"I said I'd be here."
"Yeah, you always say that." Reed stepped back, still grinning. "Come on. Open bar. You look like you need a drink."
Reed steered him toward the bar, snaking through the crowd, people calling out greetings that Reed returned with easy charm.
They were aiming straight for Novak and Hale.
Reed was an ass.
"Look who finally showed up," Reed announced as they approached. "Shaw, you remember Novak from Selection. And Hale."
Elliot's gaze remained steady, his shoulders relaxed, as he nodded. His voice didn't waver when he said, "Novak," then, because there was no avoiding it, "Hale."
Hale met his eyes and held them. Three years collapsed in about four seconds.
"Shaw." Hale’s voice sounded smooth, almost off-hand, as if they were acquaintances running into each other at a grocery store instead of two people who'd spent months fucking in storage closets. "Been a while."
"Three years."
"Right. Three years." Hale sipped his drink. His hand on the glass was steady, everything about him completely unbothered, as if this wasn't affecting him at all.
Elliot clenched his jaw. Why the hell did he notice? Why the hell did he care?
"So," Reed said, drawing out the word. He clearly enjoyed this way too much. "Shaw's been in Germany. Hale in the Middle East. You guys should catch up."
Silence.
"Germany," Hale said finally. "That's... far."
"It's in Europe," Elliot confirmed.
"Right. Yeah. Europe." Hale nodded like this was fascinating information. "Cold there?"
"In winter."
"Makes sense." Another nod. "Middle East is sunny."
"So I've heard."
"Yeah.” Hale swirled his drink. "Really warm."
"It usually is when it’s sunny."
More silence. Excruciating silence.
"You guys are really good at this," Reed said.
Novak watched them both with barely concealed amusement. Reed bit down on a grin.
"I'm getting a drink," Elliot said abruptly.
"Good call." Hale stepped aside to make space for him at the bar.
Reed pulled out his phone, then turned to Novak with exaggerated alarm. "Oh shit. Sarah needs us. Right now. Immediate bridal emergency."
Novak raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yes. Catastrophic. Life or death." Reed was already backing away, pulling Novak with him. "You two keep catching up. Talk about... weather patterns. Climate zones. Whatever."
