Page 23 of Highway To Destiny

I almost barked out a laugh at his greeting but smiled back. “Bourbon rocks,” I said quickly. I could feel the other two guys at the bar looking my way, but I didn’t acknowledge them.

The bartender winked and turned to grab a glass. He scooped ice into it, then gave me a generous pour and set it in front of me on a napkin.

I noticed his manicured fingernails were painted black. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, only a simple leather vest that hugged his well-defined chest and accentuated his muscular arms. He also sported tight black Wranglers with a large belt buckle resembling a turkey platter. A tight, flat-top haircut that looked fresh worked well with his dark brown eyes and chiseled cheekbones. I’d say he was a good-looking guy, not quite my age, but I had never been one to ogle another man or pay them a compliment.

I looked up at him from my drink with thanks, and his gaze never left my face. I was beginning to feel a little apprehensive about coming here. I didn’t expect to be the center of attention for a bartender. Maybe I was reading too much into it since the bar was slow, and I shook off the urge to overanalyze his motives.

“You from out of town?” he asked.

“Yeah, just passing through. I leave tomorrow,” I replied as I twirled the ice in my glass.

He paused, leaned forward, bracing his hands on the bar, and said in a low voice, “The bar closes at two o’clock. If you’re up for some company later and maybe a good time, I’m free.” I could see the want in his eyes.

I felt my face flush as I took in his proposal, and I wasn’t quite sure how to respond. I’d never been boldly picked up by a guy before, and it threw me. I looked at him and calmly lied. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but I’m straight.” I looked around convincingly. “Is this a gay bar?” That question made me feel like I could win an award for my acting skills. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

“Uh, yeah…sorry,” he replied with wide eyes. He stepped back and shook his head. “I guess you’ve never been in here before?”

I kept the pretense going. “No, I just walked down the street from having dinner and decided to come in. I noticed it was a nice-looking western bar and wanted a nightcap. Sorry if my rejection stung a little.” I felt an apology was in order, and I didn’t want to come across as a homophobic asshole.

“No, please don’t apologize. I was being forward, but you’re incredibly attractive, and I couldn’t resist.”

I was genuinely impressed with his reply. “That’s okay, no harm done. You think I’m attractive?” I asked coyly.

“I think my words were, I think you’reincrediblyattractive,” he said and smiled, grabbing a bar rag. “But if I made you feel uncomfortable, I’m sorry.”

I chuckled. Connor thought I was good-looking, so maybe I was to other guys as well. I dropped my gaze from the bartender and looked at my drink. “It’s sometimes hard to accept a compliment like that. I’m flattered.”

“You should be flattered.” He paused. “The name’s Nate.” He reached across the bar to shake my hand.

“Mason,” I replied and shook his hand firmly.

With that, Nate gave me a smile and a nod and headed to the other end of the bar and the two other patrons. I heard him laugh as he chatted with one of the men. I downed the rest of my bourbon and put a twenty under my glass. It was a generous tip, but I think our exchange was worth it. I took out my phone and saw that Connor had tried to call, but he hadn’t left a message.

I got up from the stool to head out and looked down the length of the bar, phone still in hand. I gave a friendly wave with it and walked out into the chilly night air. I hit Connor’s number, and he answered on the second ring.

“Hey, sexy trucker man.” My stomach fluttered.

“Hi. Sorry I didn’t pick up. You’ll never guess where I was,” I said with a laugh as I started back down the block.

“Do tell.” It sounded like he was out walking as well.

“I just walked out of a gay bar in Spokane. The bartender gave me the once over and tried to hit on me. I lied and told him I was straight.” I didn’t want Connor to feel uneasy or jealous, so I let him know.

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. “You went to a gay bar?” His question was on the cool side, so I needed to explain.

“Whenever I travel to larger cities and spend the night, I treat myself to nice dinners. I mean, most of the time, I eat in my cab as I drive or stop at some generic diner for the same basic meals. It gets boring. Tonight, I went to one of my favorite restaurants here and had a great steak dinner. On a whim, I decided to check out a local gay bar down the street.”

Connor remained quiet.

“Hey,” I said. “I wasn’t looking for a hookup, if that’s what you’re thinking. It was an impulsive move to see how I’d react. I’ve never been to a gay bar, and I wasn’t on the hunt, Connor.” I could feel myself getting tense as I tried to justify my actions. I didn’t know how to express that I was trying to prove to myself I wasn’t really attracted to men other than him.

I stopped walking and leaned against a wall by a storefront under an awning and waited to hear him speak.

He finally replied. “I get it. I need to remember you’re new to all this. Being with me the other night was your first time. I didn’t mean to act weird, and I don’t even have a claim on you. I was just surprised at what you said, and my reaction was stupid.” I was relieved by his understanding, but I also felt he might have been stung or betrayed in the past, which could have triggered his behavior.

I didn’t want our phone call to go sour. “Connor, it wasn't stupid. I just wanted to be transparent about tonight. I’m sorry if it caused you doubts.”

I heard him sigh on the other end. His voice changed to a more teasing tone when he asked, “Were there any cute guys there?”

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