Page 8 of Too Good to Be True

Rowan

P aul only comes into my office towards the evening. I didn’t see him the whole day. I didn’t leave the court until late afternoon. We often work late. I stay in the office after work because no one is waiting for me at home.

For Paul, things are different. He’s been living with his girlfriend for about a year, and they have been together for three years. I was there the day they met for the first time. For him, it was love at first sight, and for her… Well, I must admit she also fell for his charm almost immediately.

“Hey, you still here?” Paul sits opposite me, unbuttoning his jacket.

I glance at my watch. “Have I ever left before seven?”

“In fact…” He makes himself comfortable, waiting for me to give him my attention.

“Is there a problem?”

“You tell me if there is a problem.”

I remove my glasses and leave them on the desk, then lean against the chair and turn my attention to him. “Did you come by to tell me something or…”

“I wanted to hear about your case.”

“I’m currently working on five cases. You have to be more specific.”

“You know very well what case I’m talking about. The only one I’m not aware of any developments.”

Right. Also, because there are no developments. We’re far behind schedule.

“I met the kids.”

“And…”

“I need to confirm the main points of our case with my client before I can agree to a strategy for the lawsuit.”

“And when will you do that?”

“I should have done it today,” I say, immediately feeling guilty for not contacting Seth. “But I’ve been busy. Seth… er, Mr Graham is at work. I was supposed to stop by, but between court and phone calls…”

I avoid my friend’s gaze by fixing my eyes on my computer screen.

“At the club?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, the day is not over yet.”

“Hmm?”

“I could really go for a drink.”

“What are you talking about?”

My friend gets up and buttons his jacket again. “I say we’ve done enough work for today. We deserve a drink.”

“You’re not suggesting we go to the club where he works for your drink, right?”

“I’ve never been there. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a look, would it?”

“I don’t see how this is relevant.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you suggested he look for a different job.”

“Correct.”

“Without observing firsthand the nature of his work?”

“Even without having been there, I know exactly what kind of club it is.”

“I didn’t know you had such preconceptions.”

“Who, me?”

Paul shrugs.

“You know very well that what I think doesn’t matter.”

“I don’t entirely agree with that.”

“Why don’t you go there? If you care so much to see for yourself…”

“I don’t want to go alone. I want to go with you.”

“I’m busy, as you can well see.”

“You work too much.”

“And you too little.”

Paul laughs. “Come on! A drink, a quick look…”

I snort and massage my eyes with my fingers.

“You’re stressed, see? You need a night out.”

“I know what you are trying to do.”

“Taking my friend out for a drink, hoping he’ll get some distraction from work before he implodes?”

“We could go to any other club.”

“But I want to go to that club, and I know that deep down you want it too.”

“Why don’t you take Vanessa there?”

“Because she is out with her friends.”

“That’s why all this insistence. You’re alone tonight.”

“What’s the harm in wanting some company?”

“A backup company. You really are an arsehole, you know that?”

“Is that a yes?”

“It’s a go fuck yourself.”

“Not before having at least one drink, maybewatching a show…”

“I thought it was just for a drink.”

“While we’re there…”

I shake my head several times, aware that Paul always wins in court and life. He is one of those guys who always gets everything he wants with his dick face and his ability to wear people out.

Especially yours truly.

“A drink and a show,” I warn him, a finger pointing in his direction. “That’s all I’m willing to give you.”

“Deal.”

BY THE TIME we reach Night 101 , the night is already in full swing. The place is crowded, noisy, and hot, with flashing lights making it hard to find my client.

“Wow!” Paul shouts in my ear. “This place is wonderful!”

Paul loves lively places, chaos, and people. He is an extrovert who is sometimes too sociable. People become friends with him instantly and like him, though sometimes this is out of sheer exhaustion.

Just as it happened to me.

“Why didn’t we come earlier?” He shouts again.

I shrug.

“Have you spotted our friend yet? Or at the very least, a free table…” Paul looks around for a place to sit.

“Maybe we can try the bar,” I suggest, where I hope to find Seth. From what he told me, that’s his job.

Paul nods before preceding me towards the bar, making his way through the crowd with difficulty. When he reaches the bar, he squeezes between two people, resting an elbow on the wood, thus gaining space for us both.

“I doubt we will find seats.”

“Maybe we should…” I start, but a figure that has become all too quickly familiar to me catches my attention as he moves swiftly behind the counter.

I choke down the air, shoving that restless feeling deep inside.

Seth casually walks up to us, half-naked, all sweaty, hair tied back, glitter everywhere, flashing a smile that could warm anyone’s heart.

I had to grip the counter tight with both hands to stop myself from getting weak after this crazy surge of excitement.

“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.

“You must, absolutely. You are my guests.”

“You don’t have to.”

His hand rests gently on my arm. A light, intimate touch. “I insist.”

And I give up. Immediately. His light touch on my shirt was all it took to convince me.

“Follow me.”

Seth walks ahead of us through the crowd, which seems to open up instinctively as he passes. I follow with my eyes the movement of his ass wrapped only in a pair of rainbow-coloured iridescent shorts, and then Paul elbows me.

“Fuck off,” I tell him without even looking at him, before this time physically following Seth towards a table that seems to have magically freed itself for us.

He signals for us to sit down, eyes glued to him, adrenaline returning to consume our thoughts and breaths. Then Seth leans over to speak into my ear. The hairs on the back of my neck immediately stand up, feeling him so close.

“What can I get you?”

He lifts just enough to allow me to stare again into his eyes, tonight made up in blue, glitter scattered across his sweaty face. My throat is parched, and my hands close into fists, hoping to hold back this senseless urge to touch him.

“But I must warn you. Cocktails are not my strong point.”

I wonder what it is and if he wants to share it with me.

“A beer will do just fine.”

“For me, a whiskey neat.”

“That I can do!” He smiles with his whole face, his eyes shining with a light that belongs only to them. “I’ll be right back to you.”

He walks away, my eyes on his movements, the line of his back, his ass, his lean but toned thighs.

“Nice little place, really,” Paul comments.

“Mm-Uhm.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“God, you like him!”

“Don’t talk shit.”

“I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

“Please, he’s not my type.”

“And what is your type?”

“I don’t have a type.”

“When was the last time?”

“Last time…?"

“Last time you… You know.”

“Two months ago.”

“The guy from the gym?”

“That’s the one.”

“And then what?”

“And then nothing. It was not worth it. Too much energy. I have to put it into work.”

“It’s never worth it for you.”

I shrug. I’m not in the mood to talk about it tonight. Not if I’m already busy keeping at bay these inappropriate emotions that surprise me when Seth is around.

“What about him?” Paul points right at Seth at the bar. “Is he worth it?”