Page 60 of Whirlwind

Game for You

Interlude

Charlie

“Aaaaahhhhhhhh....” A satisfied sigh drew Charlie’s attention as she finished stacking the clean glasses for the evening. It was still early on a Wednesday night, and the bar was almost empty.

She turned to locate the sound and found her newest customer engaged in an elaborate stretch, a handsome suit jacket pulled taut over a shimmering blouse.

“Most people don’t sound that satisfied even with a beer in their hands,” she commented.

The customer, resplendent in a mixture of masculine and feminine clothing from head to toe, grinned at her. “Most people probably haven’t spent the last two years pretending to be someone that they’re not. I am here to be queer.”

Charlie laughed. “You’ve come to the right place, then. I’m Charlie.”

“Oh, so Whirlwind is your bar, right?”

“Sure is. Opened it nearly twenty years ago.”

“I read about it online. So far it’s living up to its reputation.” The newcomer indicated a corner where a butch lesbian couple were trying to convince their squirming toddler to eat something other than fries. “I’m Dakota. They/them,” they added.

“Well, nice to meet you. You actually remind me a bit of Carla, who runs our trivia night.” They both had that vivacious energy and infectious good humor. Not to mention their proud refusal to stick to any one gender.

Though no one else had Carla’s shining hazel eyes and alluring muscles and curves under those deceptively tight tailored pants. Not that Charlie was thinking about that.

“Oh, Carla, is it?” Dakota leaned in, as if preparing to hear a secret. “You’re going to have tell me all about her...”

Charlie found herself blushing. “He is our trivia night host. And he’s genderqueer. That’s all.”

“Suuuure,” Dakota drawled. “And have you told him how you feel?”

“I... no. Carla’s a friend. An, um, employee.” How had this conversation gotten turned around so quickly? Usually Charlie was the listening ear for her customers, not the subject of their curiosity.

Charlie scrambled for an opportunity to shift the conversation. “Did you want to order?”

Dakota laughed aloud, clearly pleased with Charlie’s mild embarrassment. Though there was nothing funny about it. She and Carla? It could never work, and she wasn’t going to let herself think about it.

“I heard you have some local beers, so get me whatever everyone orders. And don’t think I’m going to forget about Carla. I smell romance in the air.”

Charlie rolled her eyes. Maybe she could think of a better diversion. “I think there’s romance in the water. Or maybe the beer,” she snickered, handing Dakota the foaming glass.

“I have this crowd of regulars who’ve all been single for years. Then two of them got engaged to each other out of the blue a few weeks ago. Like, zero to practically married overnight. And another one, who I thought would never settle down, brought his new boyfriend in last week.”

“So, you’re saying I should expect to get lucky tonight?” Dakota shimmied their shoulders.

“That’s up to you, my friend.”

“I think I’ll take that as a personal challenge,” Dakota grinned.