“More praise, huh?”
“It seems to help,” he smirks. “So, other than being honored to meet you, and wanting this band to replace your mechanical bull, did he have much to say?”
“You mean, did he explain why he bailed on my mom and only looked back long enough to send one birthday card?”
“Something like that.”
I roll my eyes and probably look like a child. I sort of feel like one. “Nope. He asked if we could meet for lunch sometime. Catch up on an entire lifetime over burgers and fries.”
“And you said yes.”
He knows the answer already, and I can't respond before the barn doors open again. It’s unexpected on this chilly Christmas night, but I’m warmed by the familiar laugh of my ex-husband—he’s not quite Santa, but it’s close—and the sight of his pretty boyfriend. They’re dressed for plans bigger than a queer country bar, and hotter than they have any right to be. I glance at Jake, but he looks as surprised by their arrival as I am, so I turn back to Beau and Adrian with a lime wedge in my hand and throw it at a target big enough for me to hit.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Merry fuckin’ Christmas to you, too,” Beau replies, laughing all over again as he makes his way to Jake’s side. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen him in the bar without his hat, and it amuses me on a day I need it. “Adrian’s sister and her wife are in town, and the swanky rooftop restaurant at their hotel is open tonight. We sat around and watched movies all day, but figured as long as we were gettin' dressed to go out with them, we’d stop by to keep your sorry ass company. Didn’t realize Jake had already taken the charity shift for us.”
He wraps an arm around Jake and kisses his cheek while I blow one to Adrian. “Since Lucy’s busy with work, I thought Jake and I might as well be alone together.”
“Didn’t you say you were here for Thanksgiving, too?”
My head is down while I fetch two coasters from the sink and grab Beau’s beer, so my reaction to his question goes unnoticed. I hadn’t realized that Jake had told Beau about that visit, but I have no idea how often they talk outside of here, and it’s probably none of my business.
Well, it’s sort of my business, but I pull a ginger ale from the cooler, pour Adrian’s drink, and don’t worry about anyone’s secrets now.
“I guess it’s Darren doing the charity this year,” Jake says.
I’m absolutely the sinner to Jake’s saint, so it’s easy for everyone to chuckle and move on from a quip like that. When I lean across the bar, we all catch up on what we’ve missed over the past couple of weeks. I ask Adrian whether he’s had an uptick insales with people wanting to buy his pictures as gifts. Beau asks Jake about work and how Lucy’s doing. Adrian asks about my mom and when I’ll head down to San Diego again. Jake throws a soft look my way while he waits to see whether I’ll mention my father.
I don’t. He disappeared for two months after he first contacted me. He disappeared for decades before that. Expecting him to make it to lunch feels frighteningly foolish, so really, there’s nothing to tell.
A few people leave from a table in the corner, and I grab a towel to wipe it down and collect the empty glasses they’ve left behind. From there, I check on the handful of others in the room, then I return to the bar and pour Jake another Guinness. It’s nice having the four of us here like this—nearly an impromptu double date if two of us were actually dating and another two weren’t so intent on disliking each other—but it doesn’t last, and I can’t complain.
The barn doors open again, and Riley walks in.
They’re dressed at least as nicely as Beau and Adrian. And they’re at least as hot.
I wave from behind the bar and watch as they remove their earbuds, their eyes darting to take in everything at once. I’m not sure why they’re here, except that they must have wanted to see me and couldn’t have predicted our little Christmas crowd. Riley’s not spooked exactly, but they need time to adjust to the presence of three other people they’ll have to talk to now, and I offer them an out I don't think they'll take.
“Merry Christmas. You wanna go out back?”
Riley smiles and moves closer, grateful but prepared to kick my ass if I’m too fucking nice. “No, but you can get me a beer. Same as Beau’s.”
“Sure, why the fuck not? This holiday is full of surprises,” I say, already popping the cap on their bottle. “Are we celebrating something? You look like you’re about to crash Beau and Adrian’s fancy dinner.”
They're quiet at first, but Jake moves to an empty stool so Riley can sit next to Beau, and once I’ve handed over the beer and poured myself a shot, everyone holds up their drinks to toast the unknown. I have to swallow quickly and leave them there when someone at the opposite side of the bar is ready to close out, but Riley’s eyes are on me when I return, and I don’t think I’ve missed anything.
“Ethan.”
I nod. Beau raises an eyebrow. The other two just wait for Riley to go on.
“I broke up with him today.”
It would be rude to cheer, or even congratulate them, no matter how well intended it might be, so I watch as one of Beau’s big hands covers Riley’s. The move isn’t one the rest of us could make, but Riley’s entire body relaxes, and I feel the same sort of relief.
“Guess we didn’t need that whiteboard after all,” I say. Then I remember they’d come in here to see me, and I return to being a bartender as much as a friend. “Do you want to talk about it, or am I on a mission to make youforget?”
“No mission. And there’s not much to talk about. He was with his family all day. We had reservations for dinner. He was late. Everything had been so quiet. And I—” Riley reaches for the bottle but doesn’t take a drink. “I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to go late, but I realized I didn’t want to go at all. Not with him. Not ever.”