he’s not another dickhead like your last one.”

“Oh, he’s not. He’s amazing. Oh, and he’s Welsh!” Nathan practically groaned as he clenched his fists on the bar in frustration. “You should hear the way he says my name! God, I am so gonna jump on him when I get the chance.”

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Mathew laughed. “I wish you luck. When’s the next date?”

Nathan groaned again, this time at the thought of work.

“Sunday night. That’s ages away. Stuart!” He turned to his colleague. “Can’t you swap with me?”

“Sorry, Nath,” Stuart shook his head. “I’m seeing my brother tomorrow daytime, then I’m doing the same shifts as you the rest of the weekend.”

“Arrgh!” Nathan lamented.

Mathew patted his shoulder. “You’ll live. Shall I slip you some bromide?”

Nathan laughed. “I’m not that bad! No, I’ll keep it together. At least I know he
wants
to see me, unlike Danny.”

“True.”

NATHAN had never wanted a weekend to pass so quickly. He was literally counting down the hours until he saw Auryn.

They had agreed to meet on Sunday evening. Nathan would finish work at six and was trying his best to tempt Auryn into watching a film with him.

And hopefully a whole lot more! Nathan was daydreaming at the thought of it. There was a strong possibility they would end up in Nathan’s bedsit, as Auryn had said the apartment he had moved into was still piled high with unpacked boxes, so his place wasn’t an option.

Auryn kept suggesting they just go out for dinner, but Nathan was confident he could lure him into his parlor. On Saturday before getting ready for work, Nathan ran around A Bar Tender Tale |
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in his boxers cleaning his home from top to bottom, even doing the laundry.

He planned to wear his best T-shirt, the one with the arty print of a zombie in sparkly green. It needed a wash, though, and he had a huge bag of laundry that had been taking up precious space in his one room bedsit. He washed his clothes and hung them out to dry. They’d be ready to put away tomorrow, before Auryn came over.

Nathan even put clean sheets on his bed. Next he’d be rolling out a red carpet, he thought with a smile. Having done the laundry, it did mean that Nathan’s choice of clothing was limited for today. It didn’t matter, though; he wasn’t seeing Auryn until tomorrow.

Today he had to abide wearing his everyday black jeans instead of his best black jeans, but he did put on his two flashiest, studded belts to compensate. He grabbed any old T-shirt that wasn’t too offensive; Mathew had already asked him a dozen times to tone down his wardrobe choices. As it was Saturday, Rainbow’s would be doing cabaret in the bar before the club downstairs opened. Nathan was thankfully on upstairs bar duty. It was easy to go deaf in the club part.

Saturday night’s theme was retro. Nathan’s look of choice lately had been to dress as a psychobilly greaser; but tonight he fancied joining in the frivolous disco fun. Instead of his quiff he sculpted his hair into waves and covered it in silver glitter spray. He smudged on his eyeliner, then bright turquoise metallic eyeshadow, with lashings of glitter.

Amongst his treasure trove of accessories he found some fluorescent pink sweatbands for his wrists and a tacky pair of plastic dangly earrings. He ditched one, only putting A Bar Tender Tale |
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