Free Rum & Ginger by Eon de Beaumont Page B

sideways glance from Ben. Chancey?
    “Anyway,” Brodie continued. “I’ve been keeping an eye out for you.”
    “Thanks,” Ben said, eager to get away from the tension and the fight he felt waiting for him in Chance’s expression. “I really have to get back to work, guys. Sorry.” Ben retreated from the two tables as fast as he could without running. He could feel the intensity of Chance’s gaze the entire time.
     
     
    B EN SLAMMED his office door, leaned against it, and heaved a great breath, trying to relax himself. “Fuck,” he whispered, drawing the f out. Of all the crazy situations he’d encountered since he started at this awful place, this had to be the craziest. Why would Chance come out tonight of all nights? What were the odds? Ben sat at his desk, feeling a strange apprehension in his gut. Ben had watched movies in which the characters experience something without knowing it’s going to have a profound effect on the rest of the movie. He felt like he’d just had one of those moments, but he was pretty sure his movie had taken a strange twist. A knock interrupted his thoughts.
    Ben remained silent. He didn’t really want to know who stood on the other side of that door. Lena? Chance? Brodie? Another knock. “Ben?” Chance’s voice. “Are you in there?”
    “Yeah,” Ben replied. “Come on in.” The door opened, and Chance slipped inside, latching the door behind him. “What’s up?”
    “Why don’t you tell me ?” Chance crossed his arms, throwing as vicious a glance as he could manage at Ben. It wasn’t very vicious at all.
    “I’m working?” Ben replied.
    “Eff that!” Chance whisper-shouted so no one could hear him in the restaurant. “You know what I mean. How does that hooligan know about a dream that I didn’t even know about?”
    “Hooligan? Seriously, Chance? What are you, eighty-five? People have tattoos and piercings.” Ben sat back in his chair and tried to look unconcerned. “Brodie is a friend. That’s it. We were talking at a party, and he’s a bartender. The bar thing just came up organically. It’s not a big deal.”
    “Organically, right,” Chance sniffed. “You’re hot for him, though.”
    Ben thought about it. Certainly he wouldn’t lie to Chance. “I won’t deny that I find him attractive. But so what? It’s not a crime.”
    “Not a crime? You asshole,” Chance growled, advancing on Ben’s desk.
    “Don’t give me that shit,” Ben said. “What about you? Are you going to tell me you aren’t hot for Chuckles?”
    “It’s Chuck,” Chance squeaked, straightening up and folding his arms. “And that’s exactly what I’m going to tell you. We have a business agreement, and that’s it.” Chance turned away as he said it.
    “Bullshit, Chancey .” Ben used Chuck’s pet name to drive home his point. “It’s fine. We’re human. Of course we’re going to find other people attractive. It’s not something to be ashamed of.”
    “I’m not having this conversation.” Chance turned and opened the door. “Just try to be a little more discreet in public, would you?”
    “Chance,” Ben said in a low voice. “There’s nothing going on between me and Brodie.”
    “I meant about being gay,” Chance spat as he stormed out.
    “Of course,” Ben said. He slammed his fist on his desk.
    “Of course what?” Lena asked, poking her head in.
    “Chance. He’s more worried about people finding out he’s gay than if I’m cheating on him.”
    “Are you?”
    “Seriously?”
    “Sorry. Of course you aren’t.” Lena rubbed her eyes. “What a cock-up this night is.”
    “Cock-up?” Ben asked.
    “I’ve been watching a lot of BBC lately,” Lena answered with a shrug. “So he accused you of cheating on him?”
    “Not exactly.” Ben waved off the question. “Did you hear that Chuck guy call him Chancey?”
    “Yeah. I caught that.” Lena sat down. “Maybe you should be asking him if he’s cheating.”
    Ben chuckled. “Cheating is a