1 Chapter 1
Danny came out of the raw wind and swirling snow into the warmth of Frank’s Place. This was his favorite hang-out. He liked it because to the ordinary passerby the building didn’t look anything other than a cross between a cocktail lounge and a nice bar. Once you got inside the true nature of the establishment could be seen. It was a gay bar.
Danny felt at home with the large comfortable booths and tables and the easy, taped music always playing. He appreciated the soft lighting that wasn’t too dark. The carpeted floor also added to Danny’s sense of intimate coziness.
Looking around, Danny saw the usual clientele was almost exclusively male. He smiled at how the men felt comfortable enough to be more physically demonstrative with one another than if they were in a regular bar.
Danny watched as a pair of men walked to the bar, requested a key from Frank, the bartender, and disappeared through the door to the right of the bar. He knew they wouldn’t be returning for a good amount of time.
Danny had been coming to Frank’s for a number of years, first when he was still married, to seek out contacts to meet his need for male companionship. Now that he was divorced, he continued to come. He was comfortable here. The patrons were his kind of people: professional, well dressed, attractive and a variety of ages and personalities. He liked the fact there was none of the flamboyance of other establishments. This was definitely the kind of place Danny expected to meet someone; they could even turn out to be someone special.
Making his way to the bar, Danny acknowledged the greetings of acquaintances, some of whom he had known on an intimate level.
“Hey, Frankie. The boss doing the tending tonight?”
“Hey yourself, Danny. Yeah, I gave Ken the week off to be with Earl for the holidays.”
“Not too much going on here,” Danny said, glancing around the room.
“Nope, the weather and this being the week before Christmas are probably keeping ‘em away—least ways the married guys and the couples. Speaking of couples, Danny boy, when’s that gonna happen for you?”
“Probably not tonight,” replied Danny with a sigh, giving the sparsely populated room one more scan.
“The usual, then?” the bartender asked.
“What? Uh, yeah, sure.” Something had caught Danny’s eye. “Hey, Frankie, who’s the guy over in the corner? I don’t think I’ve seen him before.”
Danny had spotted a man at one of the tables to the right of the door to the rooms in back. He was stretched out on his chair to the side of the table, with his legs crossed at the ankle. He wore construction boots. His hands were folded in his lap just above the prominent bulge in his jeans. He wore a baseball cap and a plaid, flannel, work shirt.
Frank looked over at him. “Yeah, well, he started comin’ in about a week ago. Stays about an hour and splits.”
“Any action?” Danny wanted to know.
“Naw. Couple guys tried to hit on ‘im but he says no I guess. Never been to the back rooms, never left with nobody.”
He didn’t look like Danny’s type. Danny preferred slender guys like himself. He also was more in the market for someone more professional looking: suit tie, or kakis and a button down. But, What the hell, he thought. There’s not much else goin’ on in here tonight. Why not?
“What’s he drinkin’?”
The bartender pointed to an expensive bottle of scotch. “On the rocks.”
Hmm, blue collar with exec tastes, Danny thought.
“Pour me a double,” Danny said.
Danny picked up the drinks and headed for the table.
“Can I buy you a drink,” he said with a wide smile on his handsome face.
“Looks to me like you already did,” the man replied, sitting up and looking at Danny.
“Guess I did,” said Danny with a chuckle. He put the drinks down on the table, placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. Might as well lay my cards on the table. He added, “My name’s Danny.”
In the instant before the man stretched out his hand to shake Danny’s and gave his name, Danny took in some of the man’s characteristics and thought, Definitely not my type
The guy had a full beard, well trimmed. There was a tuft of thick dark hair curling out from under the crew neck of the T-shirt he wore under the flannel. He had a diamond stud in each ear. All things were on Danny Marshall’s not a plus list.
“I’m Al.”
“Nice to meet you, Al. I’m Danny. Can I sit down?”
“Sure, if you want.”
Not going well. Danny mused. Oh, well, let’s see where this goes.
