At the Halloween store Bobby was keeping himself busy by neatening the rack of costumes when his phone made a familiar sound, the sound letting him know another gay man was in the area. He was going to ignore it. He had just started using the app and it still made him nervous. But then he smelled a cologne that he had never smelled previously.
He perked up. It was musky but subtle. It didn’t smell soapy like the popular colognes. He decided he had to find out who was wearing the scent. He walked to the center of the store then slowly, as if he were looking for a needed product he looked up and down each aisle until finally he spotted the man. He was tall, handsome, wearing a suit and tie, and older.
Bobby continued past the aisle until he reached the last one turned down it, stopped himself. Play it cool, he told himself. He took a deep breath. The subtle art of cruising. He walked to the end of the aisle where the man had been. He was still there. He was more handsome than he first noticed. He had broad shoulders and short blonde hair. He looked like he was in his thirties. The man looked his way, smirked. Oh god, was that a smirk?
Other times he had turned on his heels, darted away to find security but he needed something else. He needed something to break the tension, distract him. He looked to the items on the shelves, entered the aisle and stopped. The man had clearly seen him. He started to walk his way.
“Can you help me?” the man asked.
Bobby looked up to him. He felt as if all emotion had been sucked from the tips of his toes, up through each muscle, and to his throat where it stopped. He was afraid to speak so he cleared his throat first.
“Yes sir,” he said.
The man smiled. Oh god, he smiled. Then he tapped the package in his hand against the other making it click and rattle.
“I’m uh, I’m looking for a Halloween costume for my nephew. He’s about your size.”
Bobby could tell by the man’s voice that he was equally nervous. Had he ever picked someone up in a store? How many times? No one could reject him.
“Maybe I can help,” Bobby said. “Do you want me to try them on?”
The man laughed. He laughed.
“No, I was thinking you could recommend something.”
“Right,” Bobby said. “Is it for a dance or maybe a party?”
“Uh, a costume party,” the man said.
Great, did he really have a nephew or was this some pretense to keep talking to him? It sounded good in case the manager passed by. When did he test the waters to see if the guy was serious? How did they exchange phone numbers? How did he learn the guy’s name? At a bar it was easy. This was work.
A temporary job, he told himself. The season would be over and he’d be moving on to something else, a different store maybe or pick up some more clients for his personal training. He told himself he had to be more aggressive about getting people to recruit their friends but then shrugged it off.
“Let me show you,” he said holding out his hand to direct the man back across the store to where he had started among the costumes.
The walk itself made it easier when they go there to show him the different costumes. Bobby found himself even flirting with the man who flirted back until finally the man pulled out his cell phone to check the time.
“Those are all great,” the man said before looking around to make sure they weren’t being observed. “Hey listen, I have to get back to work but this was fun. Why don’t I give you my business card? You know in case something comes in you think my friend might like.”
“Cousin,” Bobby corrected.
“Right cousin,” the man said then he winked.
Bobby knew at once the whole thing had been a ploy for conversation, a distraction for each of them from their jobs. The man handed him a card and he took it but didn’t look at the name or business right away. He stared back at the man who smiled then motioned as if he should show himself out.
“Maybe I’ll see you again,” the man said before disappearing among the racks.
Bobby smiled. He had a possible date with a handsome man. He looked at the card. A date with a man named Dennis.
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