Chapter 5

I walked up the staircase into Watermark at about a quarter to eight. I wanted to get there early to ensure I snagged a seat for Miguel and me. The bouncer greeted me at the top of the stairs with a quick nod. I walked through the wide doorway into the warmly lit room.

I liked Watermark, even though it was pricey. It was on the second floor of the First Avenue Pavilion in Asbury Park and more relaxing than other bars in the area. The inside of the bar was set up like a lounge with comfortable sofas around low tables. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out over the boardwalk and the Atlantic Ocean. During the day, you could watch people on the beach and boardwalk. At night, you had a great view of the moonlight shining on the ocean. The outside deck was open and always packed with people during the summer, but it was currently the middle of March, so the deck was closed and only the lounge was open.

I used to bartend for catered events at Watermark before I started working regularly at the Moonlight Inn, and I still knew a few of the staff. I caught the eye of the bartender as I walked in, and she gave me an up-nod. I found an open sofa at the far end of the lounge and sat facing the entrance so I could see Miguel when he came in.

He had texted that he was on his way and would be here in about ten minutes. I was disappointed that he wouldn't let me pick him up at his place, which was weird. Maybe I was still feeling overprotective after our encounter with his asshole brother-in-law. I was restless and wasn't sure why. Anticipation buzzed under my skin, but for what? I had no idea.

A server came by to take my order, and I got a local IPA I liked. I'd just gotten my beer when Miguel walked into the lounge. I swear I almost dropped my drink. Miguel always looked put together in his dress shirt, vest, and tie combination at work, but Miguel after work was an entirely different animal. He wore black skinny jeans and a charcoal-gray V-neck sweater under a thigh-length black wool coat. He'd fixed his eye makeup and added eyeshadow and lip gloss. It looked like he'd put some product in the loose curls of his dark-brown hair. My breath caught in my throat and my mind whirled. Since when did I pay attention to what another man looked like?

When Miguel spotted me, a smile lit up his face, making his dark eyes gleam. Heads turned as he made his way over to me. I couldn't blame them. He looked great. I kind of felt like a slob in my old jeans, Henley, and work boots. I stood to greet him when he got to where I was sitting. "Hey, you made it. You look nice."

Miguel smiled as he took off his coat. "Thanks. I needed to look pretty tonight."

"Well, you definitely succeeded." I felt my cheeks heat.

Miguel gave me a strange look I couldn't interpret, then smirked and said, "Thank you, kind sir."

He sat on the sofa facing me and pointed at my glass. "What are you drinking?"

I held it up for him to see. "Kane Head High IPA."

Miguel wrinkled his nose. "Too bitter for me."

The server came over and Miguel looked at him in surprise. "Herbie? What are you doing here?"

Herbie's eyes brightened and he smiled broadly. "Miguel! It's good to see you." He lowered his voice. "I left that other place about a week after you did. Glen just got worse and worse after you walked out. A lot of the staff left. They couldn't take it anymore."

"Wow," Miguel said.

Herbie frowned. "Yeah, it was bad. I tried to find work at another small hotel, but Glen trashed me when they called to confirm my employment."

Miguel's lip curled up in contempt. "That bastard." He got a thoughtful expression. "There might be a position opening soon at Moonlight Inn. Let me talk to my boss." He stood to get his phone out of his pocket. He unlocked it and handed it to Herbie. "Put in your number, and I'll reach out to you on Tuesday. I'm off tomorrow and Monday."

Herbie entered his number and handed the phone back to Miguel. "Thank you so much."

Miguel smiled and sat back down. "No problem."

"What can I get you?" Herbie asked.

"How about a mule with Tito's," Miguel said.

"You got it."

After Herbie left, I said, "I didn't know there were server jobs opening at Moonlight."

"It's something new. I've been working on it with Mr. O'Neil for about a month. After the brunch idea was such a big success, he asked me what other ideas I had to bring more business to the hotel. We're working with the new event coordinator to host events that will interest people enough to visit the hotel."

I blinked in surprise. "Wait. The brunch thing was your idea? How did I not know that?"

Miguel shrugged. "I only talked to Mr. O'Neil and Caitlin about it."

"Well, it's certainly upped my tips, so thank you."

"Happy to help," he said with a smile.

I leaned back on the sofa. "Tell me more about what you're planning for the events."

Miguel's smile was infectious. "We're definitely going to do a drag night, probably in May or June. My best friend, Albert, is Darlene the Jersey Shore Queen, and he is fantastic. You should hear him sing. I think it will be a sold-out event."

"Wait, I met Albert a couple of months ago, right?"

Miguel nodded. "He came to the Christmas Eve party at Moonlight."

I was trying to imagine the tall Black man I'd met dressed in drag. I shook my head. "I'll admit, I can't picture it."

"Well, then you'll just have to come to his show at Paradise to see for yourself." When his eyes met mine, there was a challenge in them. I wondered if he thought I wouldn't do it.

I shrugged. "Okay. You tell me when you're going next, and I'll come with you."

His mouth dropped open. "Really?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Have you ever been to a gay nightclub?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Not to a nightclub. But I've been to Georgie's a couple of times with my sister and her friends."

"You've been to a gay bar?"

"Sure," I replied.

"What did you think," he asked.

"It was okay. I got hit on a lot."

Miguel laughed. "I'll just bet you did. You probably looked like a tasty meal to those hungry boys."

I felt myself blush and ducked my head to hide it. "I guess. I'm nothing special, really."

Miguel made a choked sound. When I looked up, he was staring at me wide-eyed. "Zach, I don't know who told you that, but they need their head examined. You are the complete package. You're good-looking—that black hair contrasting those blue eyes is striking, let me tell you. You're kind, like genuinely kind. And let's not forget strong and protective. It's a lethal combination."

I honestly didn't know what to say to that. "Thanks," I said quietly.

"You're welcome," he replied.

I wasn't very good at talking about myself, so I asked him, "Did you go to school for hospitality management? You seem to know a lot about running a hotel."

Miguel raised an eyebrow at my abrupt subject change, but he didn't call me on it. "I got my bachelor's at Rutgers. I'd like to get my master's someday, but it's really expensive, and I don't want to be in debt for the rest of my life."

"You don't have any debt from Rutgers?"

He shook his head. "I did really well in high school and got into the NJ STARS program. It paid for most of my college as long as I went to school in New Jersey. I paid off the rest a few years ago."

"Wow. So, on top of everything else, you're really smart."

Miguel gave me a shy smile, something I rarely saw on him. "Thanks. My family seems to forget that."

I wanted to rage about his family, but I figured he'd had enough of that for one day, so I asked him to elaborate on the events he was considering bringing to Moonlight Inn. He got so animated when he was talking about his ideas. It was fun to watch. I had one more beer and then switched to water since I was driving. Miguel had a couple more drinks and then asked for a Coke. When he started to look like he was fading, I waved the server over to get the check.

"I should pay for mine," Miguel objected when I gave Herbie my card. "I drank more than you did."

I shook my head. "I invited you out. You can get it next time."

"Okay," he replied. "I'll pay for you when we go to the drag show next Friday."

I smiled. "Works for me."

I'd managed to get a parking spot in front of Watermark, so it didn't take us long to get to my car. He gave me his address, and I plugged it into my GPS despite him telling me he could give me directions. It was a good thing I did because he was asleep by the time I got halfway through Asbury Park. When we got to his place, I shook his shoulder gently. "Hey, we're here."

Miguel lifted his head and blinked a few times. "I can't believe I fell asleep. Sorry about that."

"No problem. You had a rough day." I looked up at the house he lived in, an old Victorian that had been converted into a multi-family unit. "Nice place. I've always liked these old Victorians."

"You want to come up and look around?" he asked. "It's a great apartment. My roommate and I have been living here for almost three years. The landlord is really nice."

"Sure, if you're not too tired," I said.

When Miguel got out of the car, he wobbled a little, so I put my arm around his shoulders to steady him. He led me up the front stairs to a large porch and then through a pair of heavy, wooden double doors that opened into a foyer and a wide staircase. There was an apartment on either side of the first floor. He indicated that we should go up the stairs to the second level.

Miguel's apartment was spacious and airy. Large front windows in the living room looked out over the quiet street. The floors were hardwood, with a few area rugs scattered around. His furniture looked stylish but comfortable. The kitchen was small but well-equipped. A four-person dinette sat in a small nook next to the kitchen. A short hallway led to what I assumed were the bedrooms and bathroom.

"Nice place," I said.

"Thanks," Miguel replied. "I really like it. I'm hoping I'll be able to keep it."

"What do you mean," I asked.

"Dwayne, my roommate, is leaving at the end of the lease. He and his boyfriend are moving in together."

"Oh wow, that sucks. Are you looking for a new roommate?"

He shrugged. "Not yet. I have three months. But I suppose I should start. I don't want to be caught without a place to live."

"I hear you on that," I said. "I live in a garage apartment behind the owner's house. He's a great guy, but he's getting older. It's been harder for him to do things around his house. I help him when I can, but I work a lot, so I'm not around much. I'm worried if something happens to him, I'll lose my place."

"That's it," Miguel declared. "We both have to win the lottery and become independently wealthy."

I laughed. "Yeah, that'll work." We stood in awkward silence for a moment. Then I said, "I should get going. I'll see you Friday, I guess."

Miguel nodded. "Yes. I'll text you the details for the drag show."

"Okay. I'll see you." It felt weird. I didn't want to leave. But he was clearly wiped out from the day and a little too much alcohol. I gave him an awkward wave and headed back to my car.

After I started my car, I sat in front of Miguel's place, looking up at his window. Even after the light went out, I stayed there. What was going on with me? It almost felt like I'd gone on a date but hadn't gotten a kiss goodnight. I shook my head to clear it and put the car in gear. As I was driving home, I wondered why I kept thinking about how Miguel had looked tonight.