Chương 2: Chapter 2
Rafe couldn’t tell whether the kid was male or female under all the wrapping. Rafe assumed it was a he. Ladies generally did not patronize his establishment. He was about five foot five to Rafe’s six foot two. He wore a navy blue snorkel coat with a fur trimmed hood. A bright red scarf covered the lower half of his face and a red hat was pulled down to his eyebrows. The eyes were a beautiful color, emerald green, but they were puffy and the rims red. He looked to be about twenty.
“Before you get undressed, I’m going to have to card you.” The red scarf came off revealing thin lips with a slight pout.
“I’m twenty-three. Let me get out of these clothes and I’ll show you my driver’s license.” The hood came off along with the red knit hat revealing hair the color of sweet corn. Next came the jacket which hid a slender but well-defined, toned frame in a tight long sleeved Henley covered with open plaid flannel shirt.
He stuck his hand in the back of his very tight jeans and pulled out his wallet, opened it and handed it to Rafe. Rafe closed the billfold and put out his hand, “Rafe Santiago, Mr. Carter, what can I do for you this evening?”
“Justin, please, Mr. Carter is my father. I’ll take a rum and Diet Coke or Coke Zero.” He looked up at the specials board.
“Do you have any of that stew left? I haven’t eaten anything since four this morning.” Rafe went over to the bar to make his drink. He took down the Barcardi Gold, the kid looked like he could use the good stuff.
“Yeah, the cook made too much. I have the stew with some Italian bread.” Rafe set the drink in front of Justin.
Rafe went back to the kitchen, nuked a bowl of stew, came out and set it down in front of Justin. “Be careful, it’s hot.”
“Thank you,” Justin said, mechanically eating his food.
“Why are you alone tonight? A man who looks like you shouldn’t be alone on Valentine’s Day,” Rafe said as he picked up the grill underneath the beer taps and began to clean the stainless steel, making conversation as he worked.
“I hate this holiday.” Justin looked up from the stew, his eyes a bit glassy, “I had someone until a year ago today. He’s gone.”
“He was crazy to leave someone as beautiful as you are.” Rafe began to restock the liquor shelves from the crates he brought up from downstairs earlier.
“What about you, why are you alone on the holiday?” Justin asked.
“I’m gay, and I’ve never had a serious relationship. Valentine’s Day means nothing to me except that it’s a day I get very little business.” Rafe started to wipe down the bar.
“Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest days of our year. I manage Flowers and Chocolates, two doors down.” Justin sopped up the remainder of the stew with his bread.
Rafe stopped what he was doing and looked at Justin. “I know the shop. Don’t you close at nine?”
“Certain days of the year we stay open later, until ten. Mother’s Day, Easter and Valentine’s Day,” Justin said, sipping his drink.
“But it’s after eleven. The weather is getting worse. How come you left work so late?” Rafe couldn’t figure out why he was so concerned. But the sad eyes and general depression that Justin exhibited worried him.
“I had a customer who came in five minutes before closing looking for roses for his wife.” Justin shrugged as he took a sip of his drink.
“Do you want more stew? I have plenty left and I’ll just have to throw it out,” Rafe asked him as he took his plate.
“It was very good stew but I don’t have much of an appetite.” Justin gave Rafe a weak smile.
“Who would go to a flower ship at nine-fifty-five looking for roses for his wife on Valentine’s Day?” Rafe came around the bar and began to put the chairs on top of the tables.
“A bastard who remembered to send roses to his mistress earlier in the day and completely forgot his wife,” Justin said bitterly. “I see you’re about to close up. Give me my check so you can get out of here before it gets worse outside.”
“How far do you have to go?” Rafe wrote up the check.
Justin took out his wallet, paid the check and left a generous tip. “I don’t live far. Just a few blocks from the subway.”
“If you wait, I’ll walk you to the subway,” Rafe offered.
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