He did have a point. Mel wasn’t very sociable when it came to her job.
“Besides, I’m gay.” James settled back in his chair. “You of all people should have a much better gaydar.”
“What? How do you know that I’m gay?” Mel asked.
“I know about you and Vanessa, Mel.”
“How? Did she tell you about us?”
“Nope.” James grinned. “But you just did.”
Mel cursed under her breath.
“I had my suspicions. Vanessa and I have known each other since she opened The Lounge. She hired me herself. After working with her for so long, we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well. I figured that there was something going on between you two, but she didn’t seem inclined to share, so I didn’t press her. You know how private she is.”
James and Vanessa were friends? Vanessa never talked about her friends, but Mel had assumed that they were more like the kind of people who went to The Lounge, not the kind that worked there.
“But it’s pretty obvious.” James scratched his chin. “After that incident with that asshole customer, Vanessa became very interested in you. She kept asking me questions about you, and would conveniently only come in on nights when you were working. And then she started sneaking you up to her room above The Lounge late at night.”
Mel flushed. She thought they were being discreet.
James smiled. “I think you’re good for her. She seems happy. She hasn’t been in a relationship since Rose.”
“Hold up. We are not in a relationship.”
He raised an eyebrow. “If you say so.”
“I’m serious! We’re just having some fun, that’s all.”
“Okay, okay. You can call it whatever you want.”
Mel scowled at him.
James took a gulp of his beer. “So, is she as bossy in bed as she is at work?”
“I am not discussing that with you,” Mel said. She was saved from further questioning by the return of two of her coworkers, Ella and Christine. She didn’t know them very well, but they seemed close to James.
“So, how are things going with Ben?” Ella asked James.
“Ben?” Mel said. “You mean that Ben?” She gestured toward the other end of the bar where Ben was standing.
“Yep,” Christine said. “They’ve been flirting for months. We all saw it coming a mile away.”
How had Mel never noticed that there was anything going on between them? As the conversation continued around her, the handful of drinks she’d drank began to kick in. And Mel realized that she had been walking around with her head down for a long time now. She looked around. What else had she missed? She barely knew her coworkers. Or had any real friends other than Jess. Was Jess right about Mel shutting everyone out?
“So are you and Ben a couple now?” Mel asked.
“Yes. No.” James rubbed his beard. “We haven’t talked about it yet.”
“James? Are you blushing?” Mel asked.
“No.” He crossed his arms.
“See, it’s not so fun when you’re the one getting interrogated, is it?” Mel said under her breath. Apparently, not quietly enough, because the next thing Mel knew, all the attention was on her.
“What does that mean?” Christine looked at Mel. “Do you have a juicy secret to share, Mel?”
“She sure does.” James got up. “Why don’t you tell them about it while I go find Ben?” He shot Mel a mischievous look and headed to the bar.