He watched Kyle go, his lover’s walk seeming pretty steady despite the drink on the bar.
Rob looked at him sideways, the uneven bar light casting shadows on the angular lines of the dancer’s face. “He is totally into you, man.”
“Good.” Because he was in love—balls to bones. “I like to hear that.”
“He says you’re working with him on his next show? He’s tough to keep up with. Works all the time. Heard you talking. You want a couple Adderall? You look like you need it.”
“What are them?” He didn’t want to lose his mind or wake up in three days mostly dead.
“ADHD meds. Stimulants. You know, uppers.” Rob pulled a little vial out of his coat pocket. “There’s a couple days’ worth in here if you want ’em.”
“Thanks. Been… been a long week, ain’t it?” Gigs and practice and writing and loving and touristing and—he was on his last drop of gasoline.
Rob nodded. “Yeah, man. It’s hard to keep up sometimes, right? My number is in there if you want more. Just give me a shout.”
It was good to know a dealer. Always. It was also good to know who they were. He had to wonder what Kyle got from Rob. Eh, it was none of his. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
“I’m looking forward to hearing you play. He has a lot to say about your talent.”
“I do my best.” God gave him the talent; he was born to use it, he figured.
Kyle came back to the bar, this time with an arm around Jake. “Jake thinks I should go home.”
Jake kind of rolled his eyes. “Not that you ever listen to me.”
“You want to take me home, lover?”
“I can do that.” He smiled at Kyle, admiring him, top to bottom. Jesus, so fine. He was a little stupid with loving his man. “Come on, cher. Let me help you find the bed.”
“Oh, I’m not that drunk. Not like I was the other night. Whoa.”
“You’re not that sober either.”
“Shut up, Robbie.” But Kyle was playing, stuck out his tongue.
“You’re fine and I ain’t even had one, so you’re in good hands.” He wrapped one arm around his own dancer. “C’mon.”
Kyle pressed close and let him lead the way out of the bar. His lover might be a flirt, but they were leaving no doubt for anyone looking on who Kyle was going home with.
“Glad you texted me. I was headed to the apartment, but I hadn’t made it.”
“It’s been a long day. I know you’re crazy busy right now, but I needed to see you. I’m really… I don’t know. I’m not looking for an all-nighter, I just wanted you with me.”
“I’m here, cher. All yours.” He had this, no worries.
Kyle got them a cab and was pretty quiet until they got home. “The show was rough tonight. We had some tech problems, and the energy was off. I’m not sure what was up.”
“That sucks. What do you do? Jus’ let it work itself out?” They started with their shoes, leaving them at the door, and then he put his cap on the hook. The hat tree by the door was new since Norv and Ryder visited.
“At first. I’ll start Tuesday’s show with a pep talk, and if we’re still off that night, then we’ll do some pickup rehearsals and figure out what we’re running up against.” Kyle threaded their fingers together and left the house dark, leading him up the staircase by the light from the street. “Most of the numbers are fine. It was more the energy thing. I reminded everyone tonight to get a good night’s sleep. Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
“Sometimes.” He burned for one of those, a long night of dreams. “I’m sorry, cher.”
He imagined Norv’s pep talk and coughed out a laugh. Yeah, no.
Kyle stopped at the top of the stairs and kissed him. “Thank you. I don’t know how to explain to you how it makes me feel that you care about this. It’s not even whether or not you get it, just that you understand what it means to me.”
He wasn’t even sure what that meant, but he was pleased that he was helping and not hurting. Sometimes that was all a man could do.