“And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

“I’m still not giving up, though. Oh, and Mom and Dad told me to tell you they want us to come over for dinner next Saturday. They miss the two of us spending time together with them.” Isaac winked, got into his car and drove away.

They’d grown up together. When Isaac’s parents died, he got even closer to Mason’s. He’d called Mason’s parents Mom and Dad ever since Mason could remember.

He shook his head, not surprised Isaac would use everything he had in his arsenal, even Mason’s parents to conquer him.

***

Gavin watched as Mason squinted and then blew out a deep breath while shaking his head. “Are you trying to get me drunk when I have a shift that starts in two hours? Too much vodka.” Damn it. It was the first drink he made and he’d wanted to get it right.

“It tasted good to me.”

Mason set the glass down and then stood beside Gavin. “Less is sometimes more. You don’t want it to be overpowering. Think of it like…hell, I don’t know, you’re playing the guitar or something.”

With that, Gavin laughed. “That doesn’t make any sense at all.”

“Yes it does—or at least pretend it does. There’s a fine art to making a good drink. You’ll learn it, but I’m assuming music is the same way. You walked into the bar that first day and heard something in the notes that I didn’t. A good bartender knows how to use just the right amounts to give the perfect flavor.”

Gavin looked at Mason, Mason at Gavin, before both of them let out loud bursts of laughter. His gut hurt before he could finally calm down enough to speak. “That was the biggest piece of bullshit I’ve ever heard.”

“Fuck you. You’re fired. I’m trying here.”

It was Gavin’s first day. The bar would be open soon, and though he and Mason would be working together, he was nervous. Which made him feel crazy. What was there to be nervous about? But it felt like this was his new beginning, or he wanted it to be. Wanted to really find out who he was and experience new things. The last thing he wanted to do was fail at any of them. It didn’t matter if he was making drinks or teaching children, Gavin wanted to do it well.

“Maybe it would help if I drank more.” Gavin turned, leaned against the bar and crossed his arms.

“I just got drunk with you the other night.”

“And it didn’t take much to get me that way. It’s never really been something I’m into. Yeah, I have a beer when I’m watching a game or something, but that’s about it.”

There was a pause on Mason’s end before he turned the same direction as Gavin and nudged him with his arm. “Nah, you don’t have to be an alcoholic to make a good drink. Yeah, it’s different as night and day from teaching kids music, but like anything, it just takes a little practice. What’s really on your mind?”

Gavin smirked, trying to pretend Mason didn’t just hit the nail on the head. And wondering why the man would care what Gavin dealt with. “I’d heard bartenders were like barbers and liked to pretend to be a therapist, but I didn’t expect it so soon.”

“If you can’t trust your bartender, who can you trust?” There was a teasing edge to Mason’s deep voice. He liked the lightness of the man. It was a good contrast to the storm inside of him. The conversation he’d had with his mom weighed heavier on Gavin than he’d expected.

“Eh, it’s nothing really,” Gavin said. It was a lie, and when he’d moved to Blackcreek he told himself he was over lying about anything. “No, fuck it. It’s not. My dad has dementia. I haven’t seen my parents as much as I should. They don’t live far from here, which should be a good thing given the circumstances, but we have a complicated relationship, to say the least.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Mason replied, though he didn’t take a drink of anything.

Gavin pushed off the bar and faced Mason. “I’ve lost my job and my father is losing his mind. Coming here, seeing Braden with his husband and his kid…” He shrugged. “I guess it makes me see things differently. I’m in my thirties and I don’t feel like I have anything to show for my life.” Hell, in a lot of ways, he didn’t really have a life. He’d had a career he’d loved, but that had been all. He’d given his life to teaching, which in a lot of ways he didn’t regret, but when had he taken time for himself?

“I hear ya. That’s what this bar is—something for me. It’s the one thing I have that I want and no one else had a hand in.” Mason seemed to think for a second before he smirked and nodded his head at Gavin. “Hey…you ever jumped out of a plane before?”