Speed Dating the Boss

by Sue Brown

  “He’s a happy man,” Dan said on Gideon’s return.

  Gideon flashed him a bright smile. “Buck likes the idea of us serving burgers and fries.”

  “You asked him?”

  “I don’t want our older customers to feel pushed out.”

  “What did he say?”

  “That it was about time the old girl got a makeover and I stopped playing at running a bar.” Gideon gave a wry smile. “Buck thinks I need to hand the bar over to someone who knows what they’re doing.”

  Dan tried and failed not to snort with laughter. Buck was renowned for telling it like it is. “Did he have any suggestions?”

  “He said I could do worse than ask you to take over. He said you wouldn’t fuck it up as much as I do.”

  “What did you say?”

  “I said I’d consider his idea.”

  “You didn’t tell him you’d already asked me?”

  Gideon grinned. “Not yet. Let it be a surprise.”

  “At least someone ’round here appreciates me.”

  “Gideon thinks the sun shines out of your ass, Dan,” Bradley said as he walked past with a tray of empty glasses.

  “’Course I do,” Gideon said cheerfully.

  Dan rolled his eyes, flipped them off, and served the next customer.

  Chapter 9

  ONCE ARIEL got the bit between her teeth, Dan was shocked at how quickly she managed to organize the event. She rushed around like a whirlwind and spent hours on the phone.

  Dan watched her with bemusement. When he mentioned it to Gideon, his boss just laughed.

  “Ariel was born to organize things like this.”

  “Then why have you never had any events before?”

  Gideon shrugged. “No one suggested something I wanted to hold at Cowboys and Angels.”

  “So you decided to start with a gay speeding-dating event?” Dan asked dryly.

  “Gotta start somewhere.” Gideon’s eyes twinkled over the set of accounts he was looking at.

  “I feel like I ought to help more.” Dan had offered to help repeatedly, but Ariel had turned down all his offers.

  “All you have to do is agree on the food and turn up looking pretty on the night,” Gideon said.

  Dan growled. “I’m gay, not a girl. I’m not pretty for anyone.”

  “I’m sorry,” Gideon said unexpectedly. “I didn’t mean to imply anything.”

  The anger drained out of Dan. “I know, I’m sorry for snapping. I’m just nervous.”

  Bone-fucking petrified.

  Gideon slid off his stool and came to stand in front of Dan. “Just relax about the speed dating. It’s supposed to be fun. You might get a date, and if not, you get a chance to meet other men.”

  “This is so wrong.”

  “The point is, you don’t get a choice. You said she could find you a date, and now you’re stuck with it.”

  “You could put a stop to this. She is your daughter.”

  Gideon laughed and squeezed his shoulder. “Hell no. And miss watching you squirm for a couple of hours? I’m not gonna miss this for the world.”

  “I thought you liked me.”

  “I do like you. But I’m more than happy to watch you go through a couple of hours of hell. Besides, it’s good business for the bar, and it keeps her from getting into trouble.”

  “About that. When it gets around that you’re hosting gay men, you might not find it’s such good business.”

  “I’ll take that hit.” Could anything shake that confidence?

  “Is there anything I can do to make you change your mind?” Dan begged.

  Gideon chuckled again, and Dan knew that any hope of a reprieve was out of the window. “Not a chance in hell. But if it’s any help, Ariel already has plans to help you.”

  “What kind of plans?” Dan asked suspiciously.

  “You’ll have to wait and see,” Gideon said. “I need to get back to these accounts.” And he was gone upstairs to his apartment, leaving Dan alone in the bar.

  “I’m doomed,” he muttered.

  Just then Bradley walked in with a crate of bottles. He laughed derisively at him. “You’ve taken this long to work it out?”

  Dan stalked off, shaking his head. How could he get out of this?

  THE DAY of Dan’s Day of Doom, as he’d termed it, he was banned from the bar during the day, but that didn’t mean he could sleep in. On the contrary, he was in the clutches of the Tylers for the entire day. Ariel told him to expect a visitor at ten in the morning, which made Dan real grumpy because he’d been working the night before and only got to bed at four. But he was showered and dressed, and at ten o’clock precisely, the doorbell rang.

  Dan deleted yet another text from Disastrous Date and stomped over to open the door. His jaw dropped as he surveyed the man on his doorstep. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  Gideon leaned against the doorframe, dressed in a dark navy peacoat, tight jeans, and a smug smile that Dan wanted to wipe off his face. “Morning to you too. Are you ready?”

  “Ready for what?” Dan asked warily as he stepped back to allow Gideon into his apartment. Gideon seemed to swallow up the oxygen.

  “I thought Ariel was gonna tell you.” Gideon looked far too innocent to believe that.

  “No, she hasn’t said a word,” Dan managed through gritted teeth.

  “She wants you to have a makeover before tonight’s event.”

  Dan stared at him in horror. “Oh hell no. We had that conversation about me being a girl. I’ll be clean, and I’ll even iron my shirt. But she’s not going to primp and preen me like some doll.”

  “Calm down. I canceled most of the appointments. But you have to make an effort, Dan. It’s a new world out there, and this is New York. A clean shirt won’t cut it.”

  “I’ll stick with the old world, thanks very much.”

  Gideon fixed Dan with a hard stare. “You’re going to do this, because Ariel wants it. She’s made a huge effort for you. Now suck it up and get your coat on.”

  Dan swallowed back the angry retort brewing on his lips. Gideon was his boss, and no matter what he thought, Gideon was right. Ariel had worked tirelessly, and it was one night. He’d get through whatever torture Ariel had devised for him. “Okay.”

  Gideon ignored Dan’s rather ungracious response and said, “Let’s go. Your first appointment is at ten thirty.”

  Dan picked up his jacket, wallet, and keys. “Where are we going first?”

  Gideon consulted a list. “The barbers. Ariel wants your stubble tidied up.”

  Dan grunted. He planned to do that before the wedding, but he’d been too busy. At least he could be grateful that was one less job to do. “If you give me the list, I could do it myself. You don’t have to babysit me for the day.”

  “She’s given me a list of orders.” Gideon looked at Dan as though he were mad. “And if she tells me to do something, I do it. Besides, count yourself lucky one of her professors changed a lecture time. She was going to escort you herself, and you’d have to suffer through a spray tan because she wants one.”

  Dan nearly choked at the thought of standing naked while somebody covered him in orange crap. “I’m not having a spray tan.”

  “Relax. It’s one of the appointments I canceled, along with a facial, an appointment with a personal shopper, and an eyebrow-threading session.”

  Dear God, what was left? “What did you keep?”

  “Hair, a mani-pedi, a massage, and waxing back, sac, and crack.” Gideon burst out laughing as Dan scowled. “No massage?”

  “You lay one waxing strip on me, and I’ll rip your arm off.”

  Gideon nudged him. “You’re so easy to wind up. I canceled that too.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Get out of here.”

  Dan manhandled Gideon through his front door and locked up as Gideon headed for the stairs without Dan needing to remind him. He said hello to Mrs. Gryniewicz from the floor above.

  She waved at him and then
studied Gideon. “He’s better than your last one.”

  “He’s my boss, not my boyfriend,” Dan said hastily, almost feeling the amusement radiating off Gideon.

  “That’s a pity.” Mrs. Gryniewicz looked at Gideon. “You treat him well, boss man. Dan’s a good boy.”

  “I know he is,” Gideon assured her.

  She carried on up the stairs and left Dan furiously blushing.

  Gideon’s smirk was huge as they carried on down the stairs. “You’re the color of my sweater.”

  “Shut up.”

  They reached the sidewalk, and Dan went to head off in the direction of his barber, but Gideon caught his arm.

  “Where’re you going?”

  Dan was confused. “I thought I was getting my hair done? My barber’s this way.”

  “You are, but Ariel made the appointment. The hair salon is in the other direction.”

  “Hair salon?” At Gideon’s nod, Dan felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. “I don’t need a hair salon. I can get a buzz cut for $20 around the corner.”

  “Dan, this is Ariel’s day, and you’ll do what she wants. You’re not paying for this.”

  Dan shoved his hands into his pockets. He wasn’t moving a step until Gideon got one thing straight. “I don’t need charity.”

  “It’s not charity.”

  “If I’m not paying for it, it’s charity.”

  “Call it a bonus from me for putting up with us. Whatever will soothe your conscience. But it’s going to happen.”

  Dan had heard that voice before—usually as Gideon stopped a fight with a single shout. “Do I have a choice?”

  “No. Get moving or we’ll be late.”

  Sullenly Dan followed Gideon to a hair salon a few blocks from his apartment. To his relief it looked like a small establishment his mom would’ve gone to, not a snooty place like the one Ariel frequented. Dan had picked her up there once or twice when Gideon couldn’t make it. After the first time, Dan met her outside. The women in there could have slain him with one red-painted talon.

  Gideon pushed the door open and ushered Dan into a small, brightly lit salon full of women, their heads covered in foils and things that Dan had only seen in science-fiction movies. Their conversations faltered as they all looked over, and Dan felt conspicuously on display. Only Gideon’s hand resting in the small of his back stopped him bolting. Then a short young Hispanic man rushed toward them.

  “Gideon, where have you been? Dear God, what have you done to your hair? Don’t tell me you went to Antoine’s?”

  Gideon bent down for a kiss on either cheek. “Baz, it’s good to see you. It’s been too long.”

  Baz fluttered around Gideon and led him to a chair. “I have to do something with this mess.”

  “The appointment’s not for me. It’s for my friend.” Gideon indicated Dan, who hovered uncertainly by the door.

  Baz turned to Dan and then back to Gideon. “You know I’m a hair stylist, right?”

  Dan turned, ready to walk out of the salon and away from the arrogant little man, but Gideon pinned him to the spot with a “Stay there.”

  “Baz, we need your help. Dan needs a special date, and Ariel, you remember her, has organized a makeover day for him. She came to you because you’re the best. You can see he needs a tidy up and a shave. You’re the best I’ve ever met with a hot shave.”

  Baz huffed, but then he smiled. “I see what you’re doing, trying to flatter me. Anyone else I would say no, but because it’s you, just wait here.”

  He rushed away, and Gideon walked over to Dan. “I’m sorry, I should have warned you. Baz can be a bit temperamental when he first meets someone.”

  “Temperamental? Is that what you call it?” Dan was unimpressed. “I call it being an asshole.”

  “Yeah, that too. He did it to me too the first time. But he’ll have his moment, and then he’ll take care of you.”

  “I could get a shave and less attitude for half the price.”

  “But it wouldn’t be half as much fun or as good a shave,” Baz said. As Gideon was effectively obscuring his vision, Dan hadn’t seen Baz approach. “Come with me. I have time to do both of you today.”

  “I don’t need—” Gideon started but gave in under the weight of Baz’s glare.

  “I am not allowing you to walk out of my salon looking like—that.” Dan smirked, but he quickly erased it when Baz turned on him. “Do you have something to say?”

  Dan shook his head. “No.”

  “Good.” Baz pointed to two vacant seats.

  Dan sat where he was told and let himself be gowned by a teenage boy with a startling mohawk and piercings all over his face. He wished he could feel as relaxed as Gideon seemed. He settled right in next to him with a ready smile for the young man.

  Being shaved by Baz was an experience. At the end of his session, Dan had to admit the man had skills with a razor. Dan couldn’t shave for shit without ripping up his skin, but the fuzz over his scalp was neat, and he had the smoothest chin he’d had since he hit puberty. Baz rubbed some scented oil into his skin and stood back to examine his work.

  “Much better. Now I’m going to leave you here and harass your boss.”

  Dan frowned. “How do you know he’s my boss?”

  “Gideon talks about you all the time.”

  “He does? I guess I work for him, so it makes sense.”

  Baz got a look Dan couldn’t interpret. “He doesn’t talk about anyone else. Just you.”

  “Don’t give away all my secrets,” Gideon said from the other chair. He was gowned, and his hair had been washed by another pretty young man who fluttered around Baz as though he were the second coming. Baz took it as his due and barely noticed the boy.

  Baz snorted. “You have too many secrets, Gideon. You ought to loosen up.”

  Dan felt a pang of jealousy at the obvious closeness of their relationship. He wasn’t used to seeing Gideon being friendly with anyone. Of course he didn’t know Gideon outside the bar. Dan didn’t have a friendship with Gideon as such. They’d only ever been boss and employee.

  He made an effort to thank the pretty young man for offering a magazine. Then he glanced over to see Gideon watching him with a slight frown. When Gideon caught his gaze, the frown was erased, and Gideon focused his attention on Baz. Dan flicked through the magazine. He had zero interest in photography, but it helped him to avoid watching Gideon as Baz scolded him for not coming sooner. Dan did not need the mental images that produced.

  If Baz was a demon with the razor, he was equally a demon with scissors. At the end of an hour, Gideon gave a sigh of relief as Baz pronounced himself satisfied.

  “Next time, don’t leave it so long,” Baz scolded. “Those curls needed serious work.”

  “Yes, Baz.” Gideon stood, handed the gown to the pretty man, and rolled his shoulders. He glanced over to Dan, who was pretending to read a magazine about men’s health.

  “Anything interesting?” Gideon asked.

  Dan looked up, confused. “Huh?”

  “The magazine?”

  Dan couldn’t recall a word he’d read. The only advantage of the magazine was good eye candy, even if nothing came close to Gideon. “Yeah. I guess so. If you’re into fitness.” Dan did all the weightlifting he needed sorting out the deliveries.

  Gideon nodded as if in agreement. “You don’t need to go to the gym. You’ve got a great body.”

  “Uh… thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. Let’s get out of here before Baz threatens me with a razor.” Gideon stroked his chin.

  Gideon didn’t need another shave. He had the smoothest chin of any man Dan had ever known. Even on his days off, Gideon always shaved. He settled the bill, and Dan hung awkwardly by the door again, embarrassed at someone else paying for him. Then they were on the sidewalk, and Dan could breathe again.

  “Hey.” Gideon squeezed his shoulder. “It’s okay.”

  Dan met his gaze. “That obvious, huh?”
r />   “You’ve got that deer-in-the-headlights look.”

  “I feel like that,” Dan admitted.

  “Is it the speed-dating event?”

  Dan could hardly tell Gideon that he was more rattled by Gideon’s hands on him than the damn event. “It’s what you’ve got planned for me today. A mani-pedi? No. No. No.”

  “Every man has them now. It’s not just women. Look.” Gideon splayed out his nails. They were neatly trimmed and well cared for, a sharp contrast to Dan’s raggedy nails.

  “They’re not going to make me wear polish, are they?”

  Gideon sighed and rolled his eyes. “Dan, I don’t want to turn you into a girl. You’re a handsome man. All I’m doing is smoothing out the edges for a potential date and for the wedding. Ariel will be happy, and all will be right with the world.”

  Dan was still reeling from the idea that Gideon thought he was handsome, but he managed to say, “You know you’re meant to be in charge.”

  “You really don’t know much about women, do you?”

  There wasn’t much Dan could say to that.

  Gideon looked at his watch. “We’re late. Vera will kill me.” He grabbed Dan’s hand, and they set off down the street for half a block, at the most. Gideon halted outside a lavender-fronted shop with a large purple sign that read Vera. “Whatever she says, don’t show your fear, or she’ll eat you alive. I mean it. The woman is a nightmare.”

  He opened the door to a jangle of bells, and Dan was overwhelmed with the scent of lavender and the sheer purpleness of the place. Everything was a shade of purple, from the walls to the accessories. And that included the lady with the mauve hair who was tapping her foot impatiently.

  Chapter 10

  “YOU’RE LATE.” She touched her watch.

  “I’m sorry, Aunty,” Gideon said in a meek tone Dan had never heard before. He would have laughed if he hadn’t been so terrified.

  “Where is he?”

  Gideon stood to one side and tugged Dan into the store. “Dan, this is the proprietor of Vera. Aunty Vera, this is Dan, the new manager of Cowboys and Angels. He needs a mani-pedi.”