shook his head. “You think he's trying to find a buyer tonight? At the beginning of the season?”
“Gives us the chance to see what we'd be missing out on for the next few months... take bids in September, sell it, not have to deal with it this winter if there's another hurricane...”
“I don't know,” Eli still shook his head. “We'll see.”
As they lapsed into conversation about the restaurants they planned to visit, Eli made mental notes: the beach lounge at six to meet school buddies, La Sol at nine for that meeting, the bright party club Chrome for schmoozing with a few of the guys whose assets Dean wanted (in one way or another), and then... he'd sneak off to Sweet Nothings. He didn't expect Dean would follow him there, not when there was a party full of potential hookups to be found more easily at Chrome.
Not that it was a secret, but... he didn't know how Kevin was going to feel about being outed to anyone else if he had told management here that he was straight. Dean was sleeping with the guy's best friend, so Eli didn't feel right telling him yet, even though he was sure Dean would keep it secret.
Plus, there was one other thing: the chance he might get his heart broken. Until he was sure Kevin was interested in him, Eli wasn't going to give Dean false hopes for him. But holy shit, did he ever seem interested when he kissed me like that...
He distracted himself from thinking too much about Kevin by suggesting they head to the beach for some jet-skiing before the parties began that night. If he stumbled and wiped out once or twice just because his mind was on the gorgeous baker and bar owner's full downturned lips... only he had to know.
***
Socializing that night was difficult as always, especially when his well-meaning friends and acquaintances asked how Tom was doing on set and expressed their condolences on how far apart they must have felt.
Eli mostly brushed it off with phrases like “he enjoys working with Jon” while spitefully thinking of that skinny young bastard, or simply telling them “I've gotten used to it” before changing the topic. It wasn't going to be long before people noticed. Tom must have already been getting the same kinds of questions, but his reps still hadn't announced it. Eli had to get in touch to ask him when they were going to make it public, but he hadn't talked to the cheating asshole since the day he'd caught him... and he didn't really want to start now.
Throughout the meeting in La Sol's private room, he found it hard to keep his mind on business matters. Bill was discussing the merits of buying a smaller, more private island with a little less of the structure that he felt was starting to burden Ember Isle, but he wasn't talking about selling Ember Isle like Dean had thought.
“I don't know,” Dean told Bill at last after a few hours of tapas plates, cocktails, and healthy debate. “It's not going to be as much of a tax shelter as you think.”
Bill shook his head. “When you get to my age you'll take anything you can get. In more than one way...” He slapped Dean's shoulder lightly. “You've been coming here for years and you've never gotten a partner yet. Isn't it time to settle down soon?”
“I don't need a boyfriend. I'm dating my bank account,” Dean declared, which was the same thing he always said. He rose to his feet.
“Be careful what you wish for,” Bill answered with a smile and shake of his head, standing up to shake hands with him again. “I suppose you're off to date your bank account all night in someone's place?”
“Oh-ho,” Eli couldn't help but guffaw, covering his mouth when Dean mock-glared at him and coughing. He wasn't the only one to have chortled, though; the other men who were beginning to disperse for their rental homes or other, livelier destinations joined in.
“At least one place,” Dean agreed as he grinned. “Good to see you as always, Bill.”
“You, too, kid.” Bill wasn't much older, in his early
“Gives us the chance to see what we'd be missing out on for the next few months... take bids in September, sell it, not have to deal with it this winter if there's another hurricane...”
“I don't know,” Eli still shook his head. “We'll see.”
As they lapsed into conversation about the restaurants they planned to visit, Eli made mental notes: the beach lounge at six to meet school buddies, La Sol at nine for that meeting, the bright party club Chrome for schmoozing with a few of the guys whose assets Dean wanted (in one way or another), and then... he'd sneak off to Sweet Nothings. He didn't expect Dean would follow him there, not when there was a party full of potential hookups to be found more easily at Chrome.
Not that it was a secret, but... he didn't know how Kevin was going to feel about being outed to anyone else if he had told management here that he was straight. Dean was sleeping with the guy's best friend, so Eli didn't feel right telling him yet, even though he was sure Dean would keep it secret.
Plus, there was one other thing: the chance he might get his heart broken. Until he was sure Kevin was interested in him, Eli wasn't going to give Dean false hopes for him. But holy shit, did he ever seem interested when he kissed me like that...
He distracted himself from thinking too much about Kevin by suggesting they head to the beach for some jet-skiing before the parties began that night. If he stumbled and wiped out once or twice just because his mind was on the gorgeous baker and bar owner's full downturned lips... only he had to know.
***
Socializing that night was difficult as always, especially when his well-meaning friends and acquaintances asked how Tom was doing on set and expressed their condolences on how far apart they must have felt.
Eli mostly brushed it off with phrases like “he enjoys working with Jon” while spitefully thinking of that skinny young bastard, or simply telling them “I've gotten used to it” before changing the topic. It wasn't going to be long before people noticed. Tom must have already been getting the same kinds of questions, but his reps still hadn't announced it. Eli had to get in touch to ask him when they were going to make it public, but he hadn't talked to the cheating asshole since the day he'd caught him... and he didn't really want to start now.
Throughout the meeting in La Sol's private room, he found it hard to keep his mind on business matters. Bill was discussing the merits of buying a smaller, more private island with a little less of the structure that he felt was starting to burden Ember Isle, but he wasn't talking about selling Ember Isle like Dean had thought.
“I don't know,” Dean told Bill at last after a few hours of tapas plates, cocktails, and healthy debate. “It's not going to be as much of a tax shelter as you think.”
Bill shook his head. “When you get to my age you'll take anything you can get. In more than one way...” He slapped Dean's shoulder lightly. “You've been coming here for years and you've never gotten a partner yet. Isn't it time to settle down soon?”
“I don't need a boyfriend. I'm dating my bank account,” Dean declared, which was the same thing he always said. He rose to his feet.
“Be careful what you wish for,” Bill answered with a smile and shake of his head, standing up to shake hands with him again. “I suppose you're off to date your bank account all night in someone's place?”
“Oh-ho,” Eli couldn't help but guffaw, covering his mouth when Dean mock-glared at him and coughing. He wasn't the only one to have chortled, though; the other men who were beginning to disperse for their rental homes or other, livelier destinations joined in.
“At least one place,” Dean agreed as he grinned. “Good to see you as always, Bill.”
“You, too, kid.” Bill wasn't much older, in his early
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