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He faced the corner of the room his friends would enter from and tugged Ethan into his body as if he could shelter him. But Ethan stood straighter when two men entered. They could be described as imposing, but they were some of the nicest guys he’d ever known.
Stepping forward, he held out his hand to Beck, the man dragging him into a hug when they shook.
“Hey, man. How’re things?” Beck cupped Joey’s nape, keeping him from retreating, and stared at him. “Well, you look like you’re all in one piece, so I suppose can’t complain.”
Joey snorted. “I’m okay. How are you?”
“Busy as ever.”
Joey raised his eyebrows. “So I’ve been told.”
Beck shoved him backwards. “Fuck off. I had a client cancel at the last minute.”
“What’s your excuse?” he asked Finn.
Finn threw up his middle finger, and Joey caught it and twisted, ending up in a tussle with the smaller man.
“Enough! You’ll break something again!” Ani called, and they broke apart, laughing. “I refuse to order more furniture because you went off on one. I swear I’m a babysitter, not a bloody manager.”
Joey glanced at her and caught her throwing a smile towards Ethan, who grinned back at her. He retreated to Ethan’s side, sliding his arm possessively around his waist again. “Guys, this is Ethan. Ethan, this is Beck, and this is Finn.” He pointed at each man in order and tried to see them as Ethan might as his boyfriend greeted his friends.
Beck had short, dark brown hair, which was always immaculately styled, a neatly trimmed beard and moustache, bright blue eyes, and his trademark dark wash jeans and tank top, showing off his tattoos. Finn had slightly longer brown hair, always hidden behind a backwards flat cap, a barely-there moustache, dark-rimmed glasses and leather bracelets, complementing the khaki trousers and T-shirt he wore. All in all, they were good-looking men who could have anyone they wanted. That they were all gay was some sort of mystical coincidence shit.
A thundering of footsteps sounded, and Joey smiled. “And here is Dallas.”
A giant of a man entered the room, someone who wouldn’t have been out of place on a beach surfing. Dallas’s slick-backed hair accentuated his good looks, even though his face was covered by a huge beard and moustache.
“Joey!” Dallas said, punching his biceps as he stopped beside him.
“Dallas,” Joey replied with a shake of his head. “I’d like you to meet Ethan.”
“Nice to meet you,” Dallas said, holding out his beefy hand.
Ethan shook it. “You, too. Joey has told me a little about you all.”
“It’s all lies,” Beck said, leaning back on the counter and crossing his arms over his chest.
Ethan laughed. “I bet.”
“How come only one of you has a client?” Joey asked, resting his ass on the table when Ethan turned his attention back to the designs on the wall.
“Mine cancelled. I told you,” Beck said. Joey flipped him off.
“I’m heading out to Cardiff in an hour or so,” Finn said. “Porter’s been waiting long enough.”
Joey nodded. “He has. It’s nice to know we have some clients who can be patient.”
“So, Ethan…” Dallas said. “What are you doing with this asshole?”
Ethan faced them again, his lopsided smile curving his lips as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Saving him from sleeping in his car?”
Joey groaned and palmed his face. He hadn’t told them where he’d been sleeping, and they’d just assumed he was in a hotel each time he stopped.
“His car?” Ani said.
Joey peeked between his fingers and grimaced at her narrowed eyes. She was worse than his mother, and that was saying something.
Ethan glanced between them and winced. “Sorry. I thought they knew.”
