Page 30 of Midsummer Phoenixes
“Is there always dancing at the Moonlight?” one of the daddies asked, the blond dude with the half-shaven head. He asked it right at Rae’s phone.
“No, only on special occasions.” They leaned over the counter to grab a rainbow cupcake. “And only during Pride Month, free cupcakes as long as they last for our patrons.” They held it out to the blond. “And for all Daddies.”
“You should ask before calling me that, but I’ll forgive you.” The blond bit into the cupcake right there, eating it out of Rae’s hand.
Rae recited our address like they did that all the time. “And done. Will this do?” they asked Roland, shaking their phone at him.
“What are you asking me for?”
They gestured. “You’re always on your phone, and I happen to trust your judgment.”
“Can’t go wrong with having a hot guy eat baked goods on camera,” Roland said with a shrug.
“Hidden gem over there. Hmm. Thanks.” The blond winked at Roland.
“Yeah, whatever, but also, no, thank you.” He looked at me. “Can I get one of those cupcakes to go, please?”
“Uhm.” The music was still on, and Grenadine was still dancing. The blond was sizing up Roland openly. I tried not to grin, but failed. “Sure, I’ll make an exception for you, Roland.”
The writer was still coming in earlier than before the fire, which was good for him, because he managed to grab his table just before we got an unusual Friday night Pride wave of patrons.
At one point, Dwayne looked out from the passthrough. “Rae. Did you clean that counter?”
They nodded, patting the newly gleaming surface. “I did.”
“Did you also advertise our cupcakes in that dance video of yours? Like I told you not to?”
Grenadine, who had put his tracksuit away in a small duffel bag, had since moved to the counter. “Our video. I’m a better dancer than Rae. Not even a contest.”
Dwayne snorted. “I’m making more cupcakes. I’m almost out of blue food coloring for the frosting.”
Rae smiled at Dwayne. “Everyone loves your cupcakes, Dwayne.”
He grunted, turned back to the kitchen. “Yeah, yeah.”
I looked at the diner. All the tables were taken, even Soyer’s, and almost half the seats at the counter as well. There were three cupcakes left, and I was wondering whether I’d be able to save one for Soyer. There wasn’t all that much pie left either, and just two slices of cherry. Just when I considered what to do about that, the door chimed again.
“Welcome to—oh. Elias.”
The vampire in a tailored suit that didn’t match his messy black hair huffed. “Is this how it is? We’ve had juice together, you and I. It’s practically breaking bread when the actual thing is not possible.” His eyes widened. They looked moist. “I thought youlikedme. I built a website with video capabilities because I like you. I know you have my contact information. And yet, I am ‘Oh, Elias’ to you and have to find out you did a dance video to advertise ‘hashtag Pride nights’ at the Moonlight without even telling me?”
Grenadine, for some reason, lowered his head, getting very focused on his water with a slice of lime in it. The four leather daddies managed casually interested looks at Elias without openly staring.
I lifted my hands, palms out. “I had nothing to do with that. Complain to Rae.”
“Who?”
“Rae. You know who Rae is.”
Elias tilted his chin up. “Rae and I do not have regular juice dates. You and I on the other hand…”
I sighed. “Okay. Sorry. Do you want a milkshake?”
He brightened. “Oh, yes, please, Amory! Chocolate, please.” He slid into a seat at the counter, folding his hands under his chin, his grin and puppy eyes daring me. Part of me wondered whether to just give him the damn chocolate milkshake and let him—I didn’t know. Get spanked for it? Who was I to kink-shame? Then again, I couldn’t quite bring myself to go for the chocolate syrup. Something about Elias definitely triggered my long-forgotten older brother instincts.
I fixed him a vanilla milkshake with a perfect cream top and chocolate sprinkles. I put the baby blue, pink, and white straw in through the cream in just the right angle to make it a very photogenic drink, in my opinion, then placed it in front of Elias.
His eyes got bigger. “Amory. Did I order this?” he asked, sounding teary.
