Unexpected Love

by J. O Mantel

  “You’ll do no such thing,” his mother said. “You’re going to that club, Hunter. There are no excuses. Or would you prefer it if I drive you there myself and announced your arrival? It’s been a while since Clarence has been out on the town.”

  His mother had an old run-down car, a VW beetle, which she’d nicknamed Clarence. When she’d picked him up from work one night, she’d stopped right outside the station, with the windows down and Billy Ocean’s “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car” blaring from the stereo. It was the most humiliating experience of Hunter’s existence, and he certainly didn’t want a repeat of that.

  “No, Mom, I’m perfectly capable of driving myself, there’s no need to bring Clarence along. Besides, Andy’s picking me up.”

  Hunter picked up the navy-blue slacks and slid into them, he then picked up the first shirt and tried it on. It was a pale blue button-down shirt, with white striping running down the front. He tucked it into his slacks before fastening the buckle, then turned and walked over to the mirror. With his hands in his pockets, he stared at his reflection.

  “No. I prefer the pale pink one.” His mother’s reflection appeared beside him in the mirror. She turned and picked up the pink shirt from Hunter’s bed. Retracing her steps to where Hunter was standing, she slowly began unbuttoning his shirt.

  “I’m quite capable of undressing myself, Mother,” he stated, pulling the shirt from his waistband and undoing the buttons, before taking it off.

  He grabbed the shirt from his mother, and shrugged it over his shoulders, again, slowly buttoning it up. He stood back in front of the mirror, tucking the shirt into his pants.

  “Now, this I love. It really makes your cheeks stand out,” Judith told him.

  Hunter forced a smile. He really wasn’t in the mood to spend his night at a club, and he was sure his mother was only trying to be nice. He stared at his reflection, as he and his mother took what felt like an eternity to analyze his appearance. He’d never been one to judge himself, and was quite comfortable with his body. From years of living with Bree, and having her see him on a daily basis, he really made an effort to keep himself solid. Strong, broad shoulders, muscular torso, a chiseled jaw, and a rippling six-pack that he kept maintained thanks to Bree’s encouragement. It was an image that even his mother was now accustomed to.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  “I’ll get it, shall I?” Judith asked joyfully as she strolled out of the room and over to the front door. As she reached for the knob, about to pull the door open, Hunter spoke. “Please don’t embarrass me… again,” he said, emerging from his bedroom.

  Judith turned and looked at her son. “Would I do something like that?” she teased innocently, but she had no intentions of embarrassing her son. She turned the knob and pulled the door open to find Andy standing on the other side.

  “Good evening,” Judith greeted Andy with a smile.

  Good evening? What is she thinking?

  “Good evening, Judith.” Andy’s reply was low, but firm.

  Judith stepped aside, making room for Andy to enter the living room. She closed the door and made her way toward them. Hunter raised his eyebrows to his mother, warning her not to say anything. Her returning stare was equally as stern as Hunter’s; she’d got the message, loud and clear.

  “Hey.” Andy smiled with eyes focusing on Hunter’s still form.

  “Hi,” Hunter replied casually.

  There was an awkward silence for a few seconds as Judith glared at them before clearing her throat.

  “Well, I think I might leave you two alone and head to bed. Have a good time, Hunter.” She leaned forward and pressed a kiss against Hunter’s cheek.

  “Night, Mom. I can’t promise anything.” Hunter tried to sound casual.

  “Take care of my son, Andy,” she said.

  “I will. Goodnight, Judith,” Andy’s reply was just as casual as Hunter’s.

  They were finally alone. As the two of them stood there in the living room, Andy quickly assessed Hunter from head to toe. The black hair, broad shoulders, the trim waistline and … hello, thighs. Hunter was pure perfection. Actually, he was fucking hot.

  With the way his body reacted to Andy’s cross-examination, Hunter had to place his hands in his pockets to cover the sensation he suddenly felt in his cock. Clearing his throat, Hunter broke the awkwardness by reminding Andy of their plans for the evening, even though his own eyes couldn’t seem to shift away from Andy’s body.

  “Guess we should head off,” Hunter suggested.

  “Yeah, I suppose we should,” Andy agreed.

  After grabbing his leather jacket from the coat rack by the door, Hunter reached for the knob and pulled the door open.

  “After you.” He gestured to Andy, who preceded him through the door.

  Shrugging into his jacket, Hunter sighed, trying not to let his nerves and fears overcome him. Maybe a night out with Andy wouldn’t be so bad, it had been a while since they’d spent any time together. And thanks to his mother, he knew he’d have to come up with a pretty convincing excuse if he tried to back out now. With that thought in his mind, Hunter walked through the door, gently closing it behind him.

  STROBE LIGHTING AND loud dance music bounced off the walls of Delta’s, Andy’s regular Saturday night hang-out in Lower Manhattan. Pushing through the heavy crowd, Andy and Hunter made themselves known to the guard at the entry. As they walked inside, Hunter’s eyes glanced in every direction. Everywhere he looked, there were people talking and dancing. To his right, two women were clearly making out on a leather couch. New York had been accustomed to the LGBT community for many years, but more so now that same-sex marriages had become legalized. Many same-sex couples often held hands as they strolled along the streets, and it wasn’t something that had ever bothered Hunter in the slightest. There were also several straight couples making out in the bar, and yep, they were doing a lot of that, too. To his left, he noticed Andy was now talking with who Hunter assumed were some friends, judging by how comfortably they seemed to be getting along.

  He scanned the room, the bar, until his eyes were drawn toward the front of the club. He looked at Andy, who was still talking with the group they’d met on the way in. Hunter raised his hand and pointed a finger toward the bar. Andy acknowledged him with a grin and a nod, and Hunter made his way through the crowd toward the bar. He sat down on one of the vacant barstools and waited.

  “What can I get you?”

  Hunter raised his head to acknowledge the woman who had just greeted him. She was a gorgeous blonde, with brown eyes and a perky smile, and judging by her height, she was just a little taller than he was. He couldn’t deny that she was very attractive, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t bring himself to look away.

  “Sir?”

  Clearing his throat, Hunter said, “Bourbon and Coke, please.”

  “Coming right up.” The woman’s prize-winning smile warmed Hunter’s heart as she turned and made her way back to the other end of the bar. As Hunter sat and watched the woman, he felt slightly more at ease from the tension he’d been feeling when he and Andy had walked through the club’s doors.

  “One of whatever he’s having,” Andy called to the bartender, then sat on the barstool next to him and winked. “Enjoying yourself?” Andy asked.

  “We just got here,” Hunter stated firmly.

  “I know that, but I see it didn’t take you very long to get … familiar with the staff.”

  Hunter knew that Andy was referring to the bartender, and while he wanted to reassure Andy that the last thing he was doing was checking out the employees, he didn’t want to let on that he wasn’t here to pick up a one-night stand.

  “Is that what I’m doing?” Hunter asked sarcastically as the woman made her way back toward them.

  “Here you are.” She gave them both a wide smile before leaning over the counter.

  “Can I get you anything else?” she asked.
>
  Maybe you on a platter … wait, what?

  “No, thank you.” Andy smiled at her. She threw them both an infectious grin as she turned and went back to serving the other customers.

  Andy stared at Hunter, who was still looking at the woman. “Space Cadet!” Andy’s fingers snapped.

  “I’m sorry, what?” Hunter replied, bringing the glass to his lips and taking a sip.

  “You were totally checking her out.”

  “I totally was not,” Hunter replied defensively.

  “It’s okay to look, you know, Hunter,” Andy’s voice was now low and more serious.

  “There’s nothing to look at,” Hunter replied, although, he wasn’t entirely sure who he was trying to convince, himself or Andy. Although it was Andy who had dragged his sorry ass to this bar tonight, Hunter intended to at least try to enjoy himself. Not just for Andy’s sake, but also his mother’s, knowing very well she’d quiz him with her Jeopardy skills on how every aspect of the evening panned out. He and Bree had never been into clubbing, and before Hunter bound himself to her, the closest he’d gotten to a bar was in his dorm room, drinking beer with his college buddies.

  “Ahh, someone’s playing it cool, or playing hard to get.” Andy took another sip of the drink before placing the glass back down onto the counter. “And she is hot.”

  Hunter took another drink, this time he drained the contents of the glass with a single gulp.

  “She’s … okay,” Hunter replied simply.

  She was more than simply ‘okay,’ but Hunter couldn’t… wouldn’t admit to himself, much less Andy that he was indeed checking the woman out.

  Jesus Christ, is that what I’m doing?

  Hunter’s eyes moved from the empty glass he was holding to the tall brunette who’d just taken residence in the seat next to him. She placed her purse on the counter, and it was then that her gaze met Hunter’s.

  “Hi there,” she whispered with a flirtatious smile as she removed her jacket and tilted her head back. Hunter’s eyes traveled to her breasts, and if it hadn’t been for the tight, black leather corset she was wearing, he had no doubt her tits would have fallen onto the counter.

  “H-hi,” Hunter managed to get out, raising his glass and gesturing for the bartender to get him another drink. This was going to be a long night, and while he had absolutely no desire for hook-ups or one-night stands, he figured it was as good an opportunity as any to have a few drinks, which would no doubt lead to him being passed out on his couch.

  “I’ve never seen you in here before. You new around here?”

  Still holding the glass, Hunter raised his head to the woman who had addressed him, the bartender.

  “No, I only live a few blocks from here, actually,” Hunter explained.

  “Ahh, you’re a first-timer then.”

  “I guess you could say that,” Hunter replied.

  “What happened to your friend?” the bartender asked.

  Hunter turned to his left and noticed the barstool where Andy once sat, was now occupied by some guy in a suit. His gaze searched the crowd behind him and found Andy dancing with a bunch of girls. He swiveled back around so he was once again facing the bartender.

  “Got a better offer, I guess,” she sighed, obviously noticing Hunter’s frustration.

  A new drink was pushed in front of him. “This one’s on me.” She flashed Hunter a contagious smile before walking away to serve some other customers.

  Obviously, she’s just doing her job and being friendly to everyone.

  Hunter was positive that’s what she was doing, as he touched the rim of the glass to his lips for another sip. It was only his second—or was it my third?—drink. Somewhere between the gorgeous bartender, who hadn’t taken her gaze off Hunter since he’d sat down, and the brunette next to him, he’d lost count. Hunter’s eyes narrowed on the bartender once more as she served more customers. She must have noticed him staring at her because she turned her head, and when her eyes met his, she threw him a sexy smile and winked.

  Andy was still mingling, and as he sat there at the bar looking at the bartender, he had to wonder if this was what Andy had been talking about. That it was okay to go out and try something new, to not be afraid of … of what? Being happy again?

  Ah, what the heck. “Can I have another?” Hunter called across the bar, getting the attention of the bartender who made her way over to him.

  “Don’t you think you ought to slow down a little? You want to be sober for the entertainment.”

  “And what exactly do you do around here for entertainment?” Hunter asked.

  “We generally make fun of our guests, or we allow them to make fun of themselves,” she gestured to her left where Hunter noticed a television, microphone, and CD player on a stage.

  “Karaoke!” Hunter smiled as the bartender slid another drink toward him.

  “You sing?” the woman asked.

  “Not really, except in the shower, or if I have a little too much to drink,” Hunter replied honestly.

  “Well, I think you’re safe tonight. We have a special guest this evening.”

  As Hunter brought the glass to his lips for another sip, his bartender leaned back and grabbed something from the counter behind her. She turned to face him once more and placed a piece of paper in front of him.

  For one night only,

  Delta’s presents, Cher.

  Performing all her greatest hits.

  “Cher? Are you actually kidding me right now?” Hunter gasped, almost spitting out his drink.

  “Nope. I’ve been trying to get her here for years. When same-sex marriage became legalized, I contacted her agent, knowing that she was a huge part of the LGBT community. Her agent told me that if there were no scheduling conflicts, and if the price was right, they’d strongly consider the prospect. I didn’t hear anything for a while, and I assumed that they weren’t interested. Then all of a sudden, out of the blue, I received an email a month ago advising me that Cher had accepted. She’s a huge icon for our community, so we decided to have her perform here.”

  Well, that explains the crowd.

  “So, she’s performing? Right here? Tonight?” Hunter asked.

  “Yep!” She looked at her watch. “In less than an hour, actually, which reminds me—” She disappeared behind one of the doors near the bar, leaving Hunter with his drink. He spun around on the barstool, now looking out on the crowd. He squinted, searching through the crowd for Andy. When he finally noticed his friend, Hunter threw a smile and Andy raised a glass before going back to… whatever it was Andy was doing.

  “Sorry about that, I had to go and check on our guest.”

  His bartender had returned, and as she leaned over the counter, Hunter could smell her perfume and a hint of tobacco.

  “Guest?” Hunter inquired, the intoxicating odor clogging his brain, and his ability to comprehend what this woman was saying.

  Or maybe it’s the alcohol.

  “Yeah, Cher. She’s out the back, waiting to go onstage.”

  “She’s here? Like, right now?” Hunter questioned.

  The woman looked at him with wide eyes and smiled. “Okay, I think we’ve had enough drinks for now.”

  She walked away and returned a few seconds later with a tall glass, filled with what Hunter assumed to be Coke.

  “Here,” she said, pushing the glass toward him. “It’s on the house. How about you slow down on the drinks a little, and later, when all this is over, we can … get better acquainted?”

  Pressing her body against the counter and leaning in toward Hunter, she smiled.

  “Are you making a pass at me, Miss ...?” It suddenly occurred to Hunter that he hadn’t yet learned this woman’s name.

  “Stephanie.” She smiled, holding out her hand to Hunter.

  “Hunter,” he replied, reaching out and grabbing her hand for a shake.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Hunter.”
<
br />   “What’s a gorgeous woman like you doing in a place like this?” Hunter leaned across the counter so their noses were only inches apart.

  “Making a living, and I usually make it a point not to fraternize with any of my customers. It’s bad for my club and my reputation, and this isn’t the Coyote Ugly.”

  She gave him a friendly smile and pulled back from Hunter before she went back to cleaning the bar. Hunter could feel the alcohol traveling to his head, and he was almost certain, if he didn’t have a non-alcoholic drink now, he was going to be sick.

  “Hold on a second, your club?” Hunter asked inquisitively.

  “You don’t miss a thing, do you?”

  Clearly, Hunter had missed quite a lot, judging by her comment. How much had he had to drink?

  “Yes, my club. I’m the manager and owner.”

  This caught Hunter’s attention. He sat up straight and really examined the woman. His previous assessment had been accurate, she was gorgeous and slightly taller than Hunter, but judging by the lack of wrinkles on her face she couldn’t be any older than twenty, maybe twenty-five?

  “Thirty-six, actually, but who’s counting?” Stephanie replied.

  “What?”

  Had he said that last part out loud?

  “I’ve worked here long enough to know when someone’s giving me a thorough cross-examination,” she told Hunter.

  “Am I really that obvious?”

  “No more than any other man who’s tried to get me into bed.”

  Hunter stopped fiddling with the glass and made eye contact with Stephanie. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he asked in an aggressive tone.

  “Nothing. I’m sorry. I just assumed … never mind,” Stephanie said. It was obvious that she had jumped to the wrong conclusion about Hunter and thought he was coming on to her. In actual fact, it was Hunter who thought the woman was making a pass at him. Instead of responding, Hunter sat there in silence. He hadn’t planned on any of this. He hadn’t planned on coming out tonight or getting drunk or pissing off the staff members, and he certainly hadn’t come out tonight with the intentions of getting his cock wet, despite Andy’s plans of guaranteeing him a good time.