25. My Dae
My Dae
Theo licked the taste of lime from his lips and watched Becks shamelessly flirt with a woman whose hair was so shiny, he could practically see his reflection in it.
He didn’t know who she was, since they’d only booked the bar for Jordan’s album launch until ten.
The place was fancy: leather chairs, candles on the tables, and everything accented in browns and gold.
It was a bit too ‘gentleman’s club’ to celebrate Jordan’s first full-length album, but the head of the agency had requested it, so what could they do?
Jordan had been passed around from group to group, schmoozing, smiling, and selling herself. She hated every second, Theo knew, but he was powerless against it. All he could do was lend silent support and butt in if anyone got inappropriate, which happened increasingly as the booze flowed.
Finally Jordan excused herself to the bathroom, and Theo had a minute to down his fifth vodka soda.
He shouldn’t have, but Hanna Gardiner had escaped hours ago with the head of the agency, and Theo was left to entertain the producers, reviewers, bloggers, and anyone else deemed important enough to get their asses kissed.
And now Jordan’s supposed love of her goddamn life was grabbing the arm of the magical mermaid-hair woman, laughing as if whatever she was saying was the epitome of true comedy.
The mermaid leaned in to whisper something in Beck’s ear and Theo huffed into his drink.
Thankfully the buzz of his phone distracted him.
Dae
It’s a bust. She talks with her mouth full. There are currently flecks of spinach on my shirt.
prety?
Spinach, Theo. On my shirt. It doesn’t matter how pretty she is.
alwayys matter
Your texts are more atrocious than usual. How drunk are you?
beckss flirting with a mermad
Oh dear.
a producer touched my bum
I’ll come get you.
donnt stop date
This date was over the moment she took a bite.
I’m on my way.
Don’t go near that producer.
Theo watched the thinning crowd, making sure there weren’t any more asses he needed to kiss before he got too drunk to pucker up.
Luckily everyone important was gone, and he had a sixth drink to irresponsibly order.
Jordan slid into the stool beside him, gorgeous in a long-sleeved green dress, her auburn hair rippling down her back, her fake smile screaming that she was done with everything and everyone.
“Have you seen…” She spotted Becks.
“You deserve better.”
She let out a short breath through her nose, which was her version of a Theo-sigh, then took his drink and downed it in one go. “She’s flirty. That’s how she is.”
“It’s your night.” He usually kept his mouth shut when it came to Becks, but tonight, he found it hard to stop the words from jumping out.
“Yes.” She squared her shoulders. “It’s my night, and I say my best friend doesn’t get to disparage my girlfriend.”
“I don’t disparage, I point out facts.”
“Was that Dae?” She nodded to his phone, and he nodded back, fine to let the obvious topic deflection work. “How’s his date going?”
“She spits when she eats.”
“Yikes.” She caught the attention of the cute bartender and ordered two shots of whisky, then nudged Theo’s arm. “You’re still up for next week, right? The roommate-aversary?”
“Yes, Jordan.” She’d confirmed with him no less than five times since coming up with the brilliant idea to throw a party at an apartment she was no longer on the lease for.
It was obvious she’d needed a project to throw herself into as a distraction from the album release, so when she insisted Dae and Theo needed to celebrate one year of (re)cohabitation, they’d agreed.
The cute bartender slid the shots across the bar and Jordan raised one in salute, shot it, then wiggled off the stool. “This is my agent, Theo,” she said to the bartender with a wink, “and he’s single.”
Theo watched her walk away, the heels he knew she hated clomping against the hardwood.
His glass still sat on the bar, lonely, so Cute Bartender poured himself a shot.
“I try not to let people drink alone.” They cheersed, and the whisky forged a molten path to his stomach.
“I’m straight, but you’re welcome to flirt if you’re bored. ”
Now that was the marker of an exceptional bartender. “Actor?”
Theo didn’t represent actors, but he could give him a referral. He had a face that could sell cold medicine or health insurance.
“Even worse.” He pouted like his choice had been unavoidable. “Dancer.”
“Ah.” Theo had zero control over hiring dancers for tours. “Don’t s’pose you can hold a tune?”
Cute Bartender shook his head, full of exaggerated regret. “If only.”
Theo nodded, commiserating. “If only.”
He ran his fingers over the cold condensation on the drink he didn’t remember ordering, rubbing the water on his fingertips, watching it run down his knuckle. It was strangely comforting; this reminder that his skin could still be delighted by something as simple as the tickle of a water drop.
“Theo.” Dae’s voice. Dae’s hand on his shoulder. Dae’s body beside him. He’d grown out his hair, and now it framed his face.
“Can I touch your hair?”
Dae shot a look at the bartender, then back to Theo. “Um, sure.”
He did. It was so soft. “Dae, meet Cute Bartender. Cute Bartender, meet my Dae.”
“Your Dae?” Cute Bartender’s smile was teasing. “I thought your friend said you were single.”
“Oops.” In Theo’s haste to introduce them both properly, he left out a crucial word. “My friend Dae.”
“Hello Friend Dae, would you like a drink?”
Dae shook his head, and Theo pulled him close so he could whisper in his ear. “He’s a dancer.”
Judging by the way Dae winced, Theo’s voice hadn’t come out as quietly as he’d anticipated. “And have you already gotten his number so we can get you home?”
There he went again, leaving out crucial information. “He’s a straight cute bartending dancer.”
Cute Bartender laughed. “The two are usually separate, but I do take requests if the tips are good.”
Dae took some money out of his wallet and put it in Cute Bartender’s tip jar. “Can you please call us a cab?”
The room was acting temperamental, throwing itself around and rocking back and forth.
Dae’s arms were around Theo’s torso, lifting him from the barstool, then he held onto him as they walked into the cool night.
If he wanted a little walk-n-snuggle, who was Theo to deny him?
Dae smelled the way a milkshake tasted, that feeling of the first sip, the cool, sweet ice cream washing away whatever taste was in your mouth before. It was all-encompassing, Dae’s smell.
“I smell like a milkshake?”
What the—he didn’t say that out loud, did he? “No. You don’t smell like a milkshake. You smell the way a milkshake tastes.”
A chuckle. “My mistake.”
Theo loved nighttime. The first week of September was always undecided on what season it wanted to be, so the heat of summer still clung to the days, but the nights were cool as a kumquat.
“Jordan.” It was her night. Theo hoped she was having an amazing time, even if her girlfriend was being a wanker.
“She already left.”
That wasn’t right. He’d just seen her. “Did you meet Cute Bartender? He’s a dancer. Said I could flirt even though he’s straight. Isn’t that nice?”
Dae grunted as he pulled Theo closer to him. He really was a snuggle-bug this evening! They walked endless miles and arrived at the sidewalk outside of the bar.
“He should focus less on banter and more on Smart Serve.”
Theo watched Dae’s jaw moving with his words. It was rare he got to appreciate the view from this close, and for some reason, he couldn’t stop his dumb brain from wondering what else Dae could do with that jaw. And those lips. “What’s a swart swerve?”
Damn, words were hard.
“He over-served you, Theo. You shouldn’t be this drunk.”
“I’m drunk?” No, he wasn’t. He’d only had a few drinks to calm his nerves about pleasing the uppity-ups. Then one or two because he was annoyed about Becks. He was a solid guy; he could handle his liquor. He said as much, but Dae didn’t respond. Wait. Did he say as much? His mouth wasn’t moving.
Shit, he was drunk.
All because of Becks! She was supposed to support Jordan, lift her up, be a doting goddamn girlfriend.
But instead she flirted with mermaids. That wasn’t how people behaved when they loved each other.
Jordan deserved so much better. She was an iridescent ray of pure joy, and Becks did nothing but dim her light.
“Jordan good. Becksssstupid.”
“I know.” Dae rubbed his back as Theo leaned into the evening breeze, letting it cool down his tingling cheeks.
“Don’t bummer out light!”
Was Dae laughing? “Why are you yelling at me? You know I’m not Becks, right?”
“I’m not yelling at you. Dae, I would never yell at you.” There was nothing more important to Theo in the known and unknown universe than getting Dae to understand what he was saying. “Never. Perfect Dae.”
Dae was smiling like Theo was being amusing, but he wasn’t trying to be. “Come on. Get in.”
Theo dove through the open door of the car onto squishy seats.
It was so comfy, he could’ve drifted off to sleep no problem, and it was possible he did, because a second later, Dae was gently shaking him and saying his name, his arm wrapped around his middle to help him out of the car.
For once, Theo was being held by Dae on purpose, rather than accidentally touching as they’d done repeatedly over the past year: the brush of a hand while handing something over, the nudge of his knee during a haircut, or their feet absentmindedly inching closer and closer on Céline as they watched a movie.
He wanted the touch to last forever, but soon they found themselves standing on the precipice of an insurmountable obstacle.
“Can’t stairs.”
Dae sighed his Theo-sigh and bent over. Did he want them to crawl up the stairs on their hands? That wasn’t a bad idea, actually. Theo followed his lead, but Dae grabbed his arm and put it over his shoulder. “Get on.”