Chapter 2 - The Thief in the Night
“There’s a new table at B-6,” Lynora growled to Dylan as she passed by on the way to the kitchen. The restaurant had been crazy busy ever since he’d come in a 5:30 that evening. It was only seven now but Lynora was being pissy. She had a date tonight and it wasn’t looking like she’d get out of there any time soon. Dylan hoped she’d leave soon; her mood wasn’t too pleasant tonight. But, he was glad it was busy because Lynora hadn’t had a chance to ask him about the previous night. He’d chalked it up to a Bad Date and tried let it go. He figured it was the cost of being single.
“We’re still on a wait,” he heard her say from the kitchen. Dylan rushed over to the new table and greeted them warmly. His foul mood from last night had dissipated along with his throbbing headache and sense of embarrassment. Dylan made it home about three in the morning. His stomach had rumbled with post-drunken distress and his head hurt but at least he was comfortable in his own bed. Dylan slept fitfully and woke up sad. So much for a real man of substance. He had met up with another coupled loser who was only looking for a piece of tail. His walk of shame had felt terrible but it wasn’t anything the waiter hadn’t endured before. He was just glad he’d seen the ring. He didn’t want to be in a twisted situation like that again. After a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast, Dylan shrugged off the night’s festivities and was ready to face his boring job. Well, at least he had one.
“Can I get you a drink from the bar or one of our delicious sweet tea drinks?” Dylan asked the couple at B-6. After taking their order, he went over to Kenny to get their beverages. Kenny was a dreamboat. The kind of guy Dylan would love to catch but is unfortunately as straight as they come. The bartender was taller than Dylan’s 5’7” by at least a half a foot. He had dark brown hair, brilliant blue eyes, and built like a model with an ass that didn’t quit. However, as attractive as he was, Kenny knew it. That is both his blessing and his curse. He could rock the ladies but sometimes that made him a bit arrogant around others. It was both endearing and infuriating.
“Dylan,” Kenny leaned over. “We don’t have any Jacobsen merlot. It’s on the 86 board. Can’t you read?” His eyes were flashing.
The waiter ignored his insult. “Check behind you dumbass,” Dylan quipped. When he got to the restaurant, Dylan found an errant case of the said merlot in the liquor room. He’d brought it up to the bar, stocked it, and erased it from the board. Kenny had been schmoozing a couple of young girls at a table. He hadn’t responded when Dylan told him about it.
“What the hell...?” Kenny looked at the wine bottles behind him. “I thought we were out.” He said with a subtle hint of pink on his beautiful cheeks. He grabbed a bottle, ratcheted it open and spun around to seize a wineglass. The waiter could tell Kenny was even more annoyed at his oversight than Lynora was in general. He didn’t like being wrong, especially with Dylan. Dylan never could figure out why. “Fine,” he said gruffly and placed two glasses on the wait station. “Here it is. Drink in good health.”
“I’m sure they will,” Dylan answered taking the two glasses and putting them on his tray with some napkins. “If you weren’t so busy trying to pickup some underage girls, you’d have time to stock your bar.”
“Nothing illegal about those girls,” Kenny smirked. “But, I wonder what you were up to last night at 3:00 in the morning sitting at a bus stop crying your eyes out. I would’ve given you a ride but you looked like last night’s hash warmed over.”
Dylan looked at his grinning, infuriating face and steeled himself. “Better get that chew outta your cheek Kenny or Lynora will kick your ass.”
“Better kicked than screwed like yours was last night,” he whispered. “Glass houses…”
Dylan took the wineglasses and retreated. He cursed himself for ever opening up to that asshole. A few weeks ago they’d had a few cocktails and he’d opened up to the bartender about his nocturnal transgressions. Now the bartender was throwing it in his face. Kenny was a devastatingly handsome guy so he’d let his guard down. Dylan was now paying the price for his openness.
