Phoenix

- 4 -

            Justin navigated the freeway towards Brian’s hotel.  Exiting at the Baseline exit, he made his way to the front of the resort.  He pulled up to the lobby doors and stopped.  “Here you go.”

            Brian couldn’t believe he was being dismissed so quickly.  “Do you want to come in?”

            “Can’t Bri, I have plans this afternoon.”

            “Justin, I think we need to talk …”

            Silencing Brian with his hand, “Brian, I’m not going to go all lesbian on you or start stalking you again.  Last night was a fuck for old times’ sake.  I understand that.  So you really don’t have to say anything.  Goodbye, Bri.”

            Brian slowly got out of the car, but leaned in the open window, “Later, Sunshine.”

            Fuck!

 

***********************************************************

 

            Justin went to the afternoon baseball game with his friend Jones, another bartender at Amsterdam’s.  Even though, he wasn’t a jock, he had always liked the game of baseball.  He played little league as a kid, but was really bad.  After he moved to Phoenix, he had gotten into the game again.  Becoming a full fledged Diamondbacks fan, he went to as many games as he could with Jones.

            The two young men had quickly become friends after they met at Amsterdam’s.  Both were new in town and were drawn to each other.  There was no romantic or sexual attraction, just friendship.

            After the game, Justin and Jones went to eat at Alice Cooperstown.  Justin was nibbling on his coconut shrimp, not saying much.

            “So … you’re uncharacteristically quiet today.”

            Justin looked up at his friend, “Sorry, I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

            “What’s up?”

            “My ex wandered into town, showed up at Amsterdam’s.”

            Jones had heard all about Brian and Ethan.  “The ad-exec or the fiddler?”

            “The ad-exec.”

            Knowing Justin’s feelings for Brian all he could say was, “Wow!”

            “Yeah, apparently, he’s in town on business and found his way to the bar.  You could have knocked me over with a feather.”

            “So what happened?”

            “I gave him a drink and sent him on his way.  The last time I saw him he pretty much told me to fuck off.  You can imagine my surprise when he showed up waiting for me after I got off work last night.”

            “He was waiting for you?”

            “Yeah! He wanted me to take him out.”

            Jones looked at his friend incredulously, “You went out after a work night?”

            “Well, I figured I would be hospitable and lead him to some hunting ground.”

            “You took him to Boom.”

            “Yeah, but when I left him to hook up with some trick he came to find me.  Claimed he wanted to hang out with me.”

            “Really?  So what happened?”

            “We ended up back at my place and fucked.”

            “So how was it?”

            “Hot, just like it always was with Brian.  I really have no idea what’s going on.  He was acting really weird.  I mean he shoved me out of his life, not once but twice, and then he turns up wanting to hang out with me and shit.”

            “So … what are you going to do?”

            Justin looked at his friend, “Nothing.  I dropped him off at his hotel and that’s it.  I am not interested in re-opening old wounds.”

            “What if he is?”

            Justin hung his head. “I don’t know.”

 

***********************************************************

 

            Brian subjected himself to a heavy workout at the resort’s gym after Justin dropped him off.  It was becoming clear to him that Justin had been badly hurt by his rejection a year ago.  When Brian had rejected the younger man, he truly believed that Justin would continue his pursuit.  In the past, that was exactly what Justin would have done.  Obviously, things had changed.

            Brian didn’t remember how to get to Justin’s apartment, so he hoped his ex-twink would be working at the bar.  Deciding that he would seduce his former lover back, Brian needed to shop.  He headed for the mall near his hotel.  As much as he hated malls, Arizona Mills had some great designer outlets. 

            Brian had a successful afternoon.  He picked up some Armani and Versace clothes at a great discount.  Wanting to dress for seduction when he saw Justin that night, Brian chose his purchases with care.

            Arriving at the bar around nine, Brian was disappointed that Justin was not there.  He sat at the bar for about an hour.  Justin never showed, so he motioned the bartender over.  The twink working the bar brought him a double Beam.  It was what he had been drinking earlier.

            “Is Justin working tonight?”

            Jones had a feeling this was Justin’s ex-lover.  “Why do you want to know?”

            “I’m an old friend.”

            Jones looked the older man in the eye. “I know who you are.  Stop fucking with him.”

            Taken aback by the fact that Justin had spoken about him, Brian matched stares with the twink, “I’m not fucking with him.”

            “Bullshit, just leave him alone.”

            “Look, when is he working next?”

            Jones looked deeply at the man and made a decision, “He’s working tomorrow night at eight.  Don’t make me regret giving you that information.”

            Brian nodded and the two men had an understanding.

 

***********************************************************

 

            Justin slept in on Monday morning.  He was glad he didn’t have any classes this week.  He had just finished his summer semester at Al Collins and had a week until the fall semester started.  As he started to wake, he felt Shadow against his calf.  He moved carefully because he didn’t want to have the kitten attack him.

            He didn’t have to be at Amsterdam’s until six.  Monday nights were always busy. He decided to take Shadow over to Michelle’s for a few hours.  The kitten was getting restless in the apartment.  He packed up Shadow in his soft-sided leopard print carrier, a gift from Emmett.

            He pulled into Michelle’s driveway around noon.  He loved Michelle’s neighborhood.  She lived in the historic Willow district and had a great little house.  Justin used his key to let himself in and was greeted by an over enthusiastic Bijou.  Bijou was Michelle’s dog.  She was a Doberman/lab mix but was a softy inside.  Actually she was nuts.  The slightest strange noise sent her hiding in the bathroom.  A well placed hiss from Shadow sent the dog running for the bathroom.

            “Michelle?”

            “Justin, is that you?”  Michelle called from the office.  The third bedroom of her house had been transformed into an office/music room.  Walking into the room, Justin found his aunt working on the computer.

            “Hey!”

            “Oh, you brought my baby!” Michelle took the cat carrier from Justin and quickly freed the kitten from his prison.  Shadow loved Michelle and immediately began purring as she gathered him up in her arms.

            “Geez, Shel, I think he likes you more than me.”

            “Whatever.”  She opened the back door and let Shadow down to run outside.  The kitten began romping in Michelle’s large backyard.

            “So, what’s up nephew?”

            “Nothing.”

            “You can use that innocent look, but it won’t fly with me.”

            Justin should have known better than to try and fool Michelle.  “Brian’s in town.”

            “Brian?  As in Brian Kinney, your first love?”

            “That would be the one.”

            “Fuck!”

            “Exactly.”

 

***********************************************************

 

            Amsterdam’s was hopping.  By ten-o-clock the bar was packed.  Justin was working the bar and noticed when Brian walked in and perched himself at the end of the bar.  Fuck!  Justin poured a double Beam and served it to Brian.

            “What are you doing here?”

            “Having a drink, Sunshine. What do you think I’m doing here?”

            Rolling his eyes, Justin walked away.  Brian downed his drink in one swallow and gestured for Justin to come back.

            “What do you want, Brian?”

            “To talk to you.”

            “Can’t you see I’m working?”

            “I can wait.”

            Justin stormed away and whispered to Jones who was standing at the end of the bar.  He came out from behind the bar and walked over to Brian.  Justin gestured for the older man to follow him.  The two men walked outside and when they were standing in the parking lot, Justin whirled around and confronted Brian.

            “What the fuck are you doing?”

            “We need to talk.”

            “No, Brian we don’t!  You said everything you needed to say a year ago!”

            Brian was getting frustrated, “YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO LEAVE TOWN!”

            “What??”

            Brian repeated himself, softer this time, “You weren’t supposed to leave town.”

            Shoulders slumping, Justin sighed, “This isn’t the time or the place for this conversation.  I get off at one and I’m always hungry after my shift.  Come pick me up.  There’s a lot of all night restaurants, we can talk then.”

            Brian nodded, “I’ll see you at one.”

Return to Phoenix