I’m still pondering the change in him when Sammy opens his eyes and finds me through the crowd. Wearing a huge grin, he weaves his way over to me.

“This place is great! And this drink is delicious!” The glass he holds up is already empty. Realizing this, he frowns and pulls me with him as he beelines for the bar. “Time for round two!”

I laugh at his eagerness and indulge in another sip of my own Holly creation.

HOLLY

I don’t know how Sammy is still standing. After his fourth tequila sunrise, I cut him off. There is no part of me interested in cleaning his colorful puke off my bar.

Midnight is approaching, and the guys have been here for hours. Talking to them in between serving drinks makes work more enjoyable than usual. Ben and Jasper stay near the bar, conversing with each other and occasionally throwing out jokes, while their roommate acts like a kid on holiday out on the dance floor.

It’s also funny to watch Ben slowly realize what type of establishment he’s in. It takes three different guys offering to buy him a drink before understanding flashes on his face. This is an important moment. I want to know how he’ll react to the knowledge that I work in a gay bar.

Each time he’s approached, Ben politely declines, which is a point in his favor. A lot of insecure men would feel the need to rage and huff, informing all those closest to them that there was no way in hell a man could ever give them a boner.

Yeah, buddy, no one really cares about that, except you and the bigoted people who raised you.

So, Ben earns my approval with his kind but firm refusals.

Getting hit on is one thing; finding out that the entire clientele tends to be homosexual is the next level up. He scans the room, coming to focus on a generously tattooed woman ogling Terra’s chest as she slides her a very generous tip.

Sorry, lady, she’s taken.

Terra is a fantastic flirt, but that’s as far as it goes. She has an ironclad commitment to her girlfriend, Faith, who’s currently stationed in Afghanistan with her Army unit. Terra’s just working for the tips, and most nights, she comes home with at least fifty bucks more than me. I’m plenty friendly, but patrons come to me when they want drinks made quickly and with precision, and they go to Terra for a gorgeous rack to admire. You don’t have to be a straight dude to love boobs.

Ben turns to look at me, and I can see the question on his face. Suddenly, I get the urge to clarify that I am very interested in men.

“No, it’s not a requirement to work here.”

He flinches at my called-out comment but then smiles ruefully. “Just wondering.”

I collect the payment for the three beautiful blow-job shots I just crafted and then sidle back to Ben and Jasper.