Another group, on the opposite side of the room, was all men. They were young and thin and far too animated to be taken seriously. They all had extremely short hair spiked and primped with product, they all wore skimpy little shirts that hugged their ribs and showed an inch of abdomen, and they all had at least one tattoo. One guy had hair that had been bleached so white it looked brittle to the touch. Another had large silver rings on every finger, his fingernails were painted black, and when he spoke he waved his hands in so many different directions the guy beside him had to duck a few times.
When Michael handed Jase the drink, he looked him up and down and said, “What’s your name, doll?”
“It’s Jase,” he said with a friendly smile. He didn’t want to mention his last name; he didn’t know this guy well enough and he didn’t want to take the chance of being recognized.
“So how do you know Luis, Jase-doll?” He was one of those slick hipster types that called everyone doll, sweetie, or baby while speaking through the side of his mouth.
“I live next door, just moved in.”
“This place is some dump, isn’t it?” Michael asked. “Luis is giving these losers the best vodka in the world and he’s living in a dump like this. I don’t get him.”
Jase raised his eyebrows. Even if Jase had thought the same thing briefly, he would never have said it aloud.
Michael smiled and leaned in closer, as if he were about to tell Jase a deep dark secret.
He winked and asked, “Did you, or didn’t you?”
Jase blinked. “What do you mean, did I or didn’t I?” He took a sip of his drink and tilted his head to the side.
But before Michael could answer, the doorbell rang and Michael excused himself.
Evidently, Michael had taken it upon himself to answer the front door for Luis.
Jase followed Michael into the living room section and watched him open the front door.
A small woman with short, bright red hair lifted her arms up high and screamed. Then she hugged Michael and said, “Darling, it’s so good to see you again. It’s been ages.” Her French Canadian accent—Jase could spot a French Canadian accent miles away—was as thick as the woman’s makeup. She didn’t speak—she screamed sentences with a shrillness that made Jase wince. And she was wearing the most peculiar little hat Jase had ever seen. It looked like a black velvet crown covered in black netting, with a little white bird that had been fastened to the side with a glue gun. The small, portly man who had arrived with her smiled and nodded at Michael.
He had large bulging O-shaped eyes and thick lips that looked as if they were perpetually pursed.
When he opened his mouth to greet Michael, his voice was so effeminate Jase almost expected him to curtsy in the doorway.
“Come in,” Michael said, welcoming them into Luis’s apartment. “Luis is still getting ready. He’ll be out soon.”
As the pair crossed to the kitchen to get drinks, Luis came walking down the hallway from his bedroom. He was wearing the exact same outfit Jase was wearing, black shoes and all.
He looked Jase up and down, smiled, and said, “We must have been thinking the same thing tonight.”
“You look great, Luis-doll,” Michael said, staring at the way the tight jeans hugged Luis’s legs. “You’ve never looked better.”
Jase pulled a block of hickory wood from his pocket and handed it to Luis. “I didn’t know what to bring, so I figured you might like this.” He’d brought the block of wood as a joke, because Luis had seemed so interested in the box of hickory blocks the night before.
Luis reached for the small piece of wood and stared at it for a second before he smiled and said, “It’s wonderful. I love it. Thank you.” Then he placed it on a small table next to the front door. “I think it looks perfect there. It will always remind me of one of the nicest nights of my life.” His voice was higher than usual; he seemed to enjoy greeting his guests and being the center of attention at his own party. If he didn’t, he was putting on a great act for the sake of appearances.
“I was hoping you’d like it,” Jase said. Though Luis’s voice wasn’t as sincere as it normally was, Jase knew Luis really did like the little block of wood.
“What is it?” Michael asked, tilting his head and making a face.
“It’s a block of hickory from one of Jase’s inventions,” Luis said. “Jase is going to be a rich and famous inventor one day. Who do you know who can help him, Michael? You’re an agent. I’m sure you must know someone who handles these things.”
“An inventor?” Michael asked, nonplussed. “What could I do for him? I rep porn stars.”
Jase blinked again. He’d never met anyone in the porn business.
“Yes,” Luis said, “and he’s very good at it. And you’re going to help him make his first million with little blocks of hickory wood. You must have connections.” Then he reached out and pinched Michael’s cheek. “And you’re going to do this just for little ole me because you’re such a sweet, adorable man.”
Michael moved in closer and placed his palm on the small of Luis’s back. “Let me take care of this later with Jase- doll, sweetie. I’m more interested in you tonight. I haven’t seen you for a while. I’ve been thinking about you all day.”
Luis smiled and stepped back far enough so Michael’s hand couldn’t reach his body. “I have to finish getting dressed.” He turned and started walking back to his bedroom. “But just remember one thing, Michael. I discovered Jase and I’m his agent when he becomes a billionaire.”
When Luis was gone, Michael turned to say something to Jase but the doorbell rang again.
He excused himself and let another group of people into the apartment. A minute later, he went back to where Jase was standing.
“So what do you think, Jake- doll?” Michael asked.
Jase lifted his arm and smiled. “It’s Jase- doll, not Jake- doll.” He didn’t like being called doll by anyone. But Michael was as harmless as Luis’s little bald dog and he didn’t want to insult him.
“Yeah, yeah,” Michael said. “I’m curious. C’mon, tell me the truth. I’m dying to know.
Did you or didn’t you?”
He had no idea what Michael was talking about. “Did I or didn’t I what?”
Michael leaned in so close Jase could smell the alcohol on his breath. “Did you get into Luis’s pants? I hear he never puts out for anyone. There are rumors all over the place that he’s actually still a virgin. I even heard once that his dick is mutant.” He looked back and forth and pressed his palm to his cheek. “They say his dick is so big you can’t do anything with it. I’ve heard he has a monster cock.”