Omar nodded, but Derek noticed the relieved expression in his eyes. Derek wasn’t about to leave the guy to man thebar on his own. Besides, it was the place Derek loved working the most– talking to customers, listening to their stories, and watching them leave with smiles on their faces. Sometimes it was a grimace, but for all the right reasons. First, he had to find out where his assistant manager had gone.
“Why haven’t you sacked him?” asked Edward.
“Because he’s brilliant when he’s there,” said Derek, but he was starting to wonder whether that balanced out his unreliability the more it happened.
They were at Knights Corner, a new queer restaurant bar in the city. It was around the corner from where they had once both worked in law. Now, Derek owned a sex club, and Edward was the deputy prime minister of the UK. Since Edward had been outed, he’d become more comfortable being seen in queer venues. He didn’t visit The Back Room anymore, but that was understandable. Before it had all been secret, so he could scratch an itch in one of the rooms. Now he had Milo, and his best friend was all loved up.
“You need to get someone else. I thought buying that place was supposed to give you something to do without being stressful,” said Edward.
“You know me, Eddie. I get bored easily. I need something to occupy my time.”
His friend snorted. “Maybe you need to find someoneto occupy your time as well.”
“No thanks. I don’t need any more divorces, thanks.”
“Your last divorce was ten years ago, and I’m not suggesting you marry anyone, but it wouldn’t hurt for you to go on some dates.”
“Are you going to do that annoying friend thing where you persist in trying to impose your heteronormative relationship onto us free spirits?”
“There’s nothing heteronormative about me and Milo.”
Realising what he’d said, Edward blushed, and Derek chuckled.
“I need more details.”
“Absolutely not. Someone might be listening. The last thing I need is more invasion by the press into my private life.”
“I know that was a shitty time, but most of the public agreed it was a gross invasion of privacy, regardless of your sexuality. It almost makes me have faith in humanity again.”
“Now that’s going too far.”
They both laughed.
“I forgot to say, there’s a slight change of plan for London Pride,” said Edward. “The Mayor of London has asked me to lead the march with him.”
“Wow! Aren’t you mortal enemies or something?”
“We can be from different political parties and still have common interests, you know.”
“That sounds far too reasonable for politics.”
“When did you become such an old cynic?”
“Who are you calling old?”
“Okay, serious hat on now. I’m worried about you. I know the last divorce took a lot out of you, but you love having someone to look after and care about. You need someone, Derek. I hate seeing you unhappy.”
“Leave it, Eddie. There is nothingmissingfrom my life. You know it’s better to just focus on the business. Even if I were to form a relationship again, how am I going to find someone of any gender who’s compatible with me?”
“We all have our quirks, Derek. Look at me, and I found Milo.”
Derek chuckled. If you looked at Milo and Edward, you’d think you would understand their dynamic, but you’d be very wrong. Derek was different, though, in what he liked. He could be vanilla, but it never quite satisfied him in thesame way. He needed to dominate someone sexually and then care for them afterwards. It wasn’t an easy combination to find. Well, it hadn’t been for him anyway.
“Who’s going to be there on Saturday?” asked Derek, moving the conversation away from his sex life.
“Milo’s flatmates– well, two of them– and his friend Lexie.”
“Ah, yes. You told me about her.”
