Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
CHARLIE
TRUTH OR DARE
“ Y ou really are no fun,” I tell Theo as he helps me with drinks.
I don’t miss the way he gives my sweater a slow once-over. “And you went overboard on your sweater.”
“Please. You’re just jealous you don’t have a sweater as amazing as mine.”
In fact, he doesn’t have a sweater at all. He’s wearing a denim shirt tucked into a pair of ripped black pants. He looks good, even if he ignored the dress code for the evening.
“Maybe I should agree with you since you’re giving us free drinks,” Theo tells me.
“Please. You know you love hanging at the tavern. Ugly sweaters and all.”
It’s one of the many reasons I opened this place. I wanted a place where my friends and I could hang out without being judged. A safe space .
It’s become one of the more popular bars in Moose Falls. People of all orientations come to hang out.
But the thing I love most? I can be here with my friends and socialize while keeping an eye on things even on my night off.
What can I say? I love my job and The Tinsel Tavern.
“Is this a new drink?” Theo asks, grabbing one of the glasses from the tray I just set down. The pinkish-orange liquid glimmers in the disco ball lights as the music changes to a fast-paced Christmas tune.
“The Naughty but Nice. I made it with whiskey tonight instead of vodka.”
The Naughty but Nice is one of my favorite cocktails we serve. With orange juice, cranberry, and ginger, it cuts the whiskey to give it a sweeter taste. Add in a splash of club soda and it’s perfect.
“Cheers, everyone.”
We all clink our glasses together at the large, round table where we are gathered instead of our usual booth in the back of the bar.
Glancing around at all of my friends, I’m glad we’re all together. The smile on Brooks’s face right now makes it worth it.
He’s had a rough few weeks, so this makes me happy.
Theo and Griffin are arguing about something while Hunter and Oliver are whispering to each other.
Brooks is sitting next to me, watching all of this with a smile on his face. Him coming out with me and my friends was always a rare occasion. He always said Delia wanted him home.
I’m happy I get this time with him now.
“Why are you staring at me like that?” Brooks asks, interrupting my train of thought.
“It’s nice seeing you happy is all.”
“I have you to thank for that. ”
I blush at his words, sipping on my drink. “I don’t like it when you’re sad.”
Brooks shakes his head. “Hopefully all of that is behind me.”
“Alright, I think we should play truth or dare,” Griffin pipes up, drumming his hands on the table to grab everyone’s attention.
Theo laughs at his friend. “You’re so immature.”
“What?” Griffin throws his hands up. “It’s fun and I’m feeling frisky tonight.”
Theo looks at all of us. “I’m sorry. If I knew this was how he was going to be tonight, I would have left him at home.”
Griffin gives him a playful shove. “Hey! I resent that.”
Hunter snorts. “I’d be game.”
That has me nearly spurting out my drink. “You? Really?”
“Really? Truth or dare?” Brooks grumbles.
Hunter passes him another shot. “What, can’t handle it?”
Brooks snorts a laugh before knocking back the shot of tequila in one long gulp. I do my best to ignore the way his throat works as he swallows it down.
“I can. I haven’t played it since high school.”
Hunter leans back in his chair and drapes an arm around Oliver’s shoulder. Oliver, in his thick glasses, stares back at his best friend with a soft smile.
Huh. I wonder when that started.
“Good.” Hunter eggs him on. “I’d hate for you to chicken out on me.”
Brooks reaches across the table to grab another shot and sucks it down.
“No chickening out here.”
“Okay, enough, you two,” I interrupt them. “Oliver, truth or dare.”
“Me? Why are you starting with me?”
Hunter drops his chair back down to the floor and leans across the table. “I’m going first. ”
I roll my eyes at him. It’s just like Hunter to step in for his best friend. Games like this have always made Oliver nervous for as long as I’ve known him. “Of course you are. Truth or dare?”
“Truth.”
“When was your last one-night stand?”
“Charlie! You can’t ask that,” Oliver chides him.
Hunter pats Oliver’s hand that rests on the table. “It’s okay. I can answer.” Hunter gives me a pointed glare. “If you must know, it was this past fall.”
“What?” Oliver gapes at him. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
Hunter shrugs. “I mean, it was a one-night stand. Picked up a guy here and we had sex. Not much to talk about.”
“You’re so casual about sex,” Oliver tells him.
As one of the servers walks by, Hunter orders multiple shots for everyone. “Ollie. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. It can be about two people getting off and moving on.”
“But…” His mouth hangs open in shock. Ollie’s hazel eyes are wide. Even in the dim light of the bar, I can see how bright red his ears are turning from here. Poor guy. He’s just had his mind blown.
“You just need to get laid, Ollie.” Griffin reaches across the table and pushes his mouth closed.
“Leave him alone, Griff,” Hunter chides him.
“I don’t…I don’t need to get laid,” Ollie sputters.
“Take a shot.” Brooks pushes one toward him. “It’ll help you feel better.”
Ollie grabs one and proceeds to down it immediately, coughing around it. He’s never been one to drink while we’re out, always opting for water, but tonight, apparently, he needs it.
“Okay, Hunter, you’re up. Ask someone.”
I get the focus back to the game so Ollie doesn’t feel so awkward. Not that I know how he’s feeling, but I don’t want him to have all the attention on him. He’s never been comfortable with it.
“Brooks. Truth or dare.”
“Truth.”
There’s a gleam in Hunter’s eyes as he flits his gaze from me to Brooks. The way the corner of his mouth ticks up into a small smile tells me I am not going to like what he asks.
Which makes me nervous.
Hunter leans across the table, glass in hand as he takes a sip before setting his drink down and pointing at Brooks.
“Have you ever been interested in a man before?”
“Hunter!” I admonish him. “Really?”
“What?” He shrugs. “It’s an innocent enough question.”
“Down, Charlie,” Brooks tells me, resting a hand on my forearm that sits on the table. “I’m a big boy. I can answer.”
“Then give us your answer,” Hunter prods him.
“Yes.”
“You have to answer,” I tell Brooks, sipping on my own drink.
Brooks looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “That was my answer.”
I choke over my drink, coughing and trying not to spit it out over everyone sitting at the table. “I’m sorry, what?”
The music of the bar echoes in my ears. The flashing lights blur together and the alcohol in my stomach sours.
Brooks was interested in a man?
I’m going to be sick.
“I think this needs details,” Griffin tells us. “I’m kind of surprised by this. Because had I known you liked men, I might’ve tried something.”
“Wait, what?” This time, my head spins to Griffin. He was interested in Brooks? What is going on tonight? Have I entered an alternate universe?
“What?” Griffin shrugs. “Brooks is hot. I think we can all admit that. ”
The man in question blushes and ignores him. “It was my freshman year roommate.”
Andrew? Aaron? I don’t even remember his name.
“We got drunk one night and ended up making out,” Brooks starts. “I don’t know if it was a college thing, but we fooled around a few times. I didn’t really get to explore that side of me because right before I came home for Thanksgiving, I met Delia.”
I remember that holiday well. All Brooks could talk about was Delia.
Delia this. Delia that. Delia, Delia, Delia.
Fucking Delia.
I hated it. It was the first time he was ever serious about anyone. I remember putting on a happy face when he talked about it, but I cried when we both went back to school.
Reaching across the table, I grab my own shot. And then another.
Brooks fooled around with a guy in college?
“Anyone need more shots? I’ll go get us some more.”
I push away from the table, ignoring the nearly full tray sitting right in front of me.
I need air.
I ignore all the people waving at me as I stumble through the bar and out the back door. A heavy snow is falling from the sky. The cold air burns my lungs, but it’s exactly what I need right now.
Tears sting my eyes.
To say my world has been completely rocked tonight isn’t an understatement.
Brooks and Asher? Because of course now I remember his name.
Asher with his perfectly coifed hair and solid muscles. That polo he always wore with the popped collar and perfectly pressed jeans.
Of course that is the kind of guy Brooks would be into .
Not scrawny ol’ me with my skinny jeans and old band T-shirts. Well, now my mostly plaid shirts and Tinsel Tavern black tee.
“You okay?” Hunter asks, disrupting my spiraling thoughts.
“What the hell were you playing at in there? Hmm?” I spin on my heel, turning my anger toward Hunter. “What was the point of that? Were you trying to make me feel like shit?”
Hunter throws up his hands in defense. “I didn’t actually think it would?—”
“Would what?” I cut him off. “Prove once and for all that Brooks isn’t into men, or that he’s just not into me ?”
“Charlie.”
Could this night get any worse?
“Just leave me alone.”
Hunter at least has the gall to look chagrined. “I’m sorry, Charlie. I didn’t know this would happen.”
“That you’d break my heart because after all this time it turns out being in love with my best friend is never going to amount to anything because he just wasn’t into me ?”
“Uhh, guys?”
That voice.
Oh, fuck me.
Brooks.
I guess this night could get worse.