I peer over my shoulder to make sure. Yep. Still perky and bubbly. My best ass-et, really. I chuckle at my own joke. I know I’m a catch. I have a fabulous sense of humor, amazing taste in clothing, and I own two successful businesses. What more could anyone want?
“Are you going to stare at your own tush all night, or can you pass over that glass of wine?” Jarrett Sullivan, the owner of Jarrett’s Antiques, asks. He and our friend, Fernando, stop in for a glass of wine most every night.
“Sorry.” I push two glasses down the bar, depositing them in front of my friends. “I just don’t get it. No one wanted that B&B here, but suddenly the sheriff gets a hard-on for the big shot New Yorker and we’re supposed to conform?”
“Sweetie, jealousy was so two years ago. It’s not a chic look.” Jarrett swirls his wine and takes a sniff. This bitch wouldn’t know Two-Buck-Chuck from Dom Perignon.
I roll my eyes dramatically. “I’m not jealous. I just don’t want our quaint town to be taken over by big businesses. You two are lifers, too. You should be just as worried.”
“We are. But I have to admit, the man has impeccable taste. That has to count for something,” Jarrett says.
Dante bought all the B&B’s furniture from Jarrett, earning himself goodwill from my friend. And yes, I may have benefitted from the B&B as well, but it takes more than purchasing a few bottles of wine for a Lobster Crawl to win me over.
“I guess.” I reach into the countertop dishwasher and pull out clean glasses to polish before putting them away. It’s early still, so Focus while is open for small bites, tasting plates, and wine, my dance club next door, Blur, won’t be open for another couple hours.
“Did you hear about the new guy?” Jarrett tucks an invisible strand of hair behind his ear.
“New guy?”
“Your employee’s brother moved to town.” Fernando fills me in.
“Who? Sara?” I rest a hip against the bar. I only hired the sad girl two weeks ago and she’s never mentioned a brother. Then again, she doesn’t mention much. She’s a hard worker and always on time, but she’s closed off and I’m not one to pry.
Okay, I am one to pry, but she’s wound tighter than a ball of yarn.
Now that I think about it, I don’t know much about her and none of it came from the horse’s mouth. Paul, the local newspaper owner, told me when she arrived to town with a husband. They set up house and had kids. Appeared to be the perfect family for many years. Then last week, Fernando told me he left her for his secretary.
Soon after, my friend Cato, the owner of And Puppies! came in asking if I had any job openings for her because she had inquired about a job with him, only he didn’t have the need for an employee. I shuffled my employees around and gave her a bartender position at Focus since she doesn’t exactly have the right equipment for Blur. Namely, a dick. A giant, gay dick, to be exact.
She’s been with me ever since. Now, there’s a brother. Interesting.
“Yep. I guess he moved in with her to help out and whatnot.” Jarrett leans in. “He’s hot, Kian. Big, burly, and bearded. I saw him walking to the docks this morning.”
“Sounds like he’s probably straight.”
“I don’t care, I’m not looking to marry the guy. I just need some new eye candy around here. The selection is stale.”
“I’m not stale.” I argue.
“You’re also not my type. Unless you suddenly changed your mind and like to be on the giving end of a pound session.” His eyebrows rise.
“Bitch, I’m not made for manual labor.” I motion up and down my thin frame. “But you’re right. It’s been a while for me, too.”
“You know I’m always down for a friendly fuck.” Fernando offers. Our desperate times calls for desperate measures relationship has worked in the past, but we’ve gotten to be close friends lately and I don’t want to rock the boat.
“Soft pass,” I say gently, patting his hand. “It would feel a little incestuous at this point.”
Fernando rolls his eyes but moves on. “Anyway, new guy got a job at the fishing company.”
My lip curls. “Disgusting. I wouldn’t want my lover to smell like fish. That’s one of the perks of being with a man.”
“Slap it here.” Jarrett holds up a paint stained hand and we slap fives.
Eventually, Jarrett and Fernando leave, and Sara arrives for her shift, doe-eyed and depressed. She has permanent dark circles under her eyes and bags big enough to pack luggage in, but her hair is in a perfect bun and her clothes are neatly pressed.
“Hey, honey,” I greet.
“Hi.” She flashes me a fake smile. “How’s it going?”
“It’s been busy. Actually, I was hoping you could stay late tonight. We’re having a foam party next door and you know how that goes. I need to babysit all the disorderlies who think just because the foam is waist deep, they can get frisky.”
Her eyes bulge and her jaw drops. She’s so innocent, I can’t help but shock her now and then.
“I, uh, yeah. I can. My brother is living with me now, so I have a babysitter all night.”
“Oh, a brother.” I sidle up next to her, pretending I knew nothing. “Do tell.”
“Nothing to tell. I needed help and he didn’t have any commitments where he was living, so he offered to move here.”
“Where’s he from?” I ask nonchalantly, busying myself with rearranging wine bottles, but commit every detail to memory so I can spill them to Jarrett tomorrow.
“We both grew up south of here, but he was living in Alaska before coming to Brigs Ferry Bay.”
“Ooo,” I drawl. “Alaska. The undiscovered wilderness. How exciting.”
“I guess.” She moves to the time clock. “I should clock in and get started.”
“Okay, honey.” I grab my set of keys. “If you need anything, I’ll have my phone on me.”
“Thanks.”
I step outside, inhaling the fresh spring air. It’s still nippy from winter, but I can smell the change coming. Flowers are sprouting, new leaves are budding. Spring is my favorite season. There’s just something about it. Like Mother Nature is going through a rebirth, rewarding us for making it through another doom and gloom winter.
I walk next door where the peaceful, calm, orchestral music and romantic light from Focus is left behind, and I’m greeted by loud, bumping beats, flashing strobe lights, and gays. Lots of gays. Well, at least for a small town. Brigs Ferry Bay is the self-proclaimed gay capital of Maine. For whatever reason, we collect here. I’m proud of our little community. I don’t think many small towns are so lucky.
I nod to the bouncer, Steve, who’s collecting the cash and stamping hands. The large man is wearing black leather shorts, a black tank top, boots, and nothing else. He’s hairy everywhere except his bald head and has a dainty diamond nose ring. I’m sure Steve is a top, but he’s definitely not my type. I prefer understated men. Closeted men, my mind shouts at me. I shake my head, disagreeing with myself.
I haven’t been with a closeted man since Jax and we all know how well that went over. As in, it didn’t go over well at all considering he’s now warming the bed of another man. I’m happy for him, I am. But sometimes, late at night, when the lights turn on and the magic of the club is gone, I feel the letdown. Like I wasn’t enough for Jax. Maybe I won’t be enough for any man.