Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Mitch

“Hey, Mitch, what can I get ya?” Henry drawled from behind the bar.

I’d pulled a couple shifts myself over the years, but I wasn’t technically on the M’s Place payroll.

But I had to admit, watching Henry sling drinks with ease made me miss the craziness of the weekends, not to mention the tips.

But I didn’t miss the drunk assholes throwing up all over the bathroom.

“Going to switch it up from my warm up beer to a rum and coke,” I said as I turned toward Penn.

“What about you, Cream Puff? What’s your poison?”

Watching Penn’s cheeks flush like a freshly steamed tomato every time I called him such only fueled my desire to keep doing it.

He looked pretty fucking cute all flustered, and maybe I was a glutton for punishment.

“I, um, I don’t really drink a lot, so I’m not sure?—”

“You are old enough to drink, right?” I asked, momentarily wondering if maybe I’d assumed too much, but Penn only blew some fluffy, golden-hued hair out of his eyes with a bratty little huff.

“Of course, I’m old enough. I’m twenty-three.”

I smiled as Henry chimed in.

“Can I make a recommendation?” Henry asked as he worked on pouring three beers and passing them out to their owners.

Penn blinked, licking his lips as he turned from me toward Henry.

“That, uh, that would be great.”

“If you’ve got a sweet tooth, the cotton candy martini or the Chateau Ste. Michelle is pretty good. We’ve also got Angry Orchard Cider, and if you’re really not into cocktails, wine, or beer, there’s always White Claw.”

I watched as Penn twisted his lips, trying to figure out what he’d go after. My guess was White Claw, so I was surprised when he went for the cider instead.

“Good choice,” I said as Henry set about fixing our drinks.

“I think I had it once, but I can’t remember what it tasted like,” he said with another blush.

“Let me guess, you were one of those guys who blacked out after one crazy hangover-style night and haven’t touched the stuff since?”

Penn smirked. “I’ve never really blacked out, even when I have been drunk.”

Henry passed us our drinks.

Penn took a sip, puckering his lips.

“When is the last time you were drunk? Or... out in general?” I asked as I stirred my drink first.

Penn shrugged. “I don’t know. Toward the end of school, I kinda lost interest. Well, and my friends too, I guess. But that’s to be expected when you break up with someone, I suppose. You become the pariah.”

He took a long drink and I noticed his shoulders loosened only a fraction. When he pulled the bottle away, some juice trickled down his lip, to his chin.

My cock twitched immediately at the sight and I let out a grunt of my own as I fought the desire to brush it away with my thumb. So instead, I took a sip of my drink, turning my body slightly away, if only to quiet my cock.

Don’t get any bright ideas yet, buddy.

“Fuck ‘em,” I said, shrugging.

Penn looked at me with surprise. “What?”

“If those people bailed on you because you weren’t fucking their friend anymore, they weren’t your friends to begin with. I don’t know you that well, but from what I do know, I know that you’re way better than those kind of superficial assholes.”

Penn’s eyebrows furrowed as his gaze softened. “Thanks, I think,” he said, his voice dropping an octave.

I raised my glass to him. “To new friends. And new experiences. ”

I watched as he raised his bottle, a smile forming on his perfect lips.

“I’ll cheers to that,” he said as our glasses clinked, my knuckles brushing against the edges of his fingertips.