Page 24 of Burning Up

Several minutes later, he noticed Matt at the bar. Maybe he just wanted another beer, but why wouldn’t he order that from Rachel, the waitress for their section.

“What can I get for you?” he asked, trying to sound friendly but business-like, as he would with any customer.

“I just need to pay our tab,” Matt said, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket.

“Okay, just a sec.” Bryce hadn’t expected them to leave so early, but that was not disappointment he was feeling. No, it wasn’t. If he kept telling himself that, maybe it would be true.

He finished making two martinis and handed them to a swankily dressed couple at the bar. Then he pulled up Matt’s tab and gave him his total.

“All right.” Matt handed him a card, not saying anything else. Why were things even more fucking awkward than they’d been during their shift the day before? He wished Toby had come up instead of Matt. At least he’d chatter away if he were nervous. That would be easier to handle.

Bryce was at a loss for words too. How was he able to talk casually with any other customers, no matter how attractive, but with Matt he was suddenly tongue-tied?

“Here you go.” He handed Matt a folder with his receipt, his card, and a pen inside. “Have a good night.” Wow, that sounded impersonal and douche-y.

“Yeah… um… you too.” Matt concentrated on signing his receipt.

Bryce walked to the other end of the bar, needing to get away.

After Matt headed back to the table, Bryce picked up his check folder. When he grabbed the receipt to place it in the register, he noticed Matt had written more than his name.

Going to Marlo’s later. Join us after your shift.

Instinctively, he looked toward their table, but they were gone. They must have gone out the side door to disappear so fast.

Head spinning, Bryce shoved the receipt into the register drawer. He’d decide what to do about it later.

As if there’s any decision to be made.

Right. I’m going home. Alone.

No, you’re going to Marlo’s and living out your fantasy.

No, I’m not.

“What’s up?” Mason asked.

Bryce realized he’d been staring into space. “Nothing. I… It’s nothing.”

Mason nodded. “Mmmhmm. If you change you mind, you know where I am.”

Bryce didn’t even try to protest. “Okay. Thanks.”

Marlo’s was a hot gay club, the kind of place that made Bryce feel about a hundred years old and ultra conservative. Of course, even when he was Matt and Toby’s age, he’d never felt like he fit in with all the nubile twinks at dance clubs.

What the hell was Matt thinking asking him—telling him—to show up there? He had no intention of going. He’d just pretend he never saw the note. The next time he saw Matt and Toby would be at the firehouse. Even Toby wouldn’t have a conversation about gay clubs at work, would he?

Things got busy again, and before Bryce knew it, it was eleven, time for him to head out. “See you in a few days,” he said to Mason as he untied his apron.

“Have a good night.” Mason grinned as if he knew where Bryce was headed or contemplating heading. Had he seen the damn note?

Jack and Gray had gone to hang out in the back, but Gray had returned a few minutes earlier and was seated at the bar. “Got plans with those boys tonight?” he asked as Bryce came back through the bar area on his way out.

“They want me to,” Bryce said, not sure why he hadn’t simply blown off Gray’s question. Gray was the last person he could imagine having a relationship conversation with. Hell, most nights, Gray wasn’t up for conversation of any kind. Not that Bryce needed to talk about relationships, since he had no intention of having one, especially not a three-way one. Mason, Jack, and Gray worked too damn hard for what they had.

“So you’d rather go home and jerk off thinking about them?” Gray asked.

If he were a cartoon, Bryce’s jaw would literally have been on the floor. “How many beers have you had?” he asked when he’d recovered enough to speak.

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