Page 15 of Playing with My Heart

“Another round?” the server asked, approaching our table with a familiarity that came from serving us week after week. This time, though, his focus lingered on me, a playful glint in his eye.

“Sure thing, Matt,” I said, returning his smile with politeness rather than invitation.

“Maybe after my shift, you could join me for a drink?” he suggested, leaning in a touch too close to be considered casual.

“Thanks, but I’m good tonight,” I replied, feeling the weight of several surprised gazes upon me.

“Suit yourself,” he said with a shrug, leaving to fulfill our order. “Whoa, did the Earth stop spinning or did Travis Brooks just turn down a sure thing?” Morgan teased, his voice filled with mock astonishment.

“Ha-ha, very funny,” I retorted, rolling my eyes but unable to shake off the embarrassment heating my cheeks. Normally, I’d revel in the attention, maybe even share the encounter later as a boastful tale. But now, with Parker sitting beside me, it all felt wrong.

“Everyone has their off nights,” I tried to joke, hoping to deflect their scrutiny.

“Travis having an ‘off night’ with flirting is like Chicago having a mild winter,” Akio added, chuckling along with the others.

“Guess there’s a first time for everything,” I muttered, forcing a laugh while stealing a glance at Parker. His expression was unreadable, but I hoped he didn’t see me as just a player.

The server returned with our drinks, his demeanor still friendly but missing the earlier flirtation. I took a sip of my beer, the bitter hops grounding me as I silently vowed to be better. Not for my friends, not for my reputation, but for Parker—because somehow, his opinion had started to matter more than I ever expected it would.

We placed our orders and then Parker turned his attention to the other men at the table. “So, what kind of work do you guys do?” he asked. It made me happy to see him showing interest in my friends.

“I work as an office manager for an entertainment management firm,” Akio told him.

Parker’s eyes lit up. “That sounds exciting! Have you gotten to meet a lot of famous people?”

Akio smiled. “I have. Some of them are great and some are just divas, but my work is never dull. In fact, my job is what led me to this handsome guy.” He stared up lovingly at his husband. “Morgan was hired by my boss and his brothers to rebuild Agape House.”

At Parker’s blank stare, I explained. “Agape House is a non-profit place where LGBTQ+ kids can go to hang out with other kids like them. They even offer a place for them to stay if they get kicked out of their homes.”

“That’s amazing! And that’s right here in Chicago?” When I nodded, he said, “I’d love to see it sometime.”

“I’ll take you,” I promised.

The conversation halted when the server arrived with our food, but as soon as he was done passing it out, it picked back up. “Anyway, Morgan was in charge of the project, and I was sent in to make sure everything went smoothly,” Akio said.

“Only he was more interested in the project builder than the project itself,” Jasper teased.

Akio blushed profusely but couldn’t deny the truth. Morgan leaned in and kissed his husband’s cheek. “The feeling was mutual.”

I heard Parker sigh as he watched the two and I wondered if he was comparing his relationship with David to these two. I jumped in before he could get too down again. “Morgan doesn’t just do construction. He also is a master woodsmith. He makes beautiful furniture that people from all over the world love to buy from him.

It was Morgan’s turn to blush as Parker turned an appreciative eye on him. “I’d love to see some of your pieces someday,” he said eagerly.

“We’ll have to get Travis to bring you out to our house sometime,” Akio supplied kindly.

“I’d enjoy that. Thank you.” Parker then turned his attention to Jasper and Maks. “And what about you two? What do you do?”

Maks had just taken a bite of food, so Jasper answered for them. “I own a tattoo shop and Maks works for a security firm.”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s being humble. Jasper does more than tattoos. He’s also an incredibly talented artist who works with many different mediums. And Maks is former military who now uses the skills he learned to protect people, including a lot of famous people and political figures.”

“That’s impressive, both of you.” Parker looked at me with a gleam in his eye. “I had no idea you kept such esteemed company,” he teased.

“Oh, I am top shelf, and don’t you forget it,” I joked, making everyone laugh.

“If only your game was as top shelf as the rest of you,” he quipped, arching an eyebrow at me in challenge.

Leaning back in my seat, I smirked. “You know, if physical therapy doesn’t work out for you, there’s a future in comedy with that swing of yours.”

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