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"And for what it’s worth, I’h Oh, and Mom and Dad told me to tell you they want us to come over for dinner next Saturday They ether with therown up together When Isaac’s parents died, he got even closer to Mason’s He’d called Mason’s parents Mom and Dad ever since Mason could remember

He shook his head, not surprised Isaac would use everything he had in his arsenal, even Mason’s parents to conquer him

Gavin watched as Mason squinted and then blew out a deep breath while shaking his head "Are you trying to get me drunk when I have a shift that starts in two hours? Too much vodka" Daet it right

"It tasted good to lass down and then stood beside Gavin "Less is so Think of it like…hell, I don’t know, you’re playing the guitar or sohed "That doesn’t make any sense at all"

"Yes it does--or at least pretend it does There’s a fine art tomusic is the same way You walked into the bar that first day and heard soood bartender kno to use just the right aive the perfect flavor"

Gavin looked at Mason, Mason at Gavin, before both of theut hurt before he could finally calest piece of bullshit I’ve ever heard"

"Fuck you You’re fired I’ here"

It was Gavin’s first day The bar would be open soon, and though he and Mason would be working together, he was nervous Which made him feel crazy What was there to be nervous about? But it felt like this was his new beginning, or he wanted it to be Wanted to really find out who he was and experience new things The last thing he wanted to do was fail at any of the children, Gavin wanted to do it well

"Maybe it would help if I drank ainst the bar and crossed his arht"

"And it didn’t takeI’a, but that’s about it"

There was a pause on Mason’s end before he turned the saed him with his arood drink Yeah, it’s different as night and day fro, it just takes a little practice What’s really on yourto pretend Mason didn’t just hit the nail on the head And wondering why the man would care what Gavin dealt with "I’d heard bartenders were like barbers and liked to pretend to be a therapist, but I didn’t expect it so soon"

"If you can’t trust your bartender, who can you trust?" There was a teasing edge to Mason’s deep voice He liked the lightness of the ood contrast to the storhed heavier on Gavin than he’d expected

"Eh, it’s nothing really," Gavin said It was a lie, and when he’dabout anything "No, fuck it It’s not My dad has dementia I haven’t seen my parents as much as I should They don’t live far froiven the circumstances, but we have a complicated relationship, to say the least"

"I’ll drink to that," Mason replied, though he didn’t take a drink of anything

Gavin pushed off the bar and faced Mason "I’ve lostBraden with his husband and his kid…" He shrugged "I guess it s differently I’ to show for my life" Hell, in a lot of ways, he didn’t really have a life He’d had a career he’d loved, but that had been all He’d given his life to teaching, which in a lot of ways he didn’t regret, but when had he taken time for hi forI have that I want and no one else had a hand in" Mason seemed to think for a second before he smirked and nodded his head at Gavin "Hey…you ever jumped out of a plane before?"