Chapter 15
It was a beautiful, sunny day. Seagulls were swooping over the ocean and Bailey and Matt were taking a stroll on the beach. They were on their way to pick up Joey from his swimming class and then take him to lunch.
They were early so they stopped by the Blue Pearl Hotel to say hi to Gwen. In the lobby, Matt saw a couple he knew and started talking to them, and Bailey went to the bar without him.
Gwen was busy so Bailey leaned on the corner of the bar. When she was free, she came over, asking, "You ordering something or just loitering?"
"Just loitering," he told her. "Matt came too. He's out there talking to some people."
"Sometimes I think he knows everyone, too bad it's mostly business," Gwen said with a sigh.
She almost made it sound like Matt didn't have enough friends.
That seemed impossible for such a friendly guy, but Matt didn't mention any close friends and he didn't hang out with any friends in particular.
Before Bailey could ask her about it, Matt came over.
He smiled at both of them then he got serious, even grim.
"What does he want?" Matt asked while shooting that unhappy look over Bailey's shoulder.
Bailey turned and saw a server talking to someone, then he recognized the guy that Matt said had been staring at him at the beach party. Right now, that guy was motioning toward them.
"I think he's sending you a drink," Gwen said to Bailey.
Bailey was ready to refuse it when Matt walked out kind of angrily. Turning to Gwen, Bailey was confused. "Sorry, I better go," he told her and rushed after Matt.
Matt was almost through the front doors of the hotel before he caught up to him. "Matt, what is it?" Bailey asked him as he finally stopped just inside the lobby.
"That's the kind of guy you would be into, isn't it? I mean a guy with money. Probably has a great job, can treat you to more than a drink, I bet," Matt was ranting and Bailey was dismayed.
"I'm not interested in that guy," he said but stopped himself from saying that he was interested in Matt and not in anyone else, more than interested.
"He doesn't do it for you?" Matt asked like he needed Bailey to convince him.
Bailey didn't know what he could say, but now Matt was grabbing his arm and pulling him behind a pillar. Pressing against him, Matt was kissing his neck reaching down to grope him.
Though he didn't want to, Bailey had to pull away. "Hey, easy. It's a public place."
"OK," Matt said but didn't let go or give up. "The men's room is right there."
That would be more private. Turned on, Bailey was so tempted to say yes. He didn't though and now Matt looked upset again. "Right. I shouldn't have asked," he said. "I have no class."
With that he rushed out of there. Bailey was about to go after him again, but first he checked to make sure he wouldn't be late to pick up Joey. He had time, but now that man from the bar was standing in front of him.
"Excuse me, I have to..." Bailey started to say but the guy interrupted.
"You don't. Whatever your... arrangement with him is, it isn't worth it. You don't need to do that."
"What?" Bailey said but he didn't want an explanation. He just wanted this guy to get out of his way so he could go talk to Matt.
"I mean you don't need to pay for it," he said and Bailey drew back from him.
Did this man think Matt was a prostitute and Bailey was paying him? "You don't know what you're talking about," he said.
"Oh, I think I do," the man insisted with a smirk. "From what I heard, he is worth the price, but you don't need that. Not a guy like you. You..."
"Shut up and get out of my way," Bailey snapped at him and he was ready to shove him if he didn't move.
The guy stepped out of the way and Bailey rushed past him. Outside, there was no sign of Matt. Bailey tried texting him but didn't get an answer. He kept trying, but he had to go get Joey.
The whole way, he couldn't get what that man said out of his head. Why the hell was he so sure Matt was a prostitute?
Bailey picked up Joey and tried not to let him see how preoccupied he was. He kept texting Matt but didn't get a reply. That made him worry so he texted Gwen. It turned out she could come to lunch with them, and Bailey was relieved. He really wanted to talk to her.
She was in the mood for a green salad with shrimp they served at a beach-side place. Joey had popcorn shrimp and then he went to play on the beach.
Watching him, Bailey sighed and Gwen asked, "Still haven't heard from Matt? I haven't either. He is on so much trouble for not replying to me."
Clearing his throat, Bailey told her, "That guy who tried to send me a drink told me something unsavory about Matt that he heard. I think someone is spreading rumors about Matt."
"What kinds of rumors?" she asked.
Bailey didn't want to tell her but he thought she should know. "That he has sex for money."
"Oh, God. Whoever is saying that about Matt, I am going to kill them," she said and she looked ready to murder someone right then. She then eyed Bailey. "You don't believe it, do you?"
"Of course not," Bailey told her. "But I kind of wish I hadn't told you. It sounds like you might do something that will cost you your job and possibly land you in jail."
She didn't deny it. "If I find who is responsible, you might be right." Gwen planned to start with the guy who told Bailey about it and she was in a rush to go back to the hotel and start questioning him.
As she left, Bailey went over to see what Joey was doing. He was writing the letter J in the sand, and Bailey wrote the rest of his name. Then the waves smoothed it out.
"It keeps doing that," Joey said.
"That's the ocean for you," Bailey said. Then he got a text from Matt.
"Sorry. I'm on my way back. I'll grill us something for dinner," he said.
Bailey couldn't believe how relieved he was, but now that he told Gwen what that guy said, he would have to tell Matt too and he really didn't want to.