“I’m not leaving until these two front rooms are presentable and there’s a hot meal to get you through a day or two. You can argue with me all you want, but it isn’t going to change a thing.”
“Knock yourself out.” I took my keys out of my pocket and went out to the garage to get on my bike. I glared down the line of my parents’ cars as I cranked my engine. I wondered if any of them would even crank anymore. Surely the batteries had died by now, but it wasn’t like I’d ever drive them.
My father’s classic Shelby, which he loved to torment me with and had never let me drive, his ’Vette, which he drove to and from work to compete with Layne’s, and the family classic white Rolls, which he kept for Easter Sunday when Mother would force us to go to church. The entire collection had a good layer of dust collecting.
My sister’s newer Mustang, which had been towed to the house from the airport along with Mom’s Land Rover, was going to waste, but I didn’t care. They could sit there until they rusted. I couldn’t bear to think of anyone else driving any of them. I thought back to my little sister and the day my father bought her that car. She was in tears as she hugged him, and then I’d had to teach her how to drive a stick before she could use it.
Without another thought, I sped off with the memories of my sister twisting like a corkscrew in my gut.
I hauled ass out to the only place I frequented, a bar called Jay’s Pub, and hoped that when I returned home, Mattie would be gone. Deep down, I felt a pang of guilt for talking to her so harshly, but I’d asked the staff to move on and leave me be. So far, she was the only one who still reached out. I didn’t think her any amount of her cooking or cleaning would make me feel whole again, but if it helped her, I’d let her do what she had to. But I didn’t have to be around to see it.
I walked into Jay’s and headed for my usual place at the bar only to be held up by Meagan, who stepped out in front of me. “I was wondering if you were going to be here later; you’re an early bird today. It’s not even dark yet.”
“I’m here all the time, so I don’t know why it is such a wonder.” I pushed past her and went to the bar where Glen had just put down a beer for me. Good old Glen, he knew what I wanted before I even had to ask; now if he could only get rid of Meagan for me.
She raked her hand through her stringy brown hair as she narrowed her blue eyes. She was pretty enough for a rando
m lay, but not really my type. “You don’t have to be snippy, Aiden. I haven’t seen you in a while is all.”
Her smile was laced with honey, and she had a gleam in her eye that I’d seen before. The last time though, she’d been on her knees and I’d had my cock down her throat. It was much too early in the night for that, and I didn’t have enough alcohol in me to start making promises.
“Well, if I need you, I’ll find you. For now, I’d like to sip this beer and talk to my best friend Glen, here.” I nodded in his direction as I brought the beer to my lips.
Glen did a double take. “How the hell did I get stuck with the chore of being your best friend?”
The bartender had been more than supportive of my bad habits, but had always managed to get me home safe, whether it was calling a cab or driving me home himself. Truthfully, there wasn’t much more between us. I’d only known him since I’d started spending more of my free time within the neon closet that he called a bar.
I’d deliberately chosen the dive to keep from having to talk to too many people, but being the professional that Glen is, he’d taken the bartender role to heart. I’d talked to him more than anyone else over the past fourteen months and though we didn’t go golfing or work out together or any of that other male bonding type of stuff, he was all I had.
Meagan stepped up into my face. “You’re an asshole, Aiden Walker. I’m not going to sit around waiting on you to want me again; I have plenty of other men around here interested.”
“Good luck to you.” I raised my glass and then took a hearty swig.
Meagan huffed. “Fine, you bastard!” And then she took off across the room to her usual table. I’d had a few good times with her, and I knew she wasn’t too upset to have a few more if I wanted. She could be awfully forgiving when she was hungry for sex.
It wasn’t like I couldn’t go pick up my usual stripper at the strip club, or a few of her friends. Sex wasn’t something I was doing without. In fact, I’d had more of it since I’d learned to lower my standards.
After things had settled down that afternoon and the night had long fallen, I noticed Meagan grinding on some poor guy in the back of the bar. He was a burly motherfucker, and the way she kept cutting me glances, I wondered if she was trying to make me jealous. I couldn’t help but shake my head and raise my glass. She shot me the finger.
I belted a laugh and then got up to go to the bathroom. All the beer had finally caught up with me, and when I returned to my seat, Meagan’s burly friend was sitting in it. The guy wasn’t much bigger than me, and I was certainly more defined and probably a hell of a lot stronger.
I could see his lips curl up as he tried to hide his smile and Meagan stood beside him with a smirk. They were hoping for a fight, and who was I to deprive them?
I walked directly over and nudged his shoulder. “Excuse me. You’re in my seat.”
He stood like he wanted to get in my face, but Glen was one step ahead of me. “Move along, Teddy. You don’t want to mess with this one. He doesn’t play well with others, and I’d have to call the police.” The man’s eyes widened a bit, and then he pulled Meagan’s hand to lead her away. Before I could take my seat, they were already headed out the door.
“Why did you go and ruin my fun? You could have at least given me one punch.” I tilted my glass high for the last swallow. “Give me another.”
Glen leaned up against the bar and shook his head. “Listen, friend. I know you’ve put it to that girl a few times, and I also know she knows who you are and where you live, if you catch my drift.
“She’s been bragging on your money as if it were her own, and all she needs to get her hands on it is for some thick-headed asshole to pick a fight with you in public or to get knocked up. She’s bad news, and he was baiting you; I wasn’t going to let that happen. You may not even care these days, but I won’t let you ruin your life over a seat at the bar.”
Glen knew I was well out of my class and normal social standing to be hanging around in his bar, but he’d let me pretend I was nothing for only so long. “I’m glad you’re concerned. Now, I’ve got my seat, so give me another beer.” I took care not to slur my words, but he shook his head again.
“I’m not serving you anymore tonight.”
“One more, Glen. Then you can call me an Uber.”