Rugged Guard - Jason Collins Page 0,19
memory as I poured a shot of whiskey into the mug. “I’ve made some disastrous drink choices before.”
“Yeah? Like what?”
“Like following this recipe that I found online from the 70s or something,” I answered. “It was for a drink that was like, a few parts vodka and a few more parts beef broth.”
“I’m sorry? Did you just say beef broth?”
“Yeah, it’s apparently a thing.” I shrugged. “Or it was a thing? But unfortunately for me, I found out the hard way during one of Eddie’s big birthday party blowouts that it was a thing that most people hated.”
“Oh no,” Derek murmured. “Please, don’t tell me that you ruined your brother’s birthday.”
“Hey, I didn’t ruin his whole party. Just the drinks.” I laughed again. “And he’s mostly forgiven me for it. I think. Anyway, that’s just one of the several reasons I’m never going to be a bartender.”
“Good. It kind of sounds like you should be banned from making drinks going forward.” Derek laughed now too before he looked down at the mug. “Am I going to get some hot chocolate? Or am I just supposed to drink it straight?”
“It’s coming, it’s coming…” I replied. “You really shouldn’t rush the guy making your drinks, you know, especially when I’m dealing with so many other customers.”
I poured what was left of the hot chocolate into Derek’s mug before I handed him the drink.
He took the mug into his grip with a smile still on his face. “Thank you.”
“Anytime. You’re always welcome at Parker’s Late-Night Bar,” I joked. “Even though our business hours are pretty erratic.”
Just then, a silence fell between us as Derek took a few sips of his drink. After another minute or two, he started up our conversation again. “Why was that guy at the bar last night such a massive asshole to you?”
“Aren’t massive assholes that way with everybody?”
“Yeah, but he made it seem personal,” Derek continued. “Like you two used to know each other or something.” Derek went silent for a second time before his question came out as a whisper. “He wasn’t like your ex-boyfriend or anything, was he?”
“You really think I’d date a guy like that?” I frowned.
“Well, we all make mistakes.” Derek grinned.
“Not that big.” I rolled my eyes before I went on. “But no. We never dated. We barely even talked before last night.”
“But he seemed like he had a bone to pick with you or—”
“I… might’ve developed a reputation for being… a certain way.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, let’s just say that back when I was in high school, I wasn’t really close with a lot of people,” I replied. “I kept a really small inner circle, which was mainly due to my dad. It wasn’t easy for me to get close to people, or trust them, not when I was being raised by a guy who’d be gone for weeks at a time with weak excuses. And then, after Joey died… all of it just made me a little… cold.”
“Huh. But you’re not cold anymore,” Derek said. “Honestly, I think you’re one of the warmest people I’ve ever met.”
“Yeah, because people change.” I smiled. “And when I got a little older, I realized that being stand-offish wasn’t doing me any favors. But it doesn’t really matter how much I’ve changed, because some people will always remember me as the kid who didn’t really speak to the other kids in the hall.”
“Does that ever bother you? Being remembered that way?”
“No.” I shrugged before I took a sip of my drink. “Because I can’t control what other people think about me, and that includes you, too.” I paused for a moment before I asked, “What do you think about me, anyway?”
“What do I think of you?” Derek hummed.
“Come on. Give me the honest truth.” I chuckled. “I can take it. What do you think about me?”
“I think… you’re a really good person,” Derek answered. “And I think that you’re going to continue to be good for the rest of your life.”
“Right. I bet you say that to all of your security clients.” I playfully scoffed.
“I also think that you should give Billy a chance.”
“What?” I shook my head in disbelief. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t do that. Don’t act surprised about it.” Derek lightly laughed. “You know that Billy likes you, right? He flirts with you every chance he gets. You don’t see it?”
“Billy and I—I would never—” I struggled to find the right way to respond. “Billy isn’t really my type.”
“He seems nice enough,”