Page 4 of Love of the Game
“So, Drake like a dragon, what brings you here?” There was a curiosity there that read genuine, like he actually wanted to know. Everything about Jon was open and free. Cheerful rather than smarmy.
“Work.” Then I amended. “Well, notherehere. I found this place hunting for a queer bar. Here as in the area.”
He rounded his mouth in a silent “o” before it settled back into that seemingly ever-present smile. “So not here for the bikes?”
I laughed. “I’ve never driven one. I guess I was hoping for a different ride. Maybe not tonight, but sometime.” I paused and wrapped a hand around my glass and sighed. “It’s been a fuckingday.” I took another sip.
Jon was halfway through his beer and took a pull from his glass as if he intended to nurse the remainder. He licked those pretty lips of his, then said, “I’m guessing the same work that brings you here is the one that’s made it a day?”
“Yeah.” I sighed and tried to figure out how to say what I wanted without letting on that I was a hockey player. “It’s… not a demotion at work. More like… temporarily moving to a different office. A change of scenery. But honestly, I don’t want to be here.” I paused. “I’m sure Greensburg is nice enough, but all my stuff is back in Pittsburgh, just far away enough to make commuting really difficult.” I rotated my beer glass. “In some ways, moving across country would’ve been easier.”
He cocked his head. “For a temporary assignment? I’dthink it would be easier to be close to home. You could go home on weekends. See family.”
“No family nearby.”
He made another “o” with those inviting lips of his. “So, all alone in a queer bar somewhere you don’t want to be?” His tone was soft and friendly, and that perpetual smile real. He was… gorgeous. Relaxed.
But his words itched at me. “When you put it that way, it sounds kind of bad…”
“No, I mean—” He picked up his glass and waved it at the bar. “People not from the area usually come here for one or two things. A drink.” He clinked his glass against mine. “Or a fuck.” He sipped and watched me. “Or both.”
I scratched the back of my neck, embarrassment once more creeping up my spine. “I’m guessing the answer to the second thing is ‘No, kid.’”
The smile returned. “You’re not a kid. And it takes two dates to ride this ride.”
“So there’s a chance?”
He laughed, and it was high and wonderful and weird, and everyone in the bar must have heard it.
What really got me was the joy in his face. I’d never understood how people could be so damn… happy… all the time. I’d only known Jon a few minutes, and he made my heart race, seeing all that happiness. I wanted some of that, some ofhim.
He sobered a bit, but didn’t drop that sense of enjoying the hell out of everything. “Why don’t you come back here tomorrow night and ask me that?”
The Otters had a game tomorrow. Shit. “I have to work pretty late. I know the bar’s open but…” I trailed off.
He waved my concern away. “I’ll be here, promise. Don’t you worryabout that.”
That had me giving him a once-over. “For me?”
What a fucking grin. “Yes.” Then I swear his eyes freaking twinkled, as he added, “And for me, too. I love this place.”
Ella walked by and smacked Jon lightly on the back of the head. “You own this place.”
“Well, yes. But that’s why I bought it from Frank when he wanted to retire. Because I loved it.” He shrugged. “It was either that or he was going to close it, and I didn’t want that to happen.”
I looked around the place, with its patrons of all genders, and the rough-looking bikers, including the two who had entered while I was taking the place in—wearing jackets emblazoned with their motorcycle club. They nodded to Jon as they passed us, and saddled up to the bar, chatting freely with Ella.
“This does seem a special place,” I said.
That seemed to please Jon. “Oh, it is. When I first came here—” He cut himself off with a laugh. “That’s probably a story for another night. Let’s just say it’s been good to me, so I decided to try to be good to it, and everyone around here.”
A group of four women headed over from one of the two pool tables— two couples from the way they were holding each other. One of them patted Jon on the shoulder. “See you tomorrow night, Jonny?”
“Absolutely,” he said, then added that big smile of his.
She gave me a curious once over, but she and her group moved on, heading for the door.
“Hey.” He tapped his shoe against mine. “You play?” He nodded toward the vacated pool table.
