Rum & Ginger (15 page)

Ben was ecstatic with the delicious meal. Everyone else must have been as well because no one spoke, just tucked in to the food. After a few moments, Ben finally told Rosa just how good the food tasted. “This is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten, Rosa.”

“Gracias, Mister Ben,” she answered, once she’d finished chewing. Ben’s declaration was followed by noises of agreement, but no one else seemed willing to pause long enough to actually speak. The gathered guests nearly licked their plates clean.

“Hot damn, Rosa,” Lena exclaimed as she leaned back on her bar stool. “That was frickin’ awesome.” Another general sound of agreement followed.

“Gracias, Miss Lena. Gracias. I am very glad you liked it.” Rosa finished her food last, then began clearing everyone’s plates.

“You should taste her chicken mushroom enchiladas,” Derek told his friends. “It’s like heaven wrapped in a tortilla.”

“That sounds awesome,” Burnsy said quietly, squinting against the sound of his own voice.

“We should do a dinner party,” Derek offered. “You feel like cooking dinner anytime soon, Rosa?”

Rosa paused in her cleaning up. “Mm. I am free Thursday.”

“What do you say? Thursday? Dinner party.” Derek looked around at his guests. Ben and Lena both shrugged while the others nodded. “Cool. Enchilada Thursday. Do you want to take the MasterCard, Rosa, so you can pick up stuff for dinner?”

“Sí, Mister Derek. I’ll take it. You want me to buy the wine too?”

“No,” Ben interjected. “Let me get the wine. If I’m going to pull my weight here, I’ll contribute as well.”

“Dude,” Derek said, dismissively. “It’s cool. Don’t worry about
it.”

“Seriously. I want to,” Ben responded. “What kind of sauce do you put on them, Rosa?”

She paused while cleaning the dishes and turned toward him. “I use a spicy mushroom sauce.”

“Brown sauce?” Ben asked.

“Sí.”

“So white wines would go best.” Ben spoke more to himself than anyone else.

“Sí.”

“Awesome. I’ve already got some ideas,” Ben announced.

“Whatever. I’m there,” Lena said, rising. “But I should get out of here. I have to get some shit done before work. Thanks, Rosa. Derek.”

Rosa inclined her head, and Derek flashed a lascivious smile. “No problem, sweet cheeks,” he responded as he stood.

In one smooth movement, Lena socked Derek in the stomach and then guided him back to his seat. “How many times do I have to tell you? Knock that shit off.” She stepped back as he clutched his stomach. “That was a great party.” She pecked a kiss on Ben’s cheek and went to Ben’s room in the basement to retrieve her clothes.

“Damn,” Derek groaned once she was gone. “That was hot.”

“Shit, yeah,” Burnsy agreed. The three girls only scowled in response for a moment before they announced they were leaving as well. True to form, Burnsy offered them rides home, and the four left after thanking Derek and Ben for a great time. Lena returned just after the rest had gone and bid her farewells. Rosa had finished with the cleaning up and was ready to leave as well. Lena offered her a ride, and they left together. Ben and Derek remained in the empty house.

“I think I’m going to go to bed for a bit,” Derek said. “I slept on the coffee table. Not super refreshing.”

“That’s cool,” Ben answered. “I’m probably going to run to the store and grab some stuff to stock my rooms.”

“Good call. Sorry I didn’t have time to furnish the fridge and shit.”

Ben made a dismissive gesture. “Nah. It’s fine. I’m just going to grab some basics.”

“Oh shit,” Derek barked. “I’ll be right back.” He ran off down the hallway, and Ben stood waiting for him to return, wondering why Derek had suddenly run off. He returned with a key ring. “Here.” He held the key and ring out to Ben. “It’s the extra house key. I almost forgot.”

“Oh. Cool. Thanks,” Ben said, accepting the ring.

“No problem. I’m beat. I’m going to crash.” Derek scratched his hair and yawned. “What are you doing after work?”

Ben thought about it. “I don’t know. Nothing, I guess.”

“You want to grab a drink?” Derek asked. “At Mike’s or wherever?”

Ben couldn’t believe Derek was already thinking about going out. But then again, Ben didn’t have anyone to answer to anymore. Maybe he would like to get a drink after work. “Yeah. Maybe,” he finally said. “Depends how I feel.”

“Cool. Let me know. I’m out.” Derek lifted his hand as he turned to go to his room.

Ben watched him and then dashed downstairs to get his bankcard so he could do a little shopping.

T
HAT
EVENING
after Ben finished closing up T.C. McFlannigan’s, he met Derek at the B&V. Derek was already sitting at the bar with two drinks in front of him when Ben walked in. Ben hailed him and took the stool next to him at the bar. Derek pushed one of the drinks in front of Ben. “First round’s on me,” Derek said.

“Thanks.” Ben accepted the glass and drank. “So what’s up?”

Derek shrugged. “Nothin’. I just bummed around the house mostly. I was going to go into work for a bit, but eh. You?”

“Just work. Fatties and bitchers mostly.” Ben drank the smoky amber liquid. He didn’t usually go for Scotch, but this had an interesting citrus note. “Another night in the trenches.”

“Amen to that, brother,” Derek said with a salute. “Heard anything from Chance?”

Ben sighed. “Yeah. He’s texted me about twenty times and called at least ten.”

“Not answering him?”

“Not yet. I just don’t think I’m ready.” Ben shook his glass to hear the ice clink on the side.

“Afraid he’ll be able to talk you into taking him back?” Derek asked, then swallowed the last of his Scotch. He raised his hand for another.

Ben stopped him from getting his wallet out. “I got this one.” Ben wasn’t too surprised when Brodie appeared to refill Derek’s glass. “Hey,” Ben said.

“Hey,” Brodie answered. “Same?” he asked Derek. Derek nodded, and Brodie grabbed a bottle, pouring Derek’s drink. “How about you, Ben? Rum and ginger?”

“Please.” Ben watched as Brodie mixed the drink with a little flourish.

“Thirteen,” Brodie said as he placed the drink on a napkin in front of Ben.

Ben pulled a twenty from his pocket and handed it over. “Jesus. Ten-dollar Scotch?” he asked Derek.

“I like good Scotch. Life’s too short. I might as well enjoy it while I can.” Derek sipped his drink, closed his eyes, and smiled. “Ah.”

“That’s a fair point,” Ben agreed and pulled the stirrer from his drink before he brought it to his lips.

“So are you going to answer my question or what?” Derek asked.

“I don’t know. I guess in a way I
want
him to talk me into coming back. But I honestly don’t think he would. He’s more content to let life happen to him and roll with it. So, yeah, everything’s still too raw at the moment for me to talk to him.”

“It’s so weird to hear one dude talk about another dude like that,” Derek said, shaking his head.

“You asked,” Ben reminded him.

“True.” Derek sipped his Scotch. “Do you hate him?”

“No. Strangely enough, I don’t. I think I’m still pissed at him, but I can honestly say I don’t hate him.”

“Still love him?” Derek’s question surprised Ben. For thinking it strange to hear Ben talk about Chance in this way, Derek was sure asking pointed questions.

“In a way, I suppose. I think once I stop being pissed at him, we can probably stay friends. I mean, he probably knows me better than anyone else. And I definitely know him better than anyone.”

“You’re lucky. I know you guys weren’t married or anything, but I hate Jennie. And I know she hates me. It’s too bad we couldn’t get along for the kids’ sake.”

“That does suck.” Ben took another swig.

“Do you ever get to see them?” Brodie interjected. “Sorry. I wasn’t trying to listen but, well, bartender.”

“Nah. That’s cool.” Derek waved off the apology. “Not as often as I’d like. I’m supposed to see them every other weekend, but they’re both involved with stuff. Mikey’s in soccer and Ginny has gymnastics, so some weekends they’re just too busy. But I try to go to all the games and meets and whatnot. Jennie always gets them first on holidays. So my Christmas will always be the day after Christmas. Birthday parties never happen on their actual birthdays.”

“That’s pretty shitty of her,” Ben said, trying to console his friend.

“Yeah,” Brodie agreed. “It really is.”

“It works out,” Derek continued. “She’s got a new boyfriend. They’ve been taking a vacation at least once every three months or so. When they do, she can’t be bothered with the kids. They come spend the week with me.”

“At least there’s that,” Brodie said before he was called away by another patron.

Derek waited for Brodie to mix two appletinis and return before he spoke. “I had to fight for it, though. That bitch hired a nanny, and the first time they went on vacation after, Jennie wasn’t going to let them stay with me.”

“What?” Ben exclaimed.

“Yeah. She wanted to leave them with the nanny. I was pissed.”

“I would be too,” Brodie stated.

“I had my lawyer send her a letter, threatening to take her to court. In the end she caved.”

“Wow.” Ben shook his head.

“Geez,” Brodie added.

“Yeah. I know.” Derek finished his drink.

“This one’s on me,” Brodie said as he poured Derek another.

“Thanks, B.”

“I’ll have another as well,” Ben said. Brodie dutifully mixed Ben’s drink.

“Where’s Leeny?” he asked, placing the drink without a stirrer in front of Ben.

“She had a date,” Ben answered, handing over a five. Brodie shook his head and winked, but Ben placed the five on the bar anyway. “She left work early to get ready.”

“I can’t picture Leeny on a date with one guy,” Brodie said, looking off as if he were actually trying to picture it.

“Yeah. She’s very George Clooney,” Ben observed. “She’ll never settle down.”

“
And
she likes dudes,” Derek added. It took a second for Ben and Brodie to get the joke. When they did they both laughed heartily. For the next half hour, the conversation turned into a debate about the actor’s sexual preferences. Ben nursed his drink the whole time, so by the time he stood and announced his departure, he had mostly water with a hint of soda.

“Aw, come on. One more drink?” Derek offered.

“Nah.” Ben stood. “I’m going to head out. I didn’t get a whole lot of sleep last night and it’s catching up with me. You want a ride?”

“I’m going to stay for a bit,” Derek replied.

“Okay.” Ben turned to Brodie. “Later, Brodie. Thanks.”

“See you, Ben. Drive safe.”

“Yep.” Ben turned to leave. He stepped out onto the sidewalk and headed for his car.

“Ben!” Brodie’s voice stopped him just before he turned the corner, and he looked back to see the bartender jogging toward him. “Hey.”

“Hey. What’s up?” Ben worried that something might be wrong.

“Nothing. I just…,” Brodie started. “I just wanted to make sure everything was cool. With us, I mean.”

“Are we an ‘us’ now?” Ben asked.

“What? No… I… uh,” Brodie stammered.

“Settle down,” Ben said with a chuckle. “I’m just messin’ with you.”

“Nice,” Brodie said sarcastically. “I guess it’s a good sign that you can give me shit.”

“When do you have a day off next?” Ben asked.

“Not again until next week. But I’m not sure. I haven’t gotten my schedule yet.”

“Well, when you do, let me know. We’ll hang out,” Ben told him. “If you want,” he added quickly, not wanting to presume too much.

“Cool. Yeah. Definitely.” Brodie stood for a moment in silence. “Yeah. Well, I should probably get back in there before they miss me.”

“Sure. Go. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Yeah. Cool. Okay. Have a good one, Ben.”

“Thanks. Later.” Ben raised a hand in departure, and Brodie returned the wave. They walked in opposite directions, Ben to his car and Brodie back to the bar.

B
EN
PASSED
the next few days in a haze of repetition. Wake. Exercise. Work. Repeat. He talked to Lena about her date, which unsurprisingly disappointed her. The guy was an accountant, and his sole interest seemed to be his cat. Chance continued to text Ben, though he’d ceased calling. Derek had people over almost every night. The gatherings weren’t the party of the first night, but they were raucous affairs. Ben avoided them for the most part. He would have a drink or two, talk to Derek’s friends, who were slowly becoming his friends, and then he would retreat to his rooms.

Chance’s texts had begun to taper off, and Ben wasn’t sure whether he thought that was a good thing or not. Lena’s date apparently gave her the flu, so she hadn’t been at work or out for more than a week. Ben visited her a few times, taking her soup, tea, and movies. The days melted together. Derek’s constant partying started to wear on Ben’s nerves by the second month. There wasn’t a night that Ben didn’t come home to at least one or two guests in the house. Ben began to second-guess his decision to move in with Derek. It wasn’t helping that Brodie hadn’t been in touch either.