1. Cj

CJ

My best friend, Eddie, slid onto the bar seat next to me. “Couldnt find anyone better to ask for dinner, ha?” he asked, grinning.

“Shut up.” I leaned into him. “Its been too long since we caught up.”

Thankfully, the female bartender approached and slid a napkin in front of him. “Hey, honey. It’s been awhile since you’ve been in. What can I get for you?”

“Hi.” He gave her an adorkable little wave. His cheeks flushed as he plucked the bar menu out of the stand. “We’re eating, right, CJ?”

“I invited you out for dinner and drinks, so yeah. My treat.”

“Then can I have a draft beer and an order of wings, please?” He flashed her a shy smile. This was why I’d chosen Rafters for our meet-up. My friend had harbored a major crush on this particular bartender for years, and I knew he needed a pick-me-up tonight. She was easy on the eyes, and her friendly banter always cheered him up.

I seconded his order, and she asked all the usual questions about which type of beer and what sauce for our wings. Once we were done, she winked at Eddie. “I’ll be right back.”

He watched her saunter off, then swiveled toward me, frowning. “So tell me what this is really about. Not that I’m not happy to see you, but I figured I wouldn’t see you until later this week.”

Avoiding his gaze, I picked up my water. “Cant a guy just want to hang and check in with his best friend, have a nice dinner, and chat?”

Eddie sighed. “Who’d you hear from? My dad or my brother?” he asked without hesitation.

It had actually been both. “They’re worried about you.”

Eddie sighed. “I told them everything was fine.”

I elbowed him in the side. “You also told them you were bringing Cecilia to Christmas dinner, and then you didnt. Your dad said you offered little to no explanation for why.”

Eddie barked out a laugh. “Im surprised he didnt get the truth out of my brother.”

Considering his brother, Chuck, had also sent me a text wanting to make sure his brother was okay, that didn’t make sense. “Why? Did you actually tell him?”

Eddie wrinkled his nose. “Kind of. I told him that I broke up with her. Which is true.”

The bartender slid my beer toward me, then set Eddie’s down in front of him. “Here you go, honey. Let me know when you’re ready for another.”

“Thanks.” He flushed again, then took a sip of his beer while swiveling his chair toward me. “So is this really why we’re here? You’re digging for information.”

I shrugged. “I’ll tell them whatever you want me to, but I’m more interested in if you’re okay. I thought things were going great with Cecilia, and if it ended so suddenly, I thought you might need to talk it out.” I personally hadn’t cared much for her, but I also hadn’t been the one dating her.

Eddie smiled. “I appreciate that. I actually went to The Tap and talked to Oz. I sat my butt at the bar in front of him for a good portion of his shift and poured out my tale of woe in between him serving his other customers.”

Oz was a good friend of ours who worked at the tavern we usually met up at. They were LGBTQ+ friendly there, and our friend worked all the time, so it was a fun place for us to go. “Man, you couldve called me. I’d have joined you for a venting session.”

Eddie shook his head. “No way I was pulling you away from your family on Christmas Eve.”

“So tell me what happened,” I urged.

Eddie took another swig of his beer before setting it down. “Same old story. The one as old as time for men like us.”

I sighed internally, watching as a finely dressed cutie with black hair that had a slight curl approached the other side of the bar. His gaze flickered around, and I got the impression that he might be looking for some company. He was the exact type I’d normally hit on, but my friend needed me. Since both of us had problems in the past with partners who couldn’t handle the fact we liked both men and women or had issues with our chosen career, his issue with Cecilia could be anything.

“Im sorry, dude. Thats a bummer. What exactly happened that you broke up with her on Christmas Eve?”

“The usual. She was talking about how lots of people looked for new employment at the beginning of the year, so maybe I should get my resume ready. She insinuated that it was a shame for a man to have a college degree and be squandering it the way I did. Then she told me she’d held back on telling me what she wanted for Christmas because she didn’t want to make me feel bad that it was all out of my price range.”

So the problem was him being a manny. The familiar anger churned in my stomach. Unlike Eddie and the support he received from his dad and brother, I had people in my family who gave me grief over my decision to be a manny all the time. The main one was my cousin, Ricky. That asshole never shut the hell up. It was different for my sweet friend, though. Every time he encountered someone who didn’t respect his chosen vocation—which had been the last several people he tried to date—it threw him. Neither of us were the type to give anyone grief about what they did for a living as long as it was legal and they were happy, so it was a disconnect for him. Plus, if Cecilia had stuck around longer, she’d have realized that Eddie earned a good living and saved most of the money he made. “That sucks.”

Absently, I noticed the black-haired man buying a drink. Into men, then? My heart skipped a beat before I reeled myself in. It didn’t matter if he was. I was here to hang out with Eddie and give him a shoulder to cry on. His snort drew my gaze back to him. “That one is totally your type.” He really was. As much as I enjoyed crawling around on the floor with toddlers, packing lunches, helping with homework, and all of the other activities that came with my job, I really loved a man or woman with a white-collar job. There was just something about someone who considered dress pants comfortable for casual attire. And as nicely as this one was dressed, there was a shy insecurity about him that called to me.

“He really is,” I agreed. “But it appears he found someone to spend time with, and I’m here with you.”

Joan set our food on the counter in front of us. “Here you go. Do you need anything else?”

She’d placed a nice stack of napkins between us, which was all I needed. “I’m all set.”

“What about you, honey?” she asked Eddie, smiling as he blushed.

“I’m good.”

She tapped the side of his plate. “Let me know if you need anything else. I’ll take care of you.”

He gulped, making me chuckle. As she went to help another patron, I rolled my eyes. “Maybe I shouldn’t have been so worried about you. Looks like you’re going to be just fine.”

He flashed me a grin before digging into his wings. As we ate, my pulse sped up as the handsome guy on the other side of the bar ended up alone again. He frowned, looking so dejected that I wanted to go to him and soothe him. Which was ridiculous since I didn’t know him and would likely never see him again.

Eddie chuckled next to me. “You don’t have to babysit me, you know. I’m really not heartbroken or anything.”

I swallowed a bite, throwing the wing bone into the basket and focused on my friend. “Eddie, when’s the last time you invited a partner to a family dinner, much less a holiday? I’m pretty sure she meant something to you.”

He huffed, dropping his half-eaten wing back on to the rest of them and sat back. “Na. Talking it through with Oz helped me see that I never thought it was going to go anywhere with her. I just get so sick of looking like a failure, though, you know? I’m never in a steady relationship, and I bounce from job to job. Chuck’s been with his girl for almost a year. I wanted to feel normal.”

Staring at him like he’d grown ten heads, I said, “First of all, you’re twenty-six, and I know plenty of people who would argue that you should enjoy being single.” He opened his mouth, and I held up a hand to stop him. “I know, you want something special. Hell, so do I, but who we are or arent dating definitely doesnt define us. Second, bouncing between families is literally part of the description for your job. You’re a vacation manny. The only reason anyone who might date you should have a problem with what you do is because you travel so much.

“On the flipside, dude, you’ve been to so many cool places. Which, if I remember correctly—which I do—is why you went this route instead of devoting yourself to one specific family at a time like I do. You want to see the world, and you’re getting to do that on other people’s dime, and they pay you to be there. Screw the haters.”

A smug grin appeared. “That’s true. I have been to some pretty epic places.”

“And you love what you do. There’s no shame in loving kids.”

“Oh, a man who loves kids?” Joan leaned an elbow on the bar, inserting herself into our conversation. “Tell me more.”

Grabbing another wing while those two flirted, I peeked over at the spot I’d last seen the black-haired cutie. The way things were looking, I might be able to excuse myself and at least get the man’s name and number. Hope disappeared as I watched him buy another guy a drink. Dammit.

Kevin

The handsome blondran his eyes halfway down my body before they jerked up to my face. He forced a smile that more resembled a grimace and lifted the cocktail I’d purchased him up in the air in a toast. “Thanks for the drink. But I don’t think this is going to work out.” Then he shrugged one shoulder and walked away.

“Sure,” I said to his retreating back. Well, damn. It had been quite a while since I’d been out on the prowl—back when I met Tom—but I didn’t think it was possible to lose my moves that much. My latest loss was the second guy I’d bought a drink in the hour and a half I’d been here. At least the first one finished his beverage before walking away.

Glancing around Rafters Restaurant and Lounge, my old stomping grounds, I wondered if I’d truly lost my touch. I wasn’t movie-star handsome or anything, but I used to at least be able to get a man to join me for a few cocktails and conversation, even if he didn’t leave with me. I sighed. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe Tom was right, and I’d be living a life of celibacy for a long, long time. I might as well head home.

“Hey there.”

I looked up to find the man who’d been halfway around the other side of the circular bar. He was more than my type, so I’d noticed him immediately when I first arrived, but he’d been in a conversation with another gentleman, so I figured he was either on a date or I’d arrived too late.

Now that he stood in front of me, I realized he was even hotter and more what I’d been hoping to find than he’d seemed sitting so far away. He was approximately ten years younger than my thirty-seven and had a couple of inches on my own five-foot-ten, with tousled sandy-brown hair, light blond stubble on his strong jawline, and sparkling blue eyes that glittered with amusement. “H-hello.”

The man’s lips quirked into a half-grin. He held out his hand. “I’m CJ.”

“Kevin,” I said back, shaking his hand.

“I couldn’t help but notice that you’re looking a little discouraged, Kevin.”

I shrugged. “What can I say? It hasn’t been the best night.”

He hummed. “Sorry to say, but I noticed.”

How embarrassing. “I think I’ve lost my touch,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck.

CJ’s gaze ran slowly from the top of my head down to the tip of my shoes and then back up again. “I don’t know about that.” He raised his hand and placed it on my chest. “I think this might be throwing you off, though.” He double-tapped lightly over my chest.

Confused, I glanced down, and my eyes widened in horror as I realized what he meant.

CJ chuckled and let his hand drop to his side. “I’d guess that might be your problem.”

“Oh, shit. That’s so embarrassing.” I stretched the bottom of my shirt out in front of me and groaned. Splotches of red dotted from the bottom of the collar of my long-sleeved button-up and down over my chest to my stomach area. Ketchup. “No wonder no one’s hung around. They must’ve thought I was a total slob. But I swear I’m not,” I said, practically begging him to believe me.

His gaze traveled my body again, and he smirked. “I didn’t imagine a man as finely put together as you purposefully came out with stains on your clothes. Ketchup, am I right?”

I huffed. “Yes.” I’d gone to so much trouble getting ready tonight. I’d waited to shower, shave, and dress until after my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Lexi, devoured her happy meal. When I’d left the table, my mom had been cleaning off her hands and mouth before letting her go play, but she must’ve missed some drops of ketchup on her clothes.

Considering how hard Lexi had clung to me before I walked out the door, there’d been some transfer. For fuck’s sake, I should’ve known this was a dumb idea and stayed home. My mom would return to Florida in two days, and she’d urged me to take advantage of her being here and go out for an evening to myself. It had been such a long, long time since I’d had any type of male companionship that I’d decided to take her up on it, but…I guessed I could admit defeat and head home. A quick glance at my watch confirmed it was only 8:30 PM. I’d still be able to work for a couple of hours, so the night wouldn’t be a complete bust.

CJ shrugged like me walking around with food stains wasn’t a big deal. “A man has to eat.” His baby blues dropped to my crotch. “You have a few options.”

“Options?” My voice cracked as my body responded to his less-than-subtle attention. I’d been hoping for flirting or anything really that still made me feel attractive to other men, and this particular specimen was everything I wanted. If he was willing to touch me, blow me, or fuck me, despite my appearance, I’d doubt his sanity, but I also wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Yes, options,” CJ said, moving in a little closer. “You can head into the bathroom and try dabbing some cold water on it.” He sounded as doubtful of that working as I felt. “You can always head home. Or”—he moved a little closer and walked his fingers up my chest—“you can follow me to my place and let me get this off you.” His gaze moved back up, blue eyes boring into mine and darkening with desire.

“Really?” I asked, hoping my voice hadn’t sounded as squeaky to him as it had to me. Apparently, I’d lost all my game about the same time I became a father. I might as well start working on mastering dad jokes.

CJ tilted his head. “From where I stand. You have a little oopsie from whatever you had for dinner, so you’re needing dessert. Come on,” he whispered, stepping close enough for me to feel his body heat and smell a slight hint of his vanilla-scented cologne. I practically groaned as my dick woke up with the excitement of something being on the table besides my right hand. “I know you were looking to pull tonight, and I’ve been watching you since the second you walked through the door.”

“I saw you, too,” I admitted. “But I thought you were on a date or something.”

He smirked. “Don’t be jealous. He was just a friend.” He leaned into me, bumping our chests together. “Now follow me home. Let me deal with this shirt for you.”

A breathless, “Yes,” came out of my mouth before I gave myself a chance to think. He wasn’t wrong. I’d been out in hopes of finding something tonight—preferably physical—and he ticked every box. Why deny myself what he was offering?

A sexy smile slid onto his face, and he grabbed my hand. “Let’s go.” He pulled me toward the small room by the front door where we each quickly put on our own coats, then he tugged me out the front door and pointed at a dark green SUV. “That’s me. I’ll wait for you to pull up behind me, and then you can follow me home. Does that work for you?”

I nodded, thankful that I’d been nursing the same drink all night, knowing I’d need to drive sooner rather than later. As we separated, I hesitated. “I have to be home in a couple of hours, though.”

He peered at me. “You’re not married, are you?”

I huffed. “No. Nothing like that. I’m as single as single gets, but I have responsibilities at home I can’t neglect.”

He shrugged. “That works for me. Now stop wasting time.” He winked, then strode toward his own vehicle.

I restrained myself from running to my car to get this show on the road. Although, I guessed I was well past playing it cool, seeing as how I’d been strolling around with a ketchup stain on my shirt. For fuck’s sake.