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He envied it so badly he could taste it, and he’d never quite found a way to appreciate what they were to each other without feeling resentment.
“Trust me, I don’t mind the interruption. He’s on his first vacation in years, and I didn’t realize he was going to be up my ass here instead of you know…actually relaxing.”
“Maybe he finds being with you relaxing,” Dmitri said, then flushed and shook his head. “I mean…sorry. That’s none of my business.”
“No, that’s sweet,” Roman said, and there was an ease to his tone that he didn’t have the last time Dmitri had spoken with him at length. “As much as he’s a pain in the ass, I am looking forward to retirement and spending more time with the people I care about.”
Roman wasn’t old enough for it, but his body had decided for him. At least, that’s what everyone quietly whispered when he was using his chair or walking along with his crutches at a glacial pace.
“I’m sure it’ll be nice to feel—” he said, then stopped, because he wasn’t quite sure what he meant. “Free?”
“I’ve been working this job a long time,” Roman answered. “I don’t plan on being idle, but I probably won’t get into shadow puppetry, either.”
Dmitri couldn’t help a small chuckle, and it made Roman’s grin widen. “Well, I hope Aksel likes the cupcakes when you let him have them.”
“I’m sure he will. His dad passed a year ago, and it’s a little tradition we have. We take a blanket outside and have dinner under the stars, and he eats his feelings in Wilder’s chocolate cake. He tells himself it’s better for him because there’s no gluten in them.”
Dmitri rolled his eyes with his grin. “You know they’re not actually healthier, right? I mean, he’s a doctor. He should know that.”
“Yes, but I let him have that one thing,” Roman said, winking. He peeled the tape off the edge, then peered under the lid before smoothing his thumb over it and securing it back down. “Was there anything else you needed? We were supposed to pick these up, so if there’s an issue…”
“I,” Dmitri started, but a voice from the doorway interrupted him.
“He’s here to turn in an application for the job, babe.” Aksel leaned against the doorframe and smiled. “Right?”
Dmitri swiveled his head around and frowned. “Uh… what…”
“I saw the application in your car. I tried to Inspector Gadget the lock but sadly technology isn’t there yet.” Aksel lifted his stump since he’d left his arm on the chair near the shadow puppet lamp.
“Never mind that’s illegal,” Roman said, glaring at Aksel, then he turned his eyes to Dmitri. “Areyou here to apply?”
Dmitri shrugged, his cheeks hot with color. “Uh. I don’t…I mean. I’m not really qualified, so…”
“You graduated high school,” Roman said slowly. “Same year as Owen. I was there. And you’re over twenty-one, aren’t you?”
For whatever reason he couldn’t quite name, Dmitri was startled that Roman actually remembered. “Yeah. But the job posting said you wanted college in progress, and I haven’t even considered that. I’ve been working with Wilder, and I’m…I don’t know. You probably have way better applicants.”
“I have more qualified applicants,” Roman said, folding his hands on the desk. “I wouldn’t say better.”
Dmitri scoffed. “How is more qualified not better?”
“Because they don’t live here. This isn’t their home. So far, everyone is either applying from the University or from out of state. I really wanted to take someone local. Most people think I’m being ridiculous,” Roman added, a little heat in his voice. “But it matters to me.”
“It doesn’t change the fact that I’m not qualified,” Dmitri argued, even as Aksel made a small noise of argument behind him. “It would be a total waste of your time.”
Roman laid his hands flat on the desk. “Let me be the judge?”
Dmitri opened his mouth, then closed it. He didn’t have an argument against turning in the application, but he wasn’t sure he’d say yes if Roman offered him the job, either. “Can I think about it?”
“Only if you turn it in,” Roman said.
Dmitri felt Aksel behind him, then watched as he came around and perched on the arm rest of Roman’s chair. His hand pushed through Roman’s soft brown locks like an absent gesture, and Roman leaned into it like he didn’t have a choice.
“Fine,” he said after a beat.
Roman looked triumphant, and Dmitri felt like another decision was being taken from him, but this time it didn’t make him angry. “I’ll wait here,” Roman said.
“And I’ll walk you out,” Aksel added.
