Page 56 of New Year

Nat finally looked up. The woman was middle-aged, short and stocky, and she wore an apron with a few cleaning implements attached. He recognized her. She was one of Shindig’s sanitation people, but he didn’t know her name. The man squatting beside her was familiar, too. Thirties, maybe, with silver-framed glasses. The general manager with a weird name.

“I haven’t been drinking,” Nat said. “I didn’t mean to cause a problem.”

“It’s all right, I used to be a teacher,” she said. “Vomit happens. We just need to make sure you don’t need medical attention. Sun stroke and heat exhaustion are serious.”

“That’s not what it was.”

“Then what was it?” the manager asked. “Some of the witnesses said you appeared to be having some sort of confrontation with another man, and then you threw up on him. He ran, instead of making sure you were okay.” He nearly growled the final statement, as if personally affronted by Austin acting like an asshole. “Who was the guy?”

“My ex.” Nat glanced around, but the curious onlookers were keeping their distance. Probably the stink of barf in the heat, and the smell wasn’t doing Nat’s stomach any favors. “I haven’t seen him in a while. We were talking, and I don’t know what happened.”

“Hmm. Listen, my name is Clancy Jons. I’m the general manager here, and if this guy is a problem, I need to know about it. I don’t appreciate my guests assaulting other guests.”

“He didn’t assault me.”Liar.“It was…hot.” God, that was pathetic.

“Okay, what’s your name?”

“Nat!” Zack’s angry shout made Nat’s heart race. Zack shouldered his way past Clancy and the woman, and Zack didn’t seem to notice he’d knelt right in the barf. He pulled Nat into his arms, and Nat finally took a real breath. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“I’m okay now.” Nat pressed his face into the crook of Zack’s shoulder, not caring how hot it was. He needed this. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay, sweetheart. Is he sick?”

Zack must have asked the others, because Clancy replied, “We aren’t sure.”

“I’m not sick.” Nat raised his head so Zack could see the truth in his eyes. “Can we talk about it in private?”

“Sure, if Mr. Jons is okay with that. I can reimburse you for the cost of cleaning.”

“Don’t worry about the cost,” Clancy said. “We’re used to dealing with the occasional sick guest, especially on weekends and holidays. But we do have security cameras on the premises. If you need anything in the future.”

“Thank you. I really appreciate it, and I’ll be in touch.”

Zack helped Nat stand. The sanitation lady must have left and returned, because she gave them a handful of wet paper towels. Zack wiped off his knees, while Nat dabbed at a few spots on his own shirt. Thankfully, most of it had either hit Austin or hit the pavement.

“Thank you, Mr. Jons,” Nat said. “And you, too, ma’am.”

“My name’s Sadie, honey,” the woman said. “You must be Nat.”

“Yes, Nathaniel Hawking. I’m really embarrassed we met this way.”

“Well, I’m just glad you aren’t here alone.” Sadie cast a stern look at Zack. “You take care of him.”

“That’s a promise,” Zack replied. “We’ve both enjoyed today’s entertainment lineup, but I think it’s time we head home. Get cleaned up.”

Nat offered his thanks to Sadie and Clancy again, then didn’t protest Zack tucking him under his arm. It felt like everyone in Shindig was staring at them on the long, hot walk back to the pavilion where Chase was waiting. He took one look at them and stood, his face a giant question mark, but he didn’t speak. He followed them outside Shindig’s gates, and he stood silently with Nat while Zack got the car.

Nat wanted to hide, to never show his face here again, and he was insanely grateful to climb into the backseat of Zack’s car, so he could curl into a ball on the long seat. Chase, bless him, didn’t ask a single question on the drive home, even though the air in the car had to be a touch sour. No one spoke until they were all three on the stoop outside the house.

“Nat, why don’t you go take a shower,” Zack said. “I’ll get Chase situated and then be back home.”

“Okay.” Relieved to have a few minutes to himself, Nat fled into the apartment.

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

“All right, we’re home,” Chase said as soon as Zack closed the door. “Do you want to tell me why Nat looked like he’d been twisted up and then shaken back out? What happened at Shindig?”

Zack sank onto one of the counter stools, hot and confused, and not sure how to answer that. He hadn’t wanted to interrogate Nat while he looked so wild and spooked, and Chase had been his usual understanding self by not asking why they were leaving so abruptly. “To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. Nat was taking a long time coming back, so I went to look for him. I found him behind the bathroom building, sitting on the ground with Clancy Jons and a woman named Sadie with him. There was vomit on the ground, and Nat looked kind of gray.”

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