Winter's Gamble (4 page)

“And that makes you an expert on love advice?” Carl stretched out one leg over Devyn’s.

Devyn could feel his teeth tightening. “Well, no. But I’ve been with you for a long time. They know that, and I’m a popular local performer.” He drummed his hand on the edge of the couch. He’d been unsure how to take the call, but he didn’t appreciate Carl’s attitude. Who put a bug up his ass?

“None of those things make you qualified to write a column like that.” Carl didn’t seem to realize he was getting on Devyn’s bad side and kept up. Usually he wasn’t so oblivious. Or maybe he was up to something?

Devyn looked at him sharply. “Well, aren’t you Debbie Downer.” He continued to drum his fingers impatiently, making tapping sounds against the smooth material. Carl usually supported him.
What gives?

“Hey, I’m not trying to be.” Carl grasped Devyn’s leg and soothed it softly with his fingertips. “I…I think it seems weird. I’m not saying anything about you.”

“What’s on your mind? I know there’s something.” Carl wouldn’t be so evasive if he didn’t think Devyn was going to get mad, but Devyn needed to know what he thought. Carl would tell him after a while. He always did. They’d work it out. They always did.

“It seems odd. Them asking a drag queen to write this article. You know…what people are like. We ain’t exactly mainstream.”

Devyn sat quietly for a minute, digesting what Carl was saying. He had a point. And as usual he was looking out for Devyn’s interests. Then again, a little publicity never hurt anyone—be it bad or good.

“I think they’re going for sensationalism.” Carl said the words quietly, and his gaze didn’t meet Devyn’s. “Just like when they did that piece on gay marriage. I mean it’s not legal here and never will be.”

It had happened before. Journalists saying one thing and coming in to swoop on Rose and do something different. They’d put a spin on the story to try to ignite controversy, which wasn’t needed. The mere fact Rose was a drag queen often ignited a firestorm. Devyn had had his hopes up before, and they’d been dashed. So Carl was looking out for him in his usual conservative way. And Devyn caught his dig about gay marriage. The man never gave up trying to put that off. If Devyn weren’t so confident, he might get a complex. Or maybe it did give him a complex. They were already committed. Why didn’t Carl want to take it a step further? “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

“I know. I worry, though.”

“You don’t think I can do it.” Devyn pulled his leg out from under Carl’s hand and was threatening to get up from the couch. He needed to get away from Carl’s touch so he could think about this rationally.

Carl placed a gentle hand on him, halting his progress. “No! That’s not what I meant. I think they are trying to go for…that angle that I mentioned. And they’re using you for that. That’s not right.”

“But I can make this work.” Devyn hadn’t been sure when the phone call first came in, but now that he was thinking about it, he wanted to do this. Just like he’d known he wanted to be with Carl soon after they’d gotten together. He’d also known he wanted to make a commitment to Carl. “Think of the publicity. Think of my—Rose’s name out there.” He didn’t try to get away from Carl. They needed to talk this out.

“But it could backfire, Devyn. There are nut jobs who don’t believe anyone should be gay.”

“Like my dad.” Devyn’s lip trembled. He could feel it but couldn’t control it, and he hated it. His dad didn’t agree with his lifestyle and had cut him out of anything related to family. Luckily Devyn’s mom and he were divorced, and Devyn’s mom was extremely supportive, so he at least had that half of his immediate kin.

“Like your dad.”

“He’s never going to accept me, no matter what I do. He’s made that clear. Doing this isn’t going to change that.”

“But it will give him ammo. To use to keep you from your little brother.” Carl reached over to take his hand and give it a squeeze.

“He would whatever I do.” Devyn did manage to keep the tremble from his voice. He had a half brother he’d been close to before he’d gotten together with Carl and started doing drag more seriously. His father had pulled the child from him and wouldn’t let him see Devyn. “I know you’ve pointed that out about marriage. But it wouldn’t really matter.”

“It would. He’d use it against you. If you’re not acting gay, maybe he’d let you see him.”

Devyn shook his head. “There will be always be something.” He bit his lip looking at Carl. “You use that as an excuse. So you don’t have to deal with what you don’t want to face. That you’re gay and in love with a man. And that’s why you’re opposed to gay marriage.”

“It’s not.” Carl blew out a breath. “I’ve told you my reasons.”

“Yes. And they aren’t enough. I mean, why don’t you want to make that commitment to me?” That was the question, wasn’t it? Why didn’t Carl want to? Why didn’t his love for Devyn overwhelm his problems with gay marriage?

“It’s so not about you. I’m committed to you. I already live with you, and for all practical purposes, we’re a couple. We just don’t have a piece of paper that we couldn’t get anyway, because it’s not legal.”

It made sense to Devyn’s mind but not to his sense of commitment.

“Let’s drop this. We’re getting off track of the main discussion.” Carl settled back against the cushions. “There is one more thing.”

“Oh?” Devyn didn’t sit back but looked at Carl with a guarded gaze.

“You don’t know squat about dispensing love advice. And I can’t imagine you as ‘Dear Rose.’”

Devyn laughed. “I know more than you think. And I don’t know what they’ll name it. ‘Tales from the Nympho, Rose’? ‘A Dick of a Doctor’?”

Carl chortled at that.

“You don’t think I can give love advice.” Carl was mostly joking now that the serious subject was out of the way, but he still had reservations. That much was obvious.

Carl shrugged. “I dunno. I think you can do most anything, but this…I dunno.” He found a spot to look at on the wall, and his gaze stayed there. “You hadn’t had that many relationships that worked. Before me.”

Carl’s honesty had always been one of his better qualities. Even when it wasn’t what Devyn wanted to hear. He sat for a minute staring at his spot on the TV. “I tell you what.”

“What?” Carl swung his head to stare at Devyn full-on.

“I bet you I can dabble in people’s love life and succeed.”

Carl tilted his head at an angle that clearly said he didn’t believe Devyn had said what he had.

“I can. I bet you…I can put three different relationships together. I bet I can.” He nodded forcefully. He hadn’t quite known where he was going with this, but he could do it. He knew just the people.

“We can’t mess with people’s lives. That’s unethical.”

Was it? It seemed more wrong to him that people weren’t acting on their feelings. “I’m not talking about people who aren’t interested in each other. I’m talking about people who
are
. They need a nudge. I bet you I can be that nudge. That will prove to you I can do this column.”

“You’re talking about people we know.”

“Oh yeah. You know them too.” Carl probably knew exactly whom he was talking about. “I can get them together. I can do this column.” He sat up straighter. “And you grow your hair out if I win.”

Carl ran a hand through his golden locks. “You’re obsessed with my hair. Geesh.” His face took on a thoughtful look. “What do I get if I win? If you aren’t successful.”

“I will be.”

Carl shook his head. “If I win, you do that Aretha showcase I’ve been talking to you about.”

Devyn was already going to do the event in the fall, but Carl didn’t know that yet. Devyn wouldn’t enlighten him, either. This way, they both would win because Devyn didn’t intend not to be successful in this bet. He’d get Carl in long hair, and Carl would get his wish anyway. “I won’t lose.”

“We’ll see.” Carl began rubbing Devyn’s feet again. Felt so good it hurt. It was wonderful he had a few days before he had to wear heels again. Or sing.

“Are you picking who I go after first?” Devyn felt like bouncing up and down, but the foot rubbing felt too damn good to move.

“Yeah. We’ll go with the easy ones first. Phil and Neo.” Carl had a knowing smirk. These were people they often talked about. They needed to admit their feelings and move on with each other, but they never did. “Then…” Carl named the next two relationships that Devyn would be meddling in, and he was right. Of course the affection was already there. They needed encouragement. Which he would provide. “I tell you what. You get all three relationships together, I’ll even marry you.”

Devyn sat up straighter at that. That was a hell of a deal. “They’ll never know what hit them.”

Chapter Three

Phil watched as Rose Winter took the stage at Temples. She worked it like she always did. He took a rag and wiped away a wet ring on the glossy wooden bar.
Assholes need to learn how to use the coasters we provide.
The wanker hadn’t even left him a good tip.
Customer always right, my ass.

“And now the moment you’ve all been waiting for.” Definitely the moment Phil had been waiting for. “The sexy, the sensual. The nubile. Neoooooooooo!” Rose played some heavy dance tune that was Neo’s style.

Neo strutted down the pathway to the stage as though he owned the bar, planted a kiss on Rose’s cheek with a smile that looked fake, and leaped on the stage with a single bound. He was wearing leather chaps and a flowing white button-down shirt. Neither of which would be on long.

Neo’s dark skin contrasted against the white of his shirt. He’d told Phil once that he had Native American blood in his veins. It had been watered down, but Neo was dark enough that he probably never burned. His hair was straight, glossy black, and pinned back in a queue at the moment. He’d probably shake it out at some point during the dance. He didn’t have obscenely long hair. But it was long enough to grab in the throes of passion. His body was hard, muscles well defined. Devyn said he had to exercise several times a week to keep the definition and tone for dancing. Whatever he did, it was working. There were always gasps from the audience when Neo revealed his body. Like he was doing now.

Phil had seen this act before. Yet he stood, compelled, watching the limber man own the stage. He could stay there all day and watch Neo do his act. It was always something he paid attention to.

True to form, Neo ripped open the button-down shirt and started teasing the audience with taking it off by sliding it on and off his shoulders the whole time he danced, until he finally dropped it to the floor. A few women giggled with their gasps. Probably a bride-to-be celebrating her bachelorette party.

Phil’s fingers petted the bar until he realized what he was doing and balled his hands into fists. Not like he was going to touch Neo anytime soon, so he might as well not dream.

Neo was off-limits.

Only because you screwed up with him. Or rather you screwed him and then left him.

“Barman. Hey!” A voice intruded into his introspection.

He turned to see one of the regulars looking at him with amusement. Ally was a friend of Rose, or rather of Devyn. They’d met in college or some such, and she came every other week to the show. “Sorry to yell at you.” She looked a little chagrined. “But I couldn’t get your attention.”

“Sorry.” He glanced over at Neo to see him teasing with taking off his pants, an even better show than his shirt. “What can I do you for?”

Her smile was as genuine as they came. “I’d like a…Dr Pepper, please.” She shot Phil a cheesy grin.

“Coming right up.”

“Yeah, and I’ll have a beer.” A tall man sat down by her and winked. “She’s buying.”

She rolled her eyes. “Tucker, you’re amazing only in your ability to never have any money.”

Another regular. Another friend of Devyn’s from college. The three of them had apparently “survived” together. Considering the straight vibes rolling from Tucker in a gay club, he obviously was pretty damn comfortable with himself. Of course, most of the dancers in Rose’s revue were straight. A few were bi. And Neo was the flaming queer.

“What’s your name again so I don’t have to call you ‘barman’?” Ally stuck a straw in the drink as Phil set it in front of her. “I’m sorry. I know we were introduced a while ago, but I’m horrid with names.”

Phil sat Tucker’s drink in front of him. “Phil. Are you paying for his? Or two separate tickets?” He was all business, trying to finish the transaction and get his attention back to the stage.

She glanced Tucker’s way and blew out a sigh. “I’m paying.” She sounded resigned, but it was with fondness.

“Thank you, Ally.” The man’s grin was mischievous. He probably got away with a lot due to his boyish looks.

She grumbled, but it was all good-natured. There was no malice or real animosity. Yet it couldn’t hold his attention for long.

Phil couldn’t help but glance at the stage. Neo had pulled off the pants and danced in a thong. No one was allowed to take it all off. Underwear was as far down as the guys could strip. Neo, bumping and grinding on the stage, showed off his ass and assets as much as possible.

Phil swallowed, his throat constricting as always when he saw how far Neo pushed it. Phil became lost in the world that was Neo dancing. Only then could he pretend that maybe he had a shot, because it was the only time that Neo wasn’t directing glares Phil’s way.

A knock echoed on the bar in front of him.

He swiveled around to see Ally staring him down. Now the amusement was evident in her eyes and smile. She didn’t have a poker face. “Phil, if I could go ahead and get the check, I can’t stay until close tonight. Sorry.”

Phil nodded and punched a few buttons on the register. He never got to watch Neo’s dancing. Always had to work. It was what paid the bills, but it sucked.
That wasn’t why you got the job
. Yeah, but it was a perk, being able to watch Neo from the safety of the bar where Neo wouldn’t notice and call him out. After all this time, Phil was still a coward. It was why they’d never settled this “thing” between them. That and the fact that Neo hated him.

“He’s a hot dancer, isn’t he?” Ally took a sip of her soda.