Page 46 of Gentleman Sadist

Will disconnected the call after they agreed on a place and time, but not before checking his text messages again. Nothing.

Several hours later he was parking his car outside of Blue Hill, one of his favorite restaurants in town. The interior was soft colored wood mixed with neutral hues. The large windows allowed guests to gaze out over the gulf and, when weather permitted, were opened to allow in the gulf breeze. Large island fans twirled lazily moving the air across the room, helping to keep it cool as the last remnants of the storm pushed ashore. According to the weather people, the storm shifted at the last moment and hit a little north of Tampa allowing the bulk of the rain to hit inland and away from his sanctuary.

He stepped farther into the establishment and smiled at the hostess. The scent of pit barbecue mixed with the steamed seafood buffet. The food was always on point.

“There’s three of us tonight,” he said. “They should be here shortly.”

The hostess led him to his favorite table near the windows then placed the Saturday menu in front of him along with the drink guide. Blue Hill had the most amazing drinks. His favorite was a mix of pineapple juice, Ginger Ale, and Coconut Rum. It was light and oh so refreshing and paired well with the spicy fare he liked to indulge in when he ate there.

Which was often.

As he flipped through the drinks, unsure this time what he wanted, because of the mood he’d been in, Earl, his absolute favorite waiter approached without his signature drink already in hand. “Hey, Will.”

“Afternoon, Earl.” Will gestured to the drink menu. “I need something that says I’ve had a shit day and need to unload twenty years of baggage.”

Earl chuckled before taking the booklet from him. “Are you flying solo today? Or are the girls coming today?”

“Angie and Kristen are on the way,” Will answered.

“Then, I suggest the Posh Punk.”

Will cocked a brow. “The what?”

“Hear me out. It’s gin, lemonade, and one of our local IPAs. It’s got a backend kick to it, but also the sophistication I know you crave with drinks. If you don’t like that, I can bring you an anxiety bomb to wipe away your cares.” Earl pointed to both drinks then grinned. “Either way, you can’t go wrong.”

“What the hell,” Will said. “This must be the weekend for trying new things. Bring me a Posh Punk.”

Earl smiled. “Want me to put an order of buffalo shrimp in for you to start?”

“Oh, yes, please, but double it. Thank you!” Another reason he loved this place, besides the good food and drinks, they tended to pamper him. Honestly, though, what person, man or women, didn’t enjoy being spoiled.

“Always a pleasure, Will. I’ll bring them out as soon as they’re ready. If your girls show up early, flag me down and I’ll come back to get their order for drinks.”

Earl, like himself, knew what the girls were drinking depended on their moods. One day it could be beer, the next mixed drinks, wine, or even Champagne. “Thanks. I will.”

Fifteen minutes later, Earl placed his order of shrimp and the Posh Punk on the table in front of him. The spicy fried buffalo shrimp and sauce hit his nose and his mouth began to water. His stomach gave an angry growl, reminding him it'd been hours since he'd eaten last, and at that, he'd picked at the contents of his plate more than he ate it.

“Thank you, Earl.” Angie swore Earl flirted with him more so than what he did with others not because it was Earl’s job to entertain the guests. Will didn’t see it. What he did see was a man who enjoyed himself and excelled in customer service.

Will tucked into the plate of food while he waited for Kristen and Angie to arrive. He moaned as the flavor exploded on his tongue. Just what he needed. Tons of carbs and food that wasn’t good for him.

“We weren’t that late,” Kristen snarked, her gaze taking in the empty plate.

Angie snorted, giving Kristen a playful push. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? He’s selfish.” Merriment twinkled in her eyes and a teasing smirk crossed her lips. “He purposely arrives early and orders the buffalo shrimp to enjoy by himself, so he doesn’t have to share with us.”

Kristen gave him a wide-eyed stare. “Is that true?”

Will shrugged then laughed. “Yes.”

Kristen harrumphed and sat across from him. “How rude.”

Will rolled his eyes, knowing she wasn’t really angry at him.

“Oh, leave the poor man alone.” Angie snagged the seat next to him. “It’s not like he ordered the last plate. They have more. Plus, weren’t you the one who said something was wrong?”

Kristen sighed. “Fine.” Then held up one finger. “One more question, though. Exactly how long have you been doing this?”

“Every time.” He caught Earl’s gaze and their server gave Will a slight nod, acknowledging he’d seen the girls arrive.

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