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him.”
    “I’ve seen him. I don’t blame you.”
    He heaved a breath. “He’s terrifi c. And he wants me back.”
    “This is a problem, how?”
    He stared the smooth white stuff on his fi ngers. Ms. Tyken waited.
    “When I’m with him, I’m not exactly sure who I am anymore.
    I’m just a part of him.”
    “Ah. Well. Maybe that’s not so bad. Maybe when the two of you are together, you should be a part of each other.” Shawn shook his head. “I don’t do anything for him.”
    “Oh sugar, I seriously doubt that.”
    “I don’t mean sex.”
    “Neither do I. Besides, he wants to put you up in front of everyone. Seems to me, he wants to let you shine.”
    “Under his direction.”
    “Maybe that’s not so bad.”
    Shawn sighed, swallowing the niggling doubts that plagued his belly. “I don’t know.”
    “Well, you should think on it.” Ms. Tyken put her shoe back on. “I think you should take the part, with my blessing.” 34 Mykles ~ Much Ado
    “It’ll leave you short a set.”
    “I’ll survive. I’m more worried about losing one of my bartenders.”
    Chuckling, Shawn lifted his head. Ms. Tyken now stood behind him. Their eyes met in the refl ection.
    She winked. “Danny’s shift is over in ten.”
    “I’ll be down.”
    ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
    Truth be told, Shawn liked tending bar more than he liked doing his act. He wouldn’t have admitted that before tonight, but Roscoe’s appearance the previous night seemed to have sparked a whole string of revelations. He was used to the patrons kidding him that he didn’t look old enough to drink, and he’d gotten good at fl irting without promising.
    “You’re not wearing a skirt.”
    “Nope,” he answered, keeping his tone light, “not tonight.” Shawn kept drying glasses and putting them away, not quite ignoring Joshua but not giving him much attention either. It was late on a quiet week night and the overhead music after the shows wasn’t as loud as when a girl was on stage. Other than Joshua, there were only about a dozen people in the club, and he was only one of three who sat at the bar.
    “Why did you wear one last night?”
    The question was odd enough to get Shawn to glance over his shoulder. “Huh?”
    Joshua wasn’t what you would call a bad looking man. Shawn preferred his guys tall and slim, and although Joshua was tall, his meaty muscles were on the much side. His hair was dark but so short that Shawn couldn’t tell if it was black or brown. His blue eyes were riveted on Shawn, the hungry gleam emphasized by the alcoholic buzz. “Last night you wore a skirt after your set. You’ve never done that before.”

    ENCORE! ENCORE! 35
    Shawn looked down at his jeans, worn under a plain blue polo. “Sure I have.”
    Joshua shook his head emphatically. “No. You haven’t.” He thought about it. He used to do it all the time, back when he’d fi rst started at Ms. Tyken’s. Back when wearing skirts was more fun than work. He hadn’t so much lately, preferring to make the break from female to male after he’d fi nished his sets. But, then, Joshua had only become a regular in the last few months.
    Shawn laughed, making light. “Huh. Well, I guess I haven’t.” He shrugged.
    “You should. You looked great.”
    He suppressed a fl irtatious “I don’t now?” and simply settled for a “Thank you,” before turning back to his glasses. They were all clean and dry, but he needed something to do. It was almost closing time and he’d cleared up almost everything else.
    The dozen patrons dwindled to six when a party of fi ve took their leave and one of the guys at the bar paid his tab, then scuffl ed toward the door.
    If Joshua noticed, he showed no sign. Shawn did a quick tally, thinking the big man hadn’t drunk that much. Maybe four beers? He’d come in after Shawn’s shift had started so no one else had served him. Four beers wasn’t enough to get a guy as big as Joshua drunk, not unless he’d had some before he’d come in.