THE GAY BARTENDER

chapter fifty eight

I wasn't the first to arrive at sunny Dates that Monday morning. The outline of his bicycle leaning against the building, indicated his arrival. I parked alongside it and turned off the engine.

A small circle of orange caught my eye.

"Seriously, I mumbled and got out of the car. I thought you said you stopped?" I said to him.

He blew a puff of smoke through his lips. "Yeah yeah."

Placed my hands on his hips ."No yeah my uncle died from those cancer sticks.You said you were going to stop. Now put it out before I put it out for you."

He stood up and towered over me but I didn't move from my spot. He had muscle and weight on his other side , but my determination to save my friend from dying and early and unnecessary death would overpower him.

And I knew he would never hurt me.I think his intimidation techniques worked with some people but not me.

He took one last drag and threw the cigarette to the ground smashing it with the toe of his shoe .

"Happy?" I pushed past him and dragged my key to the car's back door.

"I'll be more happy when you quit for good."

He reached down and picked up the butt and flicked it into the garbage bin.

I held the door open for him.

"You know if I wanted a girlfriend to nag me I would get one."

I chucked him in the arm ."until then you have me."

He went inside and I followed him closing the door behind me . " I might have to call Archer and get him to come by so you can annoy him instead of me."

The lights flicked on and I squinted on the harsh light . He was across the kitchen and into the dining room before I could see him.

"I only annoy you because I care for you. "I said

"Have you heard anything from him yet " usually he comes in at least once a week. I don't think I've seen him since the day of the proposal.

Ugh, don't remind me .

"He's busy ,I guess " I said liftingvan apron from the hangers on the wall.

"You haven't heard from him since the proposal? I thought you helped him prepare everything?.

" I got a quick text that morning saying she said yes. And that's the last I heard.

"How many ways do I need to say it" I said harshly.

" I'll drop it, But I think he is a divk for dropping you n going for that chic.

"He's not dropping me ," I said trying to fight the tears ."He's probably in some post-proposal high.

"Maybe she's changed after getting what she wanted." It made me sick thinking they were having s*x , but at least Archer would deserve it after waiting for that long.

He was a man afterall , a man driven with his d**k . A man who is in love with a w***e. I stifled a smirk at the thought.

Maybe, but its still a d**k move on his part.Especially after you helped him."

It did suck that Archer hadn't made any contact with me for two weeks . This was strange, not talking after we had known each other for all those years. Even with his strings of girlfriends in the past , we still always were together, and he always made time for me.

I wasn't about to tell him how I missed Archer . I had to stay strong.

My mind was distracted from the influx of customers that morning, it was school break and there were a lot of tourists in the area who were looking for a normal area to have breakfast. A few of the customers told me that this was the first place they saw in seven years.

Other than that, I tried to pish him out of my mind as I cooked for a full restaurant.

Hey, yoh ,Michael said from the dining area .

I glanced past the Kenneth lamonte slowly making their way across the room to their regular table. It was the only one that was empty and Michael had been good guarding it for our best customers.

When I cleared the grill, I went out there and greeted them .

Harriet fluffed her white poof of hair after taking off her giant straw hat while Kenneth groaned his way into a seated position in the booth .

"Morning guys " I looked down and let out a whoop .

"Harriet girl, those are some nice nails."

She wagled her wrinkly fingers towards me. "Do you like the color? The woman said , " its called the three alarm fire."

Its a hot woman I turned around and this one.