“I’m sure we can find other ways to help with that,” I said, lowering my voice to barely a whisper as I walked past him, tilting my head so nobody else would be able to hear us.
“I’m sure you could,” Aiden said. His voice was level, like we were talking about the weather, and I was impressed at how nonchalant he seemed. I bet he had a lethal poker face.
“Did a lot of shit happen today with the insurance and your kitchen?” Hunter asked.
Aiden shrugged, casually putting his ball and huffing in frustration when it went over the tunnels instead of through. “Not really. I feel like I spent all day on the phone and sending emails and got nowhere. I know it’s not going to be a quick fix, but it feels like the building management are being deliberately vague so I can’t hold them to anything. I still don’t know if I have to pay my full rent next month or not, but I’ve got no bloody income.”
“That’s bollocks,” Hunter said, his forehead creasing with anger.
“Tell me about it! Jonny thinks I should find another kitchen to rent, but it’s not that simple. Plus there’s all the money and contracts and fees. I can’t just up and leave.”
“Well, if you need a hand moving anything, we’ll happily come and be your helpers for the day,” I said, knocking my ball into the tunnel to the left and grimacing when it bounced straight back out. Apparently, that one was a dead end.
“What will it cost me?” Aiden asked.
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“When you ask?”
Hunter chuckled. “I think we’d have to negotiate the price in private. Can’t have everyone else knowing what we’re worth.”
“I’m open to discussion,” Aiden said, looking between us with a hungry, appraising look that made my cock throb and my legs threaten to buckle. “This is almost making me want to move.Almost.”
“Moving sucks, so I can see why you don’t want to,” I said.
“Yeah. But I can’t think about me. I need to work out what’s best for the business. Otherwise I won’t have one for much longer.” He sighed. “Being responsible is bollocks. I thought being an adult would be buying cool shit, eating whatever I wanted, and playing video games. Instead it’s all bills and responsibility.”
“And sex,” Hunter said under his breath with a smirk as he walked past us to get to the other end of the green.
“True. Thank fuck,” Aiden said.
“If you want to talk it out at all, you can always talk to us,” I said, trying to get the conversation vaguely back on track. Despite being the one who’d derailed it less than five minutes earlier. But I wanted Aiden to know we were here for him,whatever form that took. “We might not know anything about running a business but we’re good listeners.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it,” Aiden said. And it looked like he meant it.
I smiled and lined up my next shot, aware of them watching me.
The ball rolled lazily towards the tunnel mouth, stopped short, and then sped back down the hill and off the course completely.
“Fuck me,” I muttered as the pair of them laughed.
Aiden was going to be such a smug fucking winner, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. Because as long as he was happy, that was all that mattered.
