by Darien Cox
Robert bid us goodbye. He seemed like a nice guy, good-natured, and I’d enjoyed spending time with him. Pleasing Duncan had obviously made Robert cheerier still. I liked Duncan, but found all the ass kissing I’d seen going on here tonight a little squirmy, everyone behaving like he was the prize, like they’d all slept with him or something. Maybe they had. If so, they’d clearly not been left disappointed.
“Come on out back,” Duncan said to me. “Grab a drink.”
I picked up a cloudy cocktail from the table and sipped it. It tasted like pear juice.
“Is it good?” Duncan asked.
“Yeah. Really good.”
“Can I try?”
It felt slightly intimate, but I handed my drink to Duncan, who took a sip, his eyes shifting. “Yeah. Greg was right. These need more alcohol. What’s in this, rum?”
“I think it’s tequila.”
Duncan chuckled. “See? We can’t even tell. Hang on.” He poured an extra dollop of tequila into my drink, and handed it back to me. Then he grabbed another off the tray and did the same for himself.
“Good thing I’m not driving,” I said. I had no idea what Duncan meant by ‘getting me a car home’ after we talked, whether he’d call me an Uber or had a minotaur butler around here somewhere, but I assumed he had a plan.
“Come on out back,” he said, and left the kitchen.
With my pear martini or whatever the hell it had been transformed into now, I followed Duncan out of the kitchen and through his house, finally reaching a wide set of glass doors off a fancy dining room in the rear.
The fence surrounding the vast, spacious back garden was strung with honeysuckle and vines. I saw a large swimming pool ahead, a set of fountains, little iron tables and chairs, and multiple trees donning white lights. Trellises were shrouded in tangled vines and flowers, and here and there stood stone statues of imps and fairies and gnomes. I stopped short, unable to stop my laughter from bubbling up.
Duncan turned back to me with a frown. “Did I make that drink too strong?”
“No, it’s just your house is so you.”
Smiling, Duncan asked, “How would you know what represents me?”
“I mean…your back garden here reminds me a little of Mythic. Like an enchanted forest threw up all over the lawn.”
“Ah.” He nodded. “As I said, I like pretty things. Come, sit by the pool with me.”
The glassy blue water was dimly lit, and two inflatable chairs floated around in there, one with a colorful umbrella. Duncan led me to one of the little tables at the pool’s edge, setting his drink down. When I sat, I was aware of how damn small the table was, my arm briefly brushing Duncan’s. His eyes met mine. “Can I run an idea by you?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”
“I’ve got a medium-sized, fenced-in yard in back of Mythic that I’m almost finished renovating into an outdoor bar area. It’ll be decorated garden-style, much like the main club, but I’m thinking about making it a themed center for the vegetarian tapas and healthy drinks.”
“So…you’re putting like a kitchen back there too or will you run things out from the main bar?”
“It’s already done, it has its own kitchen, just a tiny, closed off hut in the back for food and drink service. The rest of the space will be all tables and atmosphere. A trellis roof with glass that slides over when it rains, but open to the air when it’s nice outside.”
“Well, shit. That sounds great. How long have you been planning this?”
“The outdoor bar itself? A while. Just wasn’t sure what exactly I’d do with it. You and Robert have helped solidify my plans.”
“I’m flattered, Duncan, but all I did was suggest you put some veggie aps on the menu.”
“And I’d like to use your recipes. If you approve of that.”
“You don’t need my approval. I’m glad you liked the food, but you asked and I offered. You can do what you want with it now.”
“Well, I was hoping you and Robert could run the outdoor bar together.”
“Run?”
“Yes. Manage it together.”
“Uh…what would that entail exactly?”
“Do you think you could teach others to make the tapas you just prepared for me? If they’re already professional cooks?”
“Yeah. Sure I could.”
He smiled and took a hearty swallow of his drink. “Then you just supervise. You and Robert can share the bar and serve drinks, make sure the food is made properly and orders are timely. I’ll put a bunch of elf waiters out there for table service, so you won’t be swamped.”
“I’m confused,” I said. “So you basically want me to teach a couple cooks to make the veggie tapas, and you’re moving me to the outdoor bar with Robert, where we’ll serve the healthy cocktails.”
“And manage the entire area, staff, and so on.”
“But I’m not a manager. I know Robert has some experience, but I’ve never done anything like that.”
“It’s all about organization and delegation. I’ll keep it simple, Zach. It’s a far smaller area and will be far fewer staff than the main bar. We can keep the menu small as well, strictly the veggie tapas, and limit the drinks to Robert’s cocktails. If customers want something else they can get it in the main club. Think of the garden bar as working at a beach hut, except in the middle of Boston, and with an enchanted forest theme.”
I laughed hard. “That’s not a thing, Duncan.”
“It is now.” He grinned and squeezed my hand briefly before letting it go. “What I mean is, it’s not going to be this big intimidating supervisory job. It’s a manageable space. I think you can handle it, you’ll learn. We’ll do training before it opens for business. I’ve still got some cosmetic stuff to finish out there.”
I leaned back in my chair and drummed my fingers on the table. “Are you really offering me a new job here?”
“I am. I’d like Elfy Choices to be your baby. Yours and Robert’s.”
“Oh come on.” I laughed. “You’re actually gonna call it that? Elfy Choices?”
“Why not?” Duncan grinned and swirled his drink. “You gave me the perfect theme with that name, it’ll be fun to advertise, very straight forward. Although…” His eyes drifted over my body. “You’re a bit too muscular to be an elf yourself. But I suppose it will still jibe with the theme if you keep your current wood nymph costume. And of course, it would be a significant pay raise for you.”
Oh. Well, more money sounded good. But why the hell was he choosing me for this? “But…don’t you want someone more experienced with management stuff? I’m just a bartender.”
He set his drink down and leaned on his elbows. “I’ve watched you work. You’re a powerhouse and you never tire out. Plus, you told me recently that you felt pigeonholed. That you didn’t know what to do with your life but that you knew there was more to you. Thought you might like a change. And to make more money.”
“Right.” I chuckled. “Of course I would, and I’m super grateful for the offer, believe me. I’m not trying to talk you out of this, it’s just…I tend to have bad luck. I’m always struggling when I try to do something new. So, while it sounds fantastic, I don’t want to disappoint you. At least with bartending I know what I’m doing.”
“Zach…” He leaned back and picked up his drink. “There’s this misconception that growth has to come with struggle. But sometimes you never know what someone’s capable of until you give them a leg up.”
“And that’s what you want to give me. A leg up. See what I’m capable of.”
“You don’t want it?”
“I do but…what if it fails? What if I’m wrong and no one wants to eat healthy food and drink Robert’s boozed-up cucumber juice and it doesn’t make any money?”
Duncan shrugged. “If it fails, it fails.”
“So this is just an experiment for you.”
“Everything’s an experiment. Mythic was an experiment. I’ve got money, and it’s mine to play with.
This is what I want to do. It’s as simple as that.”
I realized I hadn’t eaten much today and the alcohol was hitting my system hard. This was probably not the time to be making big life decisions, but what the hell did I have to lose? I had no idea what to do with my life currently, and shit, at least this was something. If Duncan wanted to pay me to run his weird outdoor garden of healthy delights, well, I had no good reason to say no.
So why was I hesitating? I supposed because this meant I was making a commitment to Duncan. I’d been dealing with the fact I was working for Corey’s uncle because I knew I could walk away any time. This would lock me in with more responsibility. Duncan was taking a chance on me. But the whole point of starting at Mythic was to make money. I’d be stupid to turn it down because of my own dumb issues.
“I don’t want to wear wings anymore,” I said.
Duncan nearly tipped over in his chair laughing. “That’s your greatest concern right now? I figured you’d ask me about health insurance or something.”
“I really, really hate those fucking wings.”
“Does that mean you’re accepting my offer?”
“Yes. If I don’t have to wear the wings.”
Duncan sighed as the laughter trailed out of him. “Fine, Zach. You don’t have to wear wings. But I will still expect you to dress to theme. You’ll be supervising the wait staff, but I’m going to pull experienced ones from the main bar. And you’ll train the cooks, but I ultimately want you to get them so they don’t need supervision. I want you and Robert visible at the bar a lot during shifts.”
“Fair enough. So can I wear something other than the wood nymph costume?”
Duncan studied me. His eyes narrowed. “I like you in the wood nymph costume.”
Everything below my waist suddenly heated. “Do you?”
“Very, very much,” he said.
Oh. Shit. Corey’s uncle just fucking flirted with me. Didn’t he? No completely straight guy would make a comment like that. I must have been getting a little drunk, because I felt confident suddenly, pleased by the comment. “So you’re ordering me to stick with the nymph uniform.”
“Without wings of course, I’ll make that concession.” Duncan crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s still my club, after all. I get to design the scenery.”
I laughed. “Oh now I’m scenery?”
“Every one of my staff is part of the scenery, you must realize that.”
“Just a little boy playing with your dollhouse, huh?”
“I don’t play with dolls,” Duncan said. “I assure you, I prefer big-boy toys.”
Awkwardness slammed into me, and it was two-fold. Duncan’s comment was clearly innuendo, but it also seemed a bit of a hand-slap. It reminded me of that firm, resigned way he’d said ‘I’m not trying to screw you’ that day in the club. It was the same tone when he said I don’t play with dolls. Was I one of his dolls? Was he insinuating I was too much of a child for him to ever play with? And why did that hit me with a blow of disappointment?
And embarrassment, though Duncan was still smirking. I tried to recover, but began babbling instead. “I’m sure you have enough of those. Um…you know, not dolls but... Big boy toys. I mean, you’ve got your pick of everything I’d guess.”
Instead of saving me from myself, he sipped his drink casually and I could see humor dancing in his eyes. “My pick of everything? What do you mean by that?”
He reminded me of Corey in that moment, not only because he looked hot as fuck with his tan and ridiculously nice eyes in the low lights of the back garden. But also because he was clearly adept at those little psychological head games Corey liked to play. Duncan knew I was uncomfortable, that I’d just babbled myself into a corner, but instead of making it easier on me, he seemed to be enjoying it.
His brows rose. “Hmm?”
“I meant…forget it.”
“Why forget it? I told you the night we had martinis in the bar, you can ask me anything. You’re clearly curious about something.”
Once again, I felt emotionally naked in his presence. “I meant you can probably play with whoever you want. Like those guests you had over tonight. They were like moths to a flame. You’ve got that thing that draws people in, just like…”
“Like what?”
“Like Corey.”
All amusement left Duncan’s expression. While he still held my gaze, the light had left his eyes. “Oh.” He stood, picking up his glass. “One more?”
Because I needed to figure out where I’d just gone wrong and fix it, I handed him my glass. “One more. If…unless you need me to leave now.”
His smile returned, but it wasn’t as bright. “Same again?” he asked, holding my empty glass up.
“Yeah, sure.”
He patted my shoulder as he passed by, then disappeared into the greenery, heading back toward the house.
Fuck. Why was I suddenly so confused? I didn’t think it was just the alcohol. Duncan made a flirty comment about my work costume, so he fucking started it. But I’d managed to take that simple, straightforward comment and twist it into a balloon animal of sexual innuendo. What weighed more heavily on me was why he appeared to freeze up when I mentioned Corey. Sure, Corey was Duncan’s family, but we’d discussed him before. Duncan had even brought him up in the past, questioned me about how things ended.
When he returned with two more drinks, he was chipper again. “Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
“So,” he said, looking me over. “Let’s talk about Corey.”
Chapter Five
I stared at Duncan, my face flushing. “Why do you want to talk about Corey?”
He shrugged in that elegant way, twisting his drink on the table. “You brought him up. And I’m starting to feel like he’s the elephant in the room every time we speak. So let’s work through that so we can both be sure it’s not a hindrance. To our working relationship.”
“Are we descending into psychological drunk talk again, like that night we had martinis in the club?”
His easy smile relaxed me. “I hope not,” he said. “Because you ran out of there fast once that started. I figured I was getting a little too personal.”
“You confuse me.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Okay. You confuse me too, Zach.”
“Why?”
“Many reasons.”
“Will you tell me what they are?”
He tilted his head and studied me. “Tell me why you look so ashamed every time you mention my nephew. Because it’s happened more than once.”
“Should we be talking like this?” I asked. “About personal stuff? He’s your nephew and…you’re my boss. I feel like we’re breaking the rules or something.”
“I’m not a big fan of rules. Unless I make them myself.”
“Do you mean professionally? Or personally?”
“The two can be one in the same.”
“Okay. But I don’t think I should talk about Corey to you. You’re his uncle and…”
“And what?”
“I don’t want you to think less of me.”
“I doubt I would.” Duncan sipped his drink. “I’m forty-eight, Zach. You think I haven’t done my share of fucking up? Let me guess, then. You cheated on him.”
That old shame bubbled up, making me sweat. “He told you.”
“No. He told me very little, I never even heard your name mentioned before we met.”
“Oh.” I chuckled and rolled my eyes. “How flattering.”
Duncan smiled. “The point is you look like you want to flagellate yourself every time his name comes up. So I guessed. Corey didn’t say anything about you. So is it a problem? You can trust me, I won’t repeat anything you say. I just want to know why it affects you so much.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll kill the elephant.” I laughed softly, and got a smile in return. “I’m really glad you’ve plied me with alcohol for this.”
/> Duncan chuckled. “Go on. Tell me, before the booze wears off.”
“All right. I was obsessed with your nephew when I first started seeing him, when he was with Stewart. And he was seeing other people too on the side, so fair to say the competition was…unsettling. Then when he was finally mine, I was so afraid it wouldn’t last my insecurity made me impossible, and he got tired of it. But he tried. He did everything to reassure me. But I fucked it up anyway. For me, Corey was like…a hot coal from a fire. I loved the way it glowed and the warmth of it, but I tried to squeeze it too tight and burned myself.”
Duncan nodded. “And you’ve still got the scars.”
“I suppose, but it’s not still this huge thing for me. It’s been a couple years now. I honestly had put it mostly out of my mind until I met you.”
“Ah, now we’re getting somewhere. I’m a reminder. When you look at me, you think of him.”
“No. You’re your own person to me. Believe me. Of course you’re a little bit of a reminder because of who you are, but it’s not a big thing. I can handle it, I swear. It’s just…embarrassing to think on looking back, which is probably why you sensed my discomfort when his name comes up. That I was that out of control.”
“In what way were you out of control?”
“Um…” I dropped my gaze. “Jealousy. Being over emotional. And ah…sexually. I was sexually obsessed with Corey in a way that wasn’t healthy. Because his attention, his reassurance that I was the only one for him? It was never quite enough for me. Probably because he was sleeping with other people at the start. The relationship never felt equally balanced. My insecurity led to me doing stupid shit. I lost him. I lost everything.”
“Thank you for explaining. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, I wanted to discuss it so you’d be comfortable with me going forward.”
“That’s all right. Like I said, it’s old news. I’ve examined the shit out of it over the past couple years, so it’s not really all that hard to talk about anymore. I suppose you’ve never been out of control like that, have you? You seem so together.”
