“Oh fuck,” I mutter to myself, but Paul must hear me because he bursts out laughing without restraint. “Fuck you!” I tell him immediately.
“I didn’t even speak!”
“There is no need.”
“I knew it!” he then says.
“What?”
“You like him.”
“Shut up!”
“Nice tie,” he comments, making me turn back to Seth, who has just noticed us. The drink he was pouring spilt disastrously onto the counter, sliding towards the customer waiting for it.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” Seth immediately tries to stop the liquid with paper, but the customer has already stood up, pissed off.
“Are you stupid or what?” he shouts into his face.
“I don’t… I…”
“Look what the fuck you did!”
“I’m mortified.”
“Why don’t you pour him another?” Paul inserts himself between them before it can escalate. “Double.” He slides a note onto the counter. “It’s on me,” he says, addressing the guy, who sits back down, immediately abandoning any idea of belligerence.
I said that Paul always knows how to get what he wants!
Seth pours another drink for the customer, his hands trembling even more than before; he wipes his palms on his thighs, takes a breath that nips in the bud what I was about to take, then steps closer, his bright eyes on me.
I’m beginning to think that I’ve screwed myself with my own hands and without even much effort.
I got myself into this fucking mess, and it was easier than I thought.
“Maybe we should have called,” I say after clearing my throat.
“You told me you were coming by, but it was getting late and I thought?—”
“I’m sorry. I got held up.”
Thankfully, the music is less deafening in this part of the venue. I don’t even have to shout to be heard.
“Maybe it wasn’t appropriate, but Paul wanted a different night, and so we thought, you know…”
“Oh, of course! You thought well!”
“We wanted to sit down, but…” Paul looks over his shoulder. “Should we have booked?”
Seth turns to the other bartender standing next to him. “I’ll be gone for two minutes, OK?”
The guy nods, and then Seth turns back to us. “I’ll find you a table right away.”
“Don’t bother for us, really. We’re here for a quick drink, aren’t we, Paul?”
Seth joins us on the other side of the counter.
“I really would like to watch at least one show,” my friend replies.
