A Bar Tender Tale (11 page)

an earring in his left ear. They were so ghastly, one was more than enough.

This outfit needed an over-the-top jacket to go with it, and luckily Nathan had just the thing: bright pink denim with black PVC panels, it had pictures printed all over it of well-known New York drag queens. This was actually his best jacket, but Nathan only brought it out when the occasion demanded it.

It seemed to have the desired effect. When Stuart spied him later on he did a double take.

“Nathan, what the fuck are you wearing?”

“A one-off,” Nathan declared proudly. “Now I’m gonna hang it up before I get drinks sploshed on it.”

“Thank God for that! Yes, put it away, before I go blind.”

“No taste,” Nathan muttered. He shrugged off his piece of art and hung it up safely. “Ready for a night of retro fun?”

“Oh, as ever!” Stuart made a face. “I’m telling you, some fit blokes had
better
walk in that door tonight, or I’m becoming a nun.”

“That’s a bold statement.”

“Coming from
you
, Nathan, in that outfit….”

“All right, lads!” Justin, the third barman for the shift, joined them. He and Nathan looked each other up and down, studying their respective outfits.

Justin worked part time. Nathan assumed Mathew only hired Justin because he was so achingly attractive. He had the good looks of a model, lean and androgynous. Mathew normally didn’t hire part timers but nobody could resist A Bar Tender Tale |
Melanie Tushmore
96

Justin. He was an art student by day, in his final year of Uni. As such, most of his outfits were very creative, much like himself. He also sang in a local electro band.

In a word, Justin was hot.

And tonight he was wearing a white vest with a leopard print waistcoat over it, a collection of bizarre looking necklaces, and baggy cutoff shorts with what looked like sparkly rainbow leggings underneath.

“Are you wearing
leggings
?” Nathan laughed.

“Yeah!” Justin struck a pose. “Aren’t they great?”

“You both look like a pair of tits,” Stuart commented.

“Oh look out,” Justin quipped, “Captain Boring is here!”

“Captain Good Sense, more like,” Stuart said, walking off.

Justin turned back to Nathan. “I like your T-shirt, Nath.”

Nathan had to look down to remind himself what he was wearing, not having put much thought into the first thing he’d pulled on. It was white for a change, with a big, glittery red cherry in the centre.

He laughed. “Thanks. It’s laundry day.”

“Yeah, didn’t think it was your usual style. I like it though. But don’t you think it’s giving the wrong impression?”

“Huh?”

“Well, you know what they say about cherries, and you’re hardly a virgin!”

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“Oh, piss off!” Nathan nudged Justin away. “You’re one to talk.”

“I know, right!” Justin agreed. “So I hear you and Danny split up?”

“Yeah, good riddance.”

“Do you fancy a revenge shag?”

Nathan blinked in surprise.
Is he serious?

“Pardon?”

“Revenge shag,” Justin said again. “I’m up for it if you are.”

Seeing he was completely serious, Nathan grinned in response. “Thank you, Justin. I’m honored. And I wish you’d offered that before Thursday, as now I’ve met someone I really like.”

“Oh well.” Justin flashed him a smile. “You know where I am if you change your mind, babe.”

“In that outfit, honey, I won’t miss you.” Mathew suddenly loomed over Justin’s shoulder. “I agree. If you two were any louder I’d need sunglasses.”

“Ha, ha.” Nathan faked laughter, holding onto his belly.

Mathew, like Stuart, was more a fan of the pressed jeans and crisp, clean shirts. Justin turned to their boss with a flirtatious touch to his shoulder said, “Come on, Matt, you know you love it.”

“I’d love it more if you were working, Justin. Chop, chop.”

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Melanie Tushmore
98

Their shift started promptly at six. After restocking and prepping the bar after a busy Saturday daytime, it was ready for the evening.

Rainbow’s was directly connected to one of the larger guest houses set back from the road, with a private entrance into the bar for its guests. By midevening there would be a constant stream of gay men filing in from the guest house as well as from the street. Rainbow’s was long established and one of the busiest gay clubs in Brighton.

Lewis, the enormous yet friendly doorman, arrived early and sat at the bar while Nathan made him a coffee. “At least the weather’s all right,” Lewis said.

Nathan smiled. Being a doorman and forced to stand outside a lot, the weather was usually the first thing Lewis would talk about.

It was close to 7 p.m., and luckily the place wasn’t busy yet. Mathew and Stuart were busy setting up the small P.A.

in the corner ready for the cabaret. Nathan and Justin larked about behind the bar, falling into their familiar jokes which mainly consisted of patting and tugging on each other’s clothes while saying, “Topshop.” It was a sketch from
The Mighty Boosh
, Justin’s favorite TV show. Nathan loved this joke as it meant he got to flirt with Justin. Lewis raised an eyebrow at them in confusion as they mucked around. When Nathan’s phone buzzed in his pocket, he leaped to read the message, grinning from ear to ear.

“Is that your new man?” Justin asked.

“Yeah.”

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“What’s he say?” Justin peered over Nathan’s shoulder and read the message. “
What
does that say?” Nathan smiled shyly. “
Poultrygeist
,” he explained. “It’s a film. We’re quoting B-movie titles. You won’t get it.”

“Clearly!”

Nathan shrugged. “I’ve found a fellow nerd. What can I say?”

“You’re hardly a nerd, Nathan.” Justin gave him the eye again.

Nathan tried to ignore it. “Underneath this cool exterior beats the heart of a nerd, mate.”

Lewis laughed as he sipped his coffee. “You could say that about all men, really. Mention something like
Star
Wars
….”

“Oh, yawn!” Justin waved a hand at them as he strutted away.

Nathan got back to his texting while it was still quiet. He was in the middle of replying when another message from Auryn came through.

“I really want to see you.”

Surprised, Nathan ditched his earlier reply and said,

“But I’m working.”

Auryn’s next message was almost instant: “No, you’re not. You’re standing at the bar, chatting.” Nathan blinked. Then he looked up.

Shit!

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He could see through the glass front of the bar; a figure standing just on the other side that looked remarkably like Auryn.

Oh, typical!

Why did he always have to see Auryn when he wasn’t prepared? This outfit was
so
not the impression he wanted to give.

Oh well.

Nathan slipped out from behind the bar and crossed the venue, shooting a cursory glance to check everyone else was busy. He would just pretend he was going out for a cigarette… a cigarette he had forgotten to bring with him.

When he opened the door to the cooler evening air and stepped outside, Auryn was waiting for him with a smile. He was clean shaven, dressed in casual clothes this time; jeans and a jacket. They made him look younger than his thirty-one years, Nathan thought. Still drop-dead gorgeous.

“Hello, Nathan,” he said. “Wow, new look, is it?”

“Oh, um….” Nathan felt his cheeks grow hot. “It’s retro night. I don’t normally dress like this.”

“You look very… sparkly.”

“Er… yeah.” Nathan was stuck for words. In front of him was a very fine specimen of a man, and he felt the blood rush through his veins excitedly. His natural reaction was to give into the very strong pull he felt towards Auryn; to launch himself forward and wrap everything he had around the man. But Nathan forced himself to stay still. He didn’t want a repeat of the other night, with poor Auryn having to push him away again.

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Nathan cleared his throat. “So, um… how was your game day, or whatever it was?”

Auryn grinned at him. “Suitably nerdy, thank you, and I let Gaz win.”

“Oh right. I bet he was pleased.”

“Pretty much.”

“So, um….”

“I missed you.”

Nathan blinked in surprise. “Huh? You did?”

“Yes. How crazy is that? I only met you two days ago.”

“Technically, this is the third day.” Nathan smiled. “And I missed you, too.”

Auryn’s shy smile was enough to make Nathan’s heart flutter. His eyes were drawn to the man’s lips. He was desperate to lean up and taste them, but nerves got the better of him.

“Um… are you gonna kiss me?” Nathan asked.

He watched Auryn’s brown eyes flicker down and wondered if his own lips held the man’s interest.

Auryn breathed out, almost a small laugh as his eyes rose again, over Nathan’s shoulder.

“I would, Nathan, but all those people in the window are putting me off a bit.”

Nathan glanced round to see his Rainbow’s colleagues pressed against the window, smirking at them. Rolling his eyes, he faced Auryn again. “Ignore them.”

“Am I allowed to come in? If you’re busy I can—” A Bar Tender Tale |
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“No, no,” Nathan insisted. “It’s fine; we’re not busy yet.

Just, um….”

“Yes?”

“Er, well, they’ll probably talk you.” Auryn almost frowned in confusion. “Okay… isn’t that a good thing?”

“No, I mean….” Nathan struggled to put his insecurities into words. While he loved the idea of Auryn keeping him company at work, he wasn't so keen on the prospect of competition in the form of his colleagues. Not only were all of them
very
good-looking, but soon there would be a whole horde of gay men in the bar to contend with. And they just loved fresh meat.

Way too much competition.

“Um, what I mean is, they’ll probably come onto you.” Realization dawned on Auryn’s face. “Oh, right. Well, what are the house rules? I’m allowed to say no, aren’t I?” Nathan’s lips opened to respond, but then he saw Auryn was joking.

“Yeah, you better,” Nathan teased, smiling to hide the fact that he was deadly serious.

The look Auryn gave him in return was so intense Nathan felt all the blood rush around his body.

“You don’t have to worry about that, Nathan.” A Bar Tender Tale |
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Chapter 5

“YOU jammy git, Nath,” Stuart hissed, immediately after Auryn had excused himself to go to the gent’s.

Nathan grinned wickedly. “Moi?”

“When you said he played computer games I expecting some geeky minger.”

“Hah! Well, that’s where preconceptions will get you.” Nathan had been feeling smug since Auryn had taken off his jacket and sat down at the bar. So much for Stuart’s flabby belly prediction! Under the man’s clinging T-shirt they had all noticed a flat stomach, not to mention a well-toned chest and shoulders pulling the fabric taut. Nathan felt all flushed as he’d practically tripped over his goggling colleagues to get the man a drink. It seemed none of them could quite believe Nathan’s good luck.

“The proof is certainly in the pudding,” Mathew commented now.

“Mmm, pudding is right.” Justin smirked. “He's
very
dishy.”

“I know that,” Nathan said. He glanced across the venue to check Auryn wasn’t returning yet. As soon as he’d been out of earshot, Stuart and Mathew had pounced on Nathan to gossip. They’d also had to physically restrain Justin from following Auryn into the toilets.

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“I say well done, you,” Mathew told him.

Nathan beamed. “Cheers, boss.”

“What about me?” grumbled Stuart. “No hotties around for weeks, and Nathan goes and bags the hottest one I’ve seen for months when he’s only been single for one bleedin’

day!”

“There’s plenty more fish,” Mathew said absently, but he was already walking away to get on with his work.

“And what about
me
?” Justin gave Nathan his come-hither look again. “Let’s have a threesome. I’d
love
to do you both.”

“Shut up.” Nathan shushed him with a light slap across the chest. Auryn had reappeared and was making his way back through the growing number of customers in the bar.

Nathan noticed more than a couple of heads turn as he walked past, but either Auryn didn’t seem to notice or he was trying
not
to. Nathan began to really panic. What would Auryn do when one of those guys tried it on? Would he welcome it? What if he went off with someone better looking, or more suited to him? There were plenty of them about….

Nathan could feel his hackles rise at the mere thought of it.

“I’m going for a fag!” he announced, scrabbling for his cigarettes and lighter.

“Hah!” Justin chuckled. “Which one?”

Nathan ignored him and darted out from behind the bar. He grabbed Auryn’s hand and kept walking. “I’ve got a date with a Marlboro, and you’re coming with me!”

“Oh right,” Auryn said easily and followed him outside.

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Nathan said a brief hello to the doormen, Lewis and Neil, who were both on shift now. The evening was cool but not too windy, which made a welcome change. Nathan was only in his T-shirt, as was Auryn, but he wasn’t worried about that for now. The only thing on his mind was him being with Auryn in full view of the bar through the glass windows. He wanted everyone to know that this man was off limits. Nathan led them into a quiet space and sparked up his cigarette. After his first drag he held out the packet, offering a cigarette to Auryn.