Chapter Four

 

I spent Sunday morning and afternoon prepping my food as best I could. I’d made the nut cheese and mushroom stuffing ahead of time, and anything else that would make cooking easier once I got to Duncan’s. When ‘Robert’ called my phone at half past four and said he was waiting outside to take me to Duncan’s, I was ready, but realized I had too much stuff to carry downstairs by myself. I’d have to take the Hell-evator.

At least I didn’t have to bring pots and pans and shit. I’d texted Duncan my list of cooking necessities as he’d asked, and he’d responded, ‘I will give you everything you need’ with a little winky-face emoji. I’d started to over-analyze his reply but stopped myself. The old me probably would have read some innuendo into Duncan’s reply and then worked myself into mental tailspin trying to figure it out. As it was, I’d spent too much time considering what to wear to his house. Since I’d be cooking and wanted to be comfortable, I’d opted for long shorts and a polo shirt. Nothing fancy, but a step up from jeans and a tee shirt. I wanted to appear somewhat professional, because I tended to feel clumsy and kind of inferior in Duncan’s presence.

Yeah. He’d been right about my confidence problem. But I was working on it.

After loading all my supplies into the claustrophobic elevator, I hit the button, then closed my eyes and tried to imagine I was standing in the middle of a wide, open field somewhere. It wasn’t very effective because of the stink and the creaking, but I made it to the first-floor lobby without freaking out and curling up into fetal position.

Dragging my bags and boxes and Tupperware out of the elevator, I stood in the lobby and frowned. I’d need help carrying the stuff outside too, and didn’t know exactly where Robert was or even who the fuck Robert was, so I hit return on his number and called him back.

“Yes, this is Robert.”

“Hi Robert, this is Zach, Duncan’s…employee?”

“Yeah, I’m parked on the street outside your building.”

“Any way you could come into the lobby and give me a hand? I’ve got a lot of stuff to haul.”

“Oh. Um…is this neighborhood safe?”

Rolling my eyes, I said, “Yes, it’s safe.”

“Okay. I’ll be right there.”

I waited, and eventually a handsome Indian-looking man about thirty, black hair and big dark eyes, stepped through the door into the lobby. He wore tan slacks and a short-sleeved white button-down, and he not only immediately pinged my gaydar, but also looked familiar. I got a vision of him in a tight, shimmery tee shirt, and decided I’d probably served him drinks back when I worked at the Immunity dance club. He didn’t seem to recognize me, however, and that was just as well.

“Zach?”

“Yeah.” I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Same. I’m Robert. Is this everything?”

“This is everything.”

Robert looked down and took inventory of my supplies. “If we both load up we can probably do it in one trip.”

“I’m down. Let’s do it.”

After loading everything into Robert’s SUV, I climbed in the passenger seat and we headed down the road. “So you bartend at Mythic?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

“Duncan’s great, isn’t he?” Robert chuckled. “He’s so much fun.”

Robert wore that dreamy expression I used to see after people met Corey, and suspected Duncan was just as adept as his nephew at charming others. That alluring Stengel presence.

“Yeah, he’s a nice guy I guess. Don’t know him that well yet. You known him long?”

“About six months. He comes to the gym where I work. He’s trying to get me to leave and work at Mythic, though.”

I glanced at him. “That’s kind of an odd leap. You a trainer or something?”

“Oh, no.” Robert laughed. “I manage a juice bar at the gym. I am a juicing maniac.”

“So Duncan wants what? A juice bar at Mythic?”

“Yes and no. He wants to combine my juicing with booze to make healthy cocktails. I guess the bartenders get a lot of requests for lower calorie, healthier drinks, so they have to improvise. Someone mentioned to Duncan it would be easier to just put some on the menu.”

“Yes, that happens a lot. It’s a pretty fitness-conscious neighborhood. I personally don’t mind, just trade out syrupy stuff for lime juice and club soda or whatever with the booze.”

Robert nodded. “Well, I guess some of the bartenders think it’s a pain in the ass. Duncan thinks the idea of freshly made juice combos in the cocktails will be attractive and easy to market. And he’s interested in my management skills.” Robert sighed. “So, I guess I’ll have a decision to make soon.”

“Is that why you’re involved in this today, or were you and Duncan just…hanging out?”

“No, I’m there to work as well. From what Duncan tells me, the customers’ desire for healthier cocktails combined with you asking about veggie tapas has gotten him thinking about combining the two.” He glanced at me. “I’ll be giving Duncan a presentation today too. My juicer and supplies are already at the house.”

“I see. Hope he’s satisfied with my food. I mean…you’re already a juicing guy…manager thing, so you’ve got that going for you. But I’m a bartender, not a professional cook. Not sure why he chose me for this, aside from it being my idea.”

“Well, I’m not a bartender.” Robert shrugged. “So I’m having to improvise a bit too. But I came up with some ideas and did a practice run with my friends this week.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, me too. It’s just kind of odd, don’t you think?”

“Duncan’s kind of odd. I’ve gotten used to it. Once he sets his mind to something, he gathers the means and raw materials. Finds a way to make it happen.”

Sounded just like Corey. Coming up with weird projects on a whim. Not listening to anyone who tried to talk sense into him. Then the fucker would always make it work. Maybe it ran in the family. Robert called Duncan odd. I didn’t find him that odd, but I thought I knew what Robert meant. Duncan was odd in the way that Corey was, but to me, that translated to special. Unique. I wished I could be that kind of odd. And wished I had the confidence that seemed to come with it.

“Anyway,” Robert said. “Duncan doesn’t choose anything at random. Must have been something about you that impressed him.”

“Yeah. You too, apparently.”

Robert and I exchanged a glance. I wondered if he had any of the same trepidations I did. He sang Duncan’s praises, didn’t seem to question his motives. But the fact was Robert and I were close to the same age, both attractive, and I was nearly positive Robert was also gay. Both of us were slightly underqualified for the projects Duncan had assigned us today. Was Duncan merely collecting attractive people like dolls? More nymphs for his forest?

What was it he’d said? That he wanted to surround himself with fun and beauty and good feelings now that he’d quit his old life. That was fine for Duncan, he’d made his money and everything now was playtime for him. For people like Robert and me, a job was survival.

“It’s hard to say no to Duncan,” Robert said. “Plus his ideas usually work out. He said everyone told him opening Mythic was a stupid idea. But I’ve been there, it’s always packed.”

“I can vouch for that,” I said. “The tips are good.”

We’d been so busy chatting I was only barely aware we’d entered the adjoining town of Brookline, and were driving through one of those neighborhoods with the three-million-dollar homes. And yep, Duncan lived in one of those houses, because Robert was pulling into a circular driveway in front of a big beautiful place with red brick and turrets on top. “This is it,” he said as he parked.

“Nice place.”

It looked like a miniature castle, and I thought that suited Duncan. He was kind of the king of make-believe. Ivy crawled up the exterior brick and honeysuckle clung to the fence, making me think of the vines and shit at Club Mythic. Though there was nothing particularly unusual about the place in this neighborhood. In fact, I’d expected something more modern from Duncan, but this house was the typical historical structure that housed the wealthy Boston elite.

There were other cars parked in the driveway, and my pulse spiked. I’d assumed I’d be cooking for Duncan alone, it never occurred to me that he might have invited guests over for the occasion. But as Robert and I transported my supplies through the front doors, I heard laughter, male and female voices.

The inside of the house was spacious with high ceilings, and I followed Robert, passing several large, cozy rooms. I saw a big fireplace, gleaming wood floors, but Duncan’s decorating was a bit eclectic. There were some generic rugs and bookshelves with simple, masculine-looking furniture. But there were also strange, colorful accent chairs here and there, abstract patterns jarring the eye, polka dots and multicolored zebra stripes that looked like something from a Dr. Seuss book. And some of the paintings on the walls were bizarre as well, forest scenes with odd inhuman creatures lurking behind trees, and a couple overtly sexual ones with cartoony nudes in varying lurid scenarios. A table we passed had what looked like a polished human skull sitting on a doily, a black candle sticking out the top.

In short, the house reminded me of Duncan himself, a confusing contrast of money, sophistication, whimsy, and weirdness.

The kitchen was empty when Robert and I strode in and set the bags and stuff down on the island. It was enormous with a red tiled floor, butler’s pantry, and shiny appliances. I was pleased to see two large ovens. Everything looked clean and shiny, but Duncan’s personal touch was here too, dashes of color everywhere, bright red and turquoise hanging lights, and the fridge was a collage of personal photos and novelty magnets.

My eye zoned in on one of the photos pinned to the fridge, and my stomach lurched at the image of my ex-boyfriend dressed up as a punk rocker, his blond hair crafted into a fauxhawk, spiked dog collar around his neck, sneering at the camera. I knew the photo was taken at The Horse and Carriage on one of Corey’s karaoke nights, because I used to go there with him. I’d never seen Corey don this particular persona, so knew it must be a fairly recent photo, and this hit me hard for some reason.

I’d thought all my weepiness and regret over losing Corey had long since run its course. But somehow, seeing that photo on Corey’s uncle’s fridge…it was evidence staring me in the face. Evidence that Corey’s life continued on as usual, just without me in it.

“Duncan!” Robert called out. “We’re here!”

I tore my eyes from the photo before Duncan could walk in and catch me staring at it with sad, lovelorn eyes. I wished I hadn’t noticed the photo on the fridge, because while I’d started the day in the mindset of going to visit my employer, I was now once again hyperaware that my employer was Corey’s uncle.

“Hey, Zach! Oh my,” Duncan said as he stepped into the kitchen. “Look at all this!” He poked his head into one of my bags.

Two people followed Duncan into the kitchen, a skinny, pretty woman in a sundress with a black bob and short bangs, and a muscular black man with dyed yellow hair. They were both closer to Duncan’s age, and both held glasses of wine.

Duncan was dressed casually in jeans and a thin beige tee shirt that showed off his tan and luminous eyes, and I got a whiff of expensive cologne as he stood beside me, examining the supplies I’d brought. That silver chain was around his neck again, drawing my eye. I caught the glance of the yellow-haired man, who smirked at me, and I wondered if I’d been caught ogling Duncan’s neck. “I’m Greg,” he said, stepping forward and shaking my hand.

“Zach.”

“Oh, right, I’m sorry,” Duncan said. “You met Robert. This is Greg, and this is Shaylin. Guys this is Zach, and he’s gonna cook for us.”

I swallowed hard, feeling the pressure.

“What are you making?” Shaylin asked. She cozied up against Duncan, slipping her arm through his.

“A bunch of different things,” I said. “Should I get started?”

“Yes,” Duncan said. “These cabinets here should have all the cooking equipment you need. But let me know if you need something else.” He released himself from Shaylin’s grip and slung an arm around my shoulder, giving me a little flutter when I felt his body heat. “I’m sure you don’t want us looking over your shoulder while you cook, right?”

I chuckled. “Yeah, I’d rather work alone. Should I just call out when everything’s ready?”

“Over here.” Duncan moved to a nearby, blocky, dark wood table. “Just set whatever you have out and give us a shout. There are trays in those cabinets up above. And Robert?”

Robert had moved to another counter and was fussing with his juicer. A pile of vegetables and fruits sat out alongside him, as well as several liquor bottles. “Yeah?”

“How about you do a couple combination trays of your cocktails? And give Zach one early, if he wants it.”

“Sure. Zach, you want to try a cucumber one?”

Greg wrinkled his nose. “Cucumber cocktails? With like…cucumber juice?”

Robert smiled. “They’re good. You’ll see.”

“Maybe I’ll stick to wine,” Shaylin said.

“Oh, you will not,” Duncan said. “You’ll try everything.” He smiled at Robert, then winked at me. “Sorry, guys. I invited these cretins over to try your goodies because they’re picky and skeptical. Figure if we can impress them, we’re doing okay.”

Great. Just great. I had to cook for bratty, picky eaters.

“We’ll leave you both to it,” Duncan said, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze.

He left the kitchen with his minions in tow, and I heard giggling as they disappeared to somewhere else in the house. I turned and looked at Robert, who raised his dark eyebrows. “What do you say?” Robert smiled. “Should we blow their fucking minds?”

“I think we pretty much have to at this point.”

He nodded and turned to his juicer. “Let me know if I can help you out with anything. You’ve clearly got the bigger job.”

“Thanks, I will.”

Jazz suddenly piped into the kitchen, likely a consideration from Duncan. I went to work. Duncan’s kitchen was a dream, and I had serious house-envy as I heated the ovens and prepped my dishes. With the sound of Robert’s juicer rattling over the music, I got into a rhythm, and actually began to hum as I worked. I managed to clear my mind and focus only on the task at hand.

At one point Robert set a cocktail down before me with a cucumber garnish. It tasted fresh and delicious, tart with a hint of sweetness. “This is awesome,” I said. “How did you sweeten it?”

“Just a little agave. Still pretty low calorie though.”

I nodded and took another sip before returning to my cooking. “It’s great. Thanks.”

I was pretty damn proud of myself, because with all the space in the ovens and stovetops and indoor grill, I was able to get all my tapas done at nearly the same time. Robert had set down trays of drinks on the table, the cucumber ones along with other pink and clear and green things in nice glasses with different garnishes like mint and lemon. He helped me carry my food over, and we examined the table.

“Everything looks great,” Robert said.

“Yeah. Are we forgetting anything? Oh shit. We need little tasting plates. And napkins. And fuck, silverware.”

“Relax, I’ve got it,” Robert said, and darted back to the island, pulling open drawers. Robert seemed to know where everything was, and I wondered exactly how close he was with Duncan.

Robert and I finished adorning the table, which I had to admit, looked amazing. He lit two white candles and set them out. The sun was getting low in the sky, and I dimmed the overhead lights to give the room atmosphere. I stepped back and took a couple pictures of the table with my phone, then Robert called out, “Duncan! We’re ready!”

Shaylin stepped into the kitchen first, her lipstick a bit smudged, and her eyes widened. “Oh man, I’m starving. I hope I can eat this weird stuff.”

Robert’s gaze flicked to mine, and I rolled my eyes.

Duncan came in with his arm around Greg, which enhanced my confusion about what these particular friendships entailed, particularly with Shaylin’s smudged lipstick. “Oh, my goodness,” Duncan said breaking from Greg and beaming. “This looks amazing, you two.”

“Dig in,” I said.

They did. I was particularly glad I’d ignored my friend Sarah’s advice and included my eggplant rollups, because they were the biggest hit. But all of the dishes were met with approval, and no one held back. They tore at the food like a pack of hungry wolves.

“Hang on,” Greg said with a mouthful of stuffed sweet potato. “This is vegan sour cream?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Everything’s vegan, no dairy.”

“Even the cheese in the eggplant?” Shaylin asked.

“Yes. It’s made from nuts.”

“Holy shit,” she said, and slid another one onto her plate, which made me smile.

Duncan took a slice of my stuffed portabella mushroom and fed it to Robert with his fingers. “Try this.”

Robert looked pleased, staring into Duncan’s eyes as he opened his mouth. I thought his lips might have purposely lingered on Duncan’s fingers as he accepted the bite, but suddenly he turned his gaze to me as he chewed. “Oh my God, Zach, that is so good.”

“Thank you.”

Duncan asked what everyone thought of the cocktails, likely because Greg and Shaylin were too busy drinking them to comment. But they took a moment to compliment Robert on the drinks, though Greg muttered, “Could be stronger,” before draining his glass. He shrugged. “But not bad. Tasty.”

“Even the cucumber one?” Robert asked.

“Yeah. I am officially proven wrong. Cheers.”

Duncan gently grasped my elbow and pulled me aside. “Everything was delicious.”

“Glad you liked it.”

“What is in that creamy cheese you put in the eggplant? Can I ask now?”

I got my menu sheet, which listed each item and its ingredients.

Duncan barked out a laugh. “Elfy Choices?”

I flushed. I’d kind of forgotten I’d left that title on there. “Uh, yeah. Just a joke I came up with when I was planning the menu.”

Duncan’s eyes twinkled. “I like it. Can I keep this page?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Shaylin strolled over and gave Duncan a kiss on the lips that lingered for a few seconds. “Greg and I have to head out. But thanks for everything.”

“Should you be driving?” Duncan asked as he cupped her chin with his fingers.

“Greg says he’s fine.”

“Greg,” Duncan called over. “I can get a car to drive you home if you’ve had too much to drink.”

Greg walked over and pulled Duncan into a hug. “I’m fine. Drinks weren’t that strong.”

Robert sighed. “The drinks all have a shot of booze in them!”

“Just one?” Greg asked as he stepped back from Duncan. “No wonder!”

“All right, all right,” Duncan said. “Just be careful driving.”

After Greg and Shaylin left, I began cleaning and packing my shit up. Duncan leaned in and grabbed my arm. I looked at him, my heart beginning to pound with how close he was to me, the feel of his warm fingers on my skin. “You don’t have to do that,” he said. “I’ll get everything cleaned up and bring it back to you at work.”

“Oh. Are you sure?”

“I can help clean up,” Robert said. “But I have to head out soon too, got work early. Zach, am I giving you a ride?”

“Uh, yeah, I guess.”

“You don’t have to clean up, Robert,” Duncan said. “I’ll have your stuff returned to you as well. I’d like Zach to stay a bit longer if he can, to discuss some things.”

“Oh.” Robert smiled. “The thing you already discussed with me?”

“Yes.” Duncan smiled. “That thing.”

“What thing?” I asked.

“Stay and I’ll explain.”

“Okay.”

Robert wrapped his arms around Duncan, smiling. “So then you liked what we gave you tonight.”

“Your drinks were amazing, Robert.”

“Great!” Robert released Duncan and patted my shoulder. “You should stay and talk to Duncan.”

Duncan turned to me. “I’ll arrange a car to take you home afterward.”

Nerves tickled my stomach, because I wasn’t sure being left alone with Duncan was healthy for me. The last time I was alone with him our conversation had gotten very personal. He had a way of putting me at ease, maybe too at ease. It was confusing. Jitters took hold of me whenever he was around, but I knew once we were alone and I was looking into his hypnotic eyes, hearing his soothing voice, that willingness to spill all my secrets would probably return. I vowed to be cautious.

Robert bid us goodbye. He seemed like a nice guy, good-natured, and I’d enjoyed spending time with him. Pleasing Duncan had obviously made Robert cheerier still. I liked Duncan, but found all the ass kissing I’d seen going on here tonight a little squirmy, everyone behaving like he was the prize, like they’d all slept with him or something. Maybe they had. If so, they’d clearly not been left disappointed.

“Come on out back,” Duncan said to me. “Grab a drink.”

I picked up a cloudy cocktail from the table and sipped it. It tasted like pear juice.

“Is it good?” Duncan asked.

“Yeah. Really good.”

“Can I try?”

It felt slightly intimate, but I handed my drink to Duncan, who took a sip, his eyes shifting. “Yeah. Greg was right. These need more alcohol. What’s in this, rum?”

“I think it’s tequila.”

Duncan chuckled. “See? We can’t even tell. Hang on.” He poured an extra dollop of tequila into my drink, and handed it back to me. Then he grabbed another off the tray and did the same for himself.

“Good thing I’m not driving,” I said. I had no idea what Duncan meant by ‘getting me a car home’ after we talked, whether he’d call me an Uber or had a minotaur butler around here somewhere, but I assumed he had a plan.

“Come on out back,” he said, and left the kitchen.

With my pear martini or whatever the hell it had been transformed into now, I followed Duncan out of the kitchen and through his house, finally reaching a wide set of glass doors off a fancy dining room in the rear.

The fence surrounding the vast, spacious back garden was strung with honeysuckle and vines. I saw a large swimming pool ahead, a set of fountains, little iron tables and chairs, and multiple trees donning white lights. Trellises were shrouded in tangled vines and flowers, and here and there stood stone statues of imps and fairies and gnomes. I stopped short, unable to stop my laughter from bubbling up.

Duncan turned back to me with a frown. “Did I make that drink too strong?”

“No, it’s just your house is so you.”

Smiling, Duncan asked, “How would you know what represents me?”

“I mean…your back garden here reminds me a little of Mythic. Like an enchanted forest threw up all over the lawn.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “As I said, I like pretty things. Come, sit by the pool with me.”

The glassy blue water was dimly lit, and two inflatable chairs floated around in there, one with a colorful umbrella. Duncan led me to one of the little tables at the pool’s edge, setting his drink down. When I sat, I was aware of how damn small the table was, my arm briefly brushing Duncan’s. His eyes met mine. “Can I run an idea by you?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”

“I’ve got a medium-sized, fenced-in yard in back of Mythic that I’m almost finished renovating into an outdoor bar area. It’ll be decorated garden-style, much like the main club, but I’m thinking about making it a themed center for the vegetarian tapas and healthy drinks.”

“So…you’re putting like a kitchen back there too or will you run things out from the main bar?”

“It’s already done, it has its own kitchen, just a tiny, closed off hut in the back for food and drink service. The rest of the space will be all tables and atmosphere. A trellis roof with glass that slides over when it rains, but open to the air when it’s nice outside.”

“Well, shit. That sounds great. How long have you been planning this?”

“The outdoor bar itself? A while. Just wasn’t sure what exactly I’d do with it. You and Robert have helped solidify my plans.”

“I’m flattered, Duncan, but all I did was suggest you put some veggie aps on the menu.”

“And I’d like to use your recipes. If you approve of that.”

“You don’t need my approval. I’m glad you liked the food, but you asked and I offered. You can do what you want with it now.”

“Well, I was hoping you and Robert could run the outdoor bar together.”

“Run?”

“Yes. Manage it together.”

“Uh…what would that entail exactly?”

“Do you think you could teach others to make the tapas you just prepared for me? If they’re already professional cooks?”

“Yeah. Sure I could.”

He smiled and took a hearty swallow of his drink. “Then you just supervise. You and Robert can share the bar and serve drinks, make sure the food is made properly and orders are timely. I’ll put a bunch of elf waiters out there for table service, so you won’t be swamped.”

“I’m confused,” I said. “So you basically want me to teach a couple cooks to make the veggie tapas, and you’re moving me to the outdoor bar with Robert, where we’ll serve the healthy cocktails.”

“And manage the entire area, staff, and so on.”

“But I’m not a manager. I know Robert has some experience, but I’ve never done anything like that.”

“It’s all about organization and delegation. I’ll keep it simple, Zach. It’s a far smaller area and will be far fewer staff than the main bar. We can keep the menu small as well, strictly the veggie tapas, and limit the drinks to Robert’s cocktails. If customers want something else they can get it in the main club. Think of the garden bar as working at a beach hut, except in the middle of Boston, and with an enchanted forest theme.”

I laughed hard. “That’s not a thing, Duncan.”

“It is now.” He grinned and squeezed my hand briefly before letting it go. “What I mean is, it’s not going to be this big intimidating supervisory job. It’s a manageable space. I think you can handle it, you’ll learn. We’ll do training before it opens for business. I’ve still got some cosmetic stuff to finish out there.”

I leaned back in my chair and drummed my fingers on the table. “Are you really offering me a new job here?”

“I am. I’d like Elfy Choices to be your baby. Yours and Robert’s.”

“Oh come on.” I laughed. “You’re actually gonna call it that? Elfy Choices?”

“Why not?” Duncan grinned and swirled his drink. “You gave me the perfect theme with that name, it’ll be fun to advertise, very straight forward. Although…” His eyes drifted over my body. “You’re a bit too muscular to be an elf yourself. But I suppose it will still jibe with the theme if you keep your current wood nymph costume. And of course, it would be a significant pay raise for you.”

Oh. Well, more money sounded good. But why the hell was he choosing me for this? “But…don’t you want someone more experienced with management stuff? I’m just a bartender.”

He set his drink down and leaned on his elbows. “I’ve watched you work. You’re a powerhouse and you never tire out. Plus, you told me recently that you felt pigeonholed. That you didn’t know what to do with your life but that you knew there was more to you. Thought you might like a change. And to make more money.”

“Right.” I chuckled. “Of course I would, and I’m super grateful for the offer, believe me. I’m not trying to talk you out of this, it’s just…I tend to have bad luck. I’m always struggling when I try to do something new. So, while it sounds fantastic, I don’t want to disappoint you. At least with bartending I know what I’m doing.”

“Zach…” He leaned back and picked up his drink. “There’s this misconception that growth has to come with struggle. But sometimes you never know what someone’s capable of until you give them a leg up.”

“And that’s what you want to give me. A leg up. See what I’m capable of.”

“You don’t want it?”

“I do but…what if it fails? What if I’m wrong and no one wants to eat healthy food and drink Robert’s boozed-up cucumber juice and it doesn’t make any money?”

Duncan shrugged. “If it fails, it fails.”

“So this is just an experiment for you.”

“Everything’s an experiment. Mythic was an experiment. I’ve got money, and it’s mine to play with. This is what I want to do. It’s as simple as that.”

I realized I hadn’t eaten much today and the alcohol was hitting my system hard. This was probably not the time to be making big life decisions, but what the hell did I have to lose? I had no idea what to do with my life currently, and shit, at least this was something. If Duncan wanted to pay me to run his weird outdoor garden of healthy delights, well, I had no good reason to say no.

So why was I hesitating? I supposed because this meant I was making a commitment to Duncan. I’d been dealing with the fact I was working for Corey’s uncle because I knew I could walk away any time. This would lock me in with more responsibility. Duncan was taking a chance on me. But the whole point of starting at Mythic was to make money. I’d be stupid to turn it down because of my own dumb issues.

“I don’t want to wear wings anymore,” I said.

Duncan nearly tipped over in his chair laughing. “That’s your greatest concern right now? I figured you’d ask me about health insurance or something.”

“I really, really hate those fucking wings.”

“Does that mean you’re accepting my offer?”

“Yes. If I don’t have to wear the wings.”

Duncan sighed as the laughter trailed out of him. “Fine, Zach. You don’t have to wear wings. But I will still expect you to dress to theme. You’ll be supervising the wait staff, but I’m going to pull experienced ones from the main bar. And you’ll train the cooks, but I ultimately want you to get them so they don’t need supervision. I want you and Robert visible at the bar a lot during shifts.”

“Fair enough. So can I wear something other than the wood nymph costume?”

Duncan studied me. His eyes narrowed. “I like you in the wood nymph costume.”

Everything below my waist suddenly heated. “Do you?”

“Very, very much,” he said.

Oh. Shit. Corey’s uncle just fucking flirted with me. Didn’t he? No completely straight guy would make a comment like that. I must have been getting a little drunk, because I felt confident suddenly, pleased by the comment. “So you’re ordering me to stick with the nymph uniform.”

“Without wings of course, I’ll make that concession.” Duncan crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s still my club, after all. I get to design the scenery.”

I laughed. “Oh now I’m scenery?”

“Every one of my staff is part of the scenery, you must realize that.”

“Just a little boy playing with your dollhouse, huh?”

“I don’t play with dolls,” Duncan said. “I assure you, I prefer big-boy toys.”

Awkwardness slammed into me, and it was two-fold. Duncan’s comment was clearly innuendo, but it also seemed a bit of a hand-slap. It reminded me of that firm, resigned way he’d said ‘I’m not trying to screw you’ that day in the club. It was the same tone when he said I don’t play with dolls. Was I one of his dolls? Was he insinuating I was too much of a child for him to ever play with? And why did that hit me with a blow of disappointment?

And embarrassment, though Duncan was still smirking. I tried to recover, but began babbling instead. “I’m sure you have enough of those. Um…you know, not dolls but... Big boy toys. I mean, you’ve got your pick of everything I’d guess.”

Instead of saving me from myself, he sipped his drink casually and I could see humor dancing in his eyes. “My pick of everything? What do you mean by that?”

He reminded me of Corey in that moment, not only because he looked hot as fuck with his tan and ridiculously nice eyes in the low lights of the back garden. But also because he was clearly adept at those little psychological head games Corey liked to play. Duncan knew I was uncomfortable, that I’d just babbled myself into a corner, but instead of making it easier on me, he seemed to be enjoying it.

His brows rose. “Hmm?”

“I meant…forget it.”

“Why forget it? I told you the night we had martinis in the bar, you can ask me anything. You’re clearly curious about something.”

Once again, I felt emotionally naked in his presence. “I meant you can probably play with whoever you want. Like those guests you had over tonight. They were like moths to a flame. You’ve got that thing that draws people in, just like…”

“Like what?”

“Like Corey.”

All amusement left Duncan’s expression. While he still held my gaze, the light had left his eyes. “Oh.” He stood, picking up his glass. “One more?”

Because I needed to figure out where I’d just gone wrong and fix it, I handed him my glass. “One more. If…unless you need me to leave now.”

His smile returned, but it wasn’t as bright. “Same again?” he asked, holding my empty glass up.

“Yeah, sure.”

He patted my shoulder as he passed by, then disappeared into the greenery, heading back toward the house.

Fuck. Why was I suddenly so confused? I didn’t think it was just the alcohol. Duncan made a flirty comment about my work costume, so he fucking started it. But I’d managed to take that simple, straightforward comment and twist it into a balloon animal of sexual innuendo. What weighed more heavily on me was why he appeared to freeze up when I mentioned Corey. Sure, Corey was Duncan’s family, but we’d discussed him before. Duncan had even brought him up in the past, questioned me about how things ended.

When he returned with two more drinks, he was chipper again. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

“So,” he said, looking me over. “Let’s talk about Corey.”