“Ben, can we talk?” a familiar voice asked. I glanced to my left and saw Monty standing there, hands jammed in the front pockets of his jeans. He looked nervous, teeth nibbling at his lower lip.

I placed my attention back on the crowd as I replied, “There’s nothing to talk about, Monty.” I made change for a customer and stamped his wrist before he went inside. Of course, he recognized Monty and tried to flirt, but strangely enough, he was ignored.

Monty cleared his throat. “What I did was shitty and I’m sorry.”

I stamped quite a few more hands before the line was gone, and then replied, “You were so determined to have something you were denied that you had to play dirty to get it.” I faced him. “You are many things, Monty Mabuse, but I didn’t think even you would stoop so low.”

He got pissed. “You were flirting with me, too, you know. What do you expect when you tease a man and don’t give up anything?”

“Oh, so I’m in the wrong? Haven’t you ever flirted just for fun? Not to get anything out of it, but because it felt good?”

“That’s a fucking waste of time. Why not just go for what you want and get it over with?”

“And that’s the reason why I didn’t want to sleep with you. I see the big picture, Monty. I’m a commitment kind of guy. That’s what I’m looking for. I knew someone like you wouldn’t get that, maybe never did. It’s funny, though. If you’d asked me out on a couple of dates and made an effort at being something other than a selfish, spoiled little shit, I might have given in, anyway. I’m a sucker for romance. But you got what you wanted, right?”

He seemed embarrassed and was about to say something else when he was cut off. “Hey, man. You ready?” I glanced behind Monty to see the same guy who’d French kissed him earlier. He walked up behind Monty, nibbled on his ear, and then smirked at me. The black eye I’d given him that night long ago had faded.

They deserved each other. “Congrats on your tour, Monty. I’m sure you and the band will make millions. You’ll have fans wanting to fuck you from here to China. Then you’ll never be lonely or have to worry about trying to be anything other than the arrogant, self-serving bastard you are.”

Monty’s face looked stricken. “Ben, I ...” he began, but was pulled away by his companion. I turned my back on them and stared out into the street, lost in thought.