A Temporary Situation by H.L. Day

Author:H.L. Day [Day, H.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary, LGBTTQ
Publisher: Loose Id LLC
Published: 2017-09-15T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

Paul was over by the bar. He’d gestured for me to sit down, saying he’d get the drinks and bring them over. I’d chosen a table tucked away in a corner. Given the conversation we were about to have, the fewer ears in the vicinity, the better.

The bartender was flirting outrageously with Paul. I watched with barely concealed amusement. Normally, he would be well up for responding in kind. For some reason, my friend’s body language today screamed impatience and annoyance.

Drinks finally obtained, he navigated toward me. He eased himself into the seat opposite, dropping the beer bottles onto the table with a clink. Smirking, I inclined my head toward the bar. “Cute.”

Paul’s head immediately swiveled back in that direction. The bartender leaned casually on the bar, watching Paul. He blatantly ignored customers, who were waiting to be served, while he looked his fill. My smirk grew more pronounced, while Paul’s frown increased tenfold. “How can you tell under all the tattoos and piercings?”

“He obviously likes you.”

Paul shrugged. “Not my type. Besides, he’s like that with all the customers. He’s got to get his tips somehow.” He took a drink of his beer before focusing his attention on me. “Speaking of tattoos and piercings, does Tristan have any hidden away?”

I sat back with a sigh, taking a large gulp of my own beer. “I assume you don’t actually want an answer to that question?”

Paul looked intrigued. “Why. Does he?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“So you saw enough to know?”

I shot a glare in Paul’s direction.

He simply quirked an eyebrow. “You were the one who said you wanted to talk about it.”

I took another large gulp of beer. At this rate, I was going to need another one in under five minutes. In an effort to slow down, I slid it away from me across the table. “I probably shouldn’t have said anything. I mean it’s not… I can’t… I don’t know…”

Paul smiled at my nonsensical stuttering. “Well, that’s clear. I tell you what. I’ll make it easier for you. I’ll guess at what I think might have happened, and you can just agree or disagree.”

I nodded my agreement, shifting slightly in my seat when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, announcing a message. I’d had the good sense to put it on silent before meeting Paul. I had a sneaky suspicion that my early, and unannounced, exit from the office might just have been rumbled by Tristan.

“So…” Paul leaned in. It was reminiscent of the earlier interrogation in the office. “He drove you home. He obviously came in with you. You both had a fair amount to drink.” I shook my head. Paul carried on with a surprised look on his face. “You were both sober?”

“He had a couple of beers. I don’t know what he’d had to drink at the party, but he’d driven, and he seemed fine. I hadn’t really had anything.” I pointed at my beer bottle on the table. “Less than I’ve had just now.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.