Chapter Four

Dinner the next night was great. Richie had spent all day cooking, so they went out to dinner and then to the bar afterward. It was like they’d never had a fight—even though it was lingering in the back of their minds. They pushed the thoughts and feelings back and enjoyed the celebration.

“Today’s Rossi meal was terrible. Everything was either burned, over seasoned, or tasted just weird. I think I’m off my game.” They were sitting at the bar in Chimney’s. It was a bar that had a chimney inside with a fireplace. The name wasn’t that creative, but the place was nice. They’d been sitting there for a while, and Richie was feeling it for sure.

“Why don’t we head to Rainbows?” Richie said as he tossed back another shot.

Lance took a long pull on his beer and looked at his friend skeptically. “You hate that place.”

“Who cares? This is all about you. You aced those tests today and the Ithaca Fest. C’mon, let’s go see what kind of trouble we can get into. Plus, you need a break.”

Lance laughed at his friend’s drunken exuberance. “I have a better idea,” he said.

“Okay? I’ll bite.”

“Why don’t we go to a club you wanna go to?”

“This isn’t about me,” Richie said.

“But I want you to be happy too.”

Richie threw his arm over Lance’s shoulder. The smell of his cologne drifted around him, causing his heart to dance excitedly in his chest. It didn’t matter that Richie was already tipsy.

“We’ll go to Rainbows tonight and then this weekend we can hit up somewhere else. Sound like a plan?” Richie asked, dramatically extending his hand.

Lance chuckled and shook his hand. “Deal.” He wasn't going to argue with him when he was adamant he wanted to go.

Richie had been to Rainbows twice. The first time, a lovely lady named Drew had tried to carry him home with her. He was a cross dresser who adored hanging out at the bar. He couldn’t resist Richie and still called him his little meatball every time she saw him.

The second time he’d been into Rainbows was because there was a bridal party trying to avoid the groping guys at other bars. It was pretty much his idea of heaven. This time it was just him and Lance drinking and having fun. No one else really took an interest, and Lance realized it was because they looked like a couple the way they’d come in together. He couldn’t help but smile as he pictured them really being a couple. It was a happy thought for him but faded as soon as Richie went straight for a chick at the bar and offered to buy her a drink.

***

The remainder of the week was uneventful. Richie didn’t get a chance to see much of Lance because of work or school. If Lance wasn’t working a club or bar, he was at school. Richie’s schedule wasn’t that much different. The two rarely saw each other.

It wasn’t much different than any other week, except this time, for some reason, it bothered Richie that he wasn’t getting to spend any time with Lance. When Friday rolled around, he was more than ready for a night out. His mind had been all over the place lately and he didn’t like it.

It didn’t help that his mother’s birthday he’d called to try to talk to her, but his sister informed him that she was still not speaking to him. He hung up from her and sat on the couch. Lance was just getting back so he told him how ridiculous his mother was being.

“So, she’s still not talking to you because you and Molly were living together three years ago?” Lance asked as he walked into the bathroom. "That's a seriously long time."

Richie stood at one of the sinks checking his reflection in the mirror. He squeezed a quarter size amount of gel into his hands and rubbed them together. “Seriously, how long can she freeze me out like that?” he asked as he meticulously styled his hair.

Lance brushed his teeth and then tucked the front of his shirt behind his belt. “She is trying to lay on that Catholic guilt trip. You know how they can hold a grudge?.”

Richie rolled his eyes. “Damn if that’s not the truth.” Clapping his hands together he turned. “How do I look? Think I can bag some hot babes tonight?”

Lance clamped his mouth together but didn’t say a word. Reaching up, he brushed a fleck of lint away from Richie’s collar. “They better watch out for you,” he finally said.

Richie met Lance’s eyes. “Hey? Are you okay?”

Lance dropped his gaze and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Yeah,” he said with a shrug. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know. You just seem a bit down.”

Lance flashed him his brightest smile and shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. We’re going to find us some hotties and have a good time. Where did you choose?”

“Hell yeah, we are. We're going to Dalliance,” Richie said enthusiastically.

“Then let’s get going.” Lance didn't like Dalliance that much. He had spun there a couple times and found the atmosphere strange. Richie had gone to Rainbows with him so it was only fair.

Lance followed Richie out of their apartment. Suddenly, the idea of going out didn’t seem that great. In fact, he’d much rather stay in and order take-out.

When they got to the club, there was a line all the way around the corner. But they weren’t going to stand there in wait. Richie loved the angry glares and groans they got as they walked past everyone.

“Man, it sure does pay to know the best DJ in the area,” Richie said as they both bypassed the entire line.

“I'm surprised you’re not on the stage tonight,” the bouncer said as they made their way up to the front.

“I know, but hey, I need a night off once in a blue moon,” Lance said, flashing him his pearly white smile as he lifted the rope to let them in.

“We should get some shots,” Richie yelled over the music. Another perk of being with Lance was every other drink was free because someone would buy for the DJ and they would take turns imbibing.

Patrick was the bartender Lance had had a crush on, and he was working hard on mixing drinks as they approached the bar. He was fit, funny, and tall with light brown eyes. 

“Hey, guys! The usual?”

“Yes, please,” Lance said smiling wide.

“The first two are on me,” Patrick said setting the drinks in front of them. “I caught your set the other night. Epic, man, totally amazing.”

Lance smiled and his cheeks turned red. Richie felt invisible and wasn’t sure how he liked it. Sure, he wanted Lance away from Kevin, but did he want him with Patrick? He felt confused.

The drink went down and he ordered another as Lance made his way onto the dance floor. This time he had to pay for it, but it went down just as smooth. Lance felt himself wanting to turn to Richie. He almost thought he could feel his friend watching him intently, but that could also be wishful thinking.

Richie turned and leaned against the bar as he stared at the people dancing on the floor. If there was one thing you could say about being in a club, it was there was plenty of entertainment. There were many drunk co-eds and their uncoordinated boyfriends on the dance floor. Richie felt a pang of jealousy. Everyone at the club seemed to be completely at ease with the person they were. Nobody was trying to impress anyone else. They were just here to have fun.

Well, not everyone was not trying to impress. Richie fought his lips from turning down when he tried to ignore Patrick flirting with Lance. Lance seemed to be doing some flirting of his own. Richie had been friends with Lance long enough to know his moves, and Lance was laying them on strong with Patrick.

Patrick wasn’t busy at the bar, so he was able to keep his attention on Lance. Richie had visions of the bar filling up so Patrick would have to abandon his post in front of Lance. Richie shook his head at that image. Why did he care anyway? He'd never worried about Lance flirting before. 

Richie gritted his teeth when Lance threw back his head and gave a deep booming laugh at something Patrick had said. He wasn’t sure what was worse – the fact that he hated his roommate flirting with another man or the fact that his laughter had something hot pooling in his stomach. Clearly, Richie was having some conflicting feelings about being out with Lance.

Lance put a hand on Patrick’s arm. If there was anyone who could take his mind off of Richie, the bartender was it. He started to flirt a little harder with him and was pleased the attention was being reciprocated.

When Lance looked over, he noticed Richie sitting with his chin resting in his hand. He was intently watching his drink and didn’t seem too engaged in what was going on in the club at all. This was his favorite club, so he decided maybe he was bored watching him flirt and wanted to go do something else. Richie, if nothing else, was a great friend. Lance decided to take pity on Richie and let him off the hook. Things seemed to be working out with Patrick and he wanted to explore it some more.

“Hey, man, Patrick and I are going to get out of here after his shift. If you want to find a chick to take home, I’ll catch a ride with Patrick.” Lance slapped Richie on the back and was confused by the tension pouring off him. Maybe he didn’t know everything Richie was currently going through. 

Richie’s jaw clicked shut and he had to force it to open so he could answer his roommate. “Are you sure? I don’t mind being here. I promised you I would hang out with you tonight and you let me choose the place. I can stay with you until Patrick gets off. You know, celebrate you getting the festival and all.”

Richie hoped that the jealousy he was feeling didn’t come out in his voice. He had scared off Kevin and now he was trying to think of ways to cockblock Lance with Patrick. He needed to get his head together and get rid of his confusing thoughts.

“No worries. We celebrated enough,” Lance said, trying to read the odd vibe Richie was giving off.

“I’ll take care of him,” Patrick told Richie, putting his hand over Lance’s hand.

Lance was disappointed when he didn’t feel the zing he was hoping Patrick would elicit. His plan to get Richie out of his system didn’t seem to be going as well. “What time do you get off?” Lance asked Patrick.

“I’m here until closing, so I have another hour or two. Things are slowing down, so I can keep you company until we can get out of here.” Patrick squeezed Lance’s hand and shot him a wink.

Lance gave him a wink right back. The flirting made him feel good. He didn’t have what he wanted, Richie’s attention. It was hard to deal with the fact Richie would never want him. Kevin had been a good distraction, but he wanted more than Lance could give him. His heart had been given to Richie, and it was going to take some time to get it back.

I just need to get over it, Lance thought, Richie is straight, period. Patrick made him feel wanted which was something he really needed.

Richie grabbed his drink and tossed it back, slamming the empty glass on the bar. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, getting out more than enough to cover his tab and threw it on the bar.

Lance snatched up the bills and shoved them back at Richie. “I’ve got it, man. Keep your money.”

Richie’s blood burned. He was pissed and barely hanging onto his temper. Lance was ditching him to hang out with Patrick. Richie knew he shouldn’t be angry. He had done almost the same thing to Lance a couple of nights ago. Hell, he had been worse because he took off without even telling Lance. It didn’t stop the sting. His roommate was going home with Patrick and he knew what that meant. What made him furious was he wanted to be the one to go home with Lance. Which wasn’t right at all. He liked women. What the hell was going on with him? He had never experienced  this before and definitely not with a man before. Now, he felt drawn to his roommate in some kind of weird, sexually confusing liaison he had no control over. Richie grabbed the money and shoved it in his back pocket not even bothering to put it in his wallet. “See you later,” he told Lance, shoving off the bar and heading toward the exit.

 

“Thanks for coming out with me tonight,” Lance shouted.

Richie gave him a wave not bothering to turn around, before he climbed into a waiting Uber.

“What’s wrong with your roommate?” Patrick asked, watching Richie storm out of the bar.

“I don’t know. He was acting really odd this evening,” Lance answered, turning back to Patrick and giving him his most charming smile.

“You sure he’s not into you?”

Lance threw back his head and laughed at the irony. Richie was the only one who would never be into Lance and was the only one Lance knew he could see himself loving for the rest of his life. Fate was a bitch that way.

“I’m positive. Now, why don’t you start shutting down so we can get out of here?”

Patrick squeezed his hand and went over to start polishing the bar and shutting everything down. People were already trickling out the front door and picking the person they were going to spend the night with. Lance watched Patrick and felt a stirring of attraction. He held onto it with all his might, promising himself he would purge Richie out of his mind for good.