Page 151 of The Bartender Special

From a focused Justus to an extremely excited Ethan, they all just started...

Singing.

“Turn around…”

“Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming 'round.”

Benny whirled around as a new voice came through the speakers.

Jack, his personal rain cloud, walked onto the stage, microphone in hand.

“Turn around…” the crowd sang.

“Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears,” Jack soloed.

He wasn’t just singing either.

He was dressed up too.

In a costume, no less. The one that would have been worn for the talent portion of the pageant. Open sequin jacket, nipples bare, shorts with a starfish over a very impressive part, and an insane amount of body glitter.

Jack stalked toward Benny, an expression that still was as serious as if he was wearing his usual bar attire.

He sang, their friends sang back-up, and Benny?

He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know what to say.

But he did know how to feel.

Jack danced up to him, still singing, and landed next to him by the time the chorus came. He dropped down to his knees, his shorts doing God’s work, and grabbed Benny’s hand just as everyone started singing at the top of their lungs.

Jack probably hated it.

But he delivered all the same.

“And I need you noooow tonight. And I need you more than ever. And if you only hold me tight, we'll be holding on forever.”

The crowd continued, the music swelling, but Jack moved the microphone down so his words to him didn't come through the speaker with them this time.

“I hate this, but I think I love you, so I’ll keep singing as long as you want,” he said, words as fast as Benny’s usually were. “I was a fool, sweet cheeks. I'm ready to talk about our future. Whether that's here in Nashville or back in Arbor Bay or on Mars, I don't care. I just want to be with you. So let me show you by singing this next part of this dumb song really badly so you can see that I-I really need you tonight! Forever's gonna start tonight! Forever's gonna start tonight!”

Benny’s own bartender gave him a special he knew was only ever going to be on his menu. Jack sang loudly, badly, and with the backing of singers who were mostly off-pitch.

But Benny couldn’t let him finish.

He jumped up, threw his arms around his new every day, and kissed the man for all he was worth.

In a room already filled with noise, the crowd still went wild.

EPILOGUE

A year later, Jack finished yet another rendition of Total Eclipse of the Heart.

Most of the audience was the same, plus a hundred more familiar faces, but the venue had changed from Nashville to his second favorite spot in the world.

Cassidy's Place in Arbor Bay, Alabama.

His new favorite spot was a house that had two bedrooms, an office, space for entertaining, and a deep need for a complete repainting.