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“I’ve gone through my arsehole phase and metamorphosed into a useless bastard.”
“That’s an interesting life cycle. Not one I’d have associated with a movie star. I take it this has to do with your date with the director. How did it go?”
“Shite, with a side order of rubbish.” He knocked back his sherry and refilled his glass. “He was a complete knob. Honestly, I will never get that time back, and while the food was good I barely tasted a mouthful.”
“Wow, that’s damning. Even on my worst dates I was able to appreciate the food.”
“I know. My tolerance for dipshits is getting less as I get older.”
Simon tilted his head to one side. “I wonder if it’s not more nuanced than that.”
“What do you mean?” He didn’t think he wanted to know the answer.
“You’re arse over tit for Alex. You were mooning over him before you went on the date, so anyone who wasn’t him was going to fall short.”
Dorian hated the fact Simon was right, but also was pissed off that his ex-boyfriend’s boyfriend knew him well enough to call him out and wasn’t being enough of an arse that he could dismiss him outright.
“I admit I have a little crush on Alex, but I wasn’t convinced he’d be right for me.” That sounded lame to his own ears let alone Simon’s. “I wanted to see if I could have something real.”
“Right, so this one was so real that you’ve come back saying he was a load of shit. Sorry, Dorian, but I think you’d be better off admitting that you want Alex and stop fucking about.” Simon gave him a penetrating look. “To be frank, you messed up with Robin by not coming out, don’t miss out on a chance with Alex because you think you shouldn’t be together.”
He bristled at the mention of Robin but it was Simon’s statement about Alex that made him pause. “But he doesn’t want me.”
“Honestly, you and Robin are as bad as each other. Alex doesn’t think he’s in your league, he can’t believe you’d want him. Can’t you see that?”
Alex had no reason to think that. “He’d been avoiding me for the last two days. He doesn’t want me.”
“Fucking hell, are you so dense? He’s avoiding you because he thinks you don’t want him because you went on a date with another man.”
“I texted him to say the date was a bust!”
Simon snorted. “So now he thinks you’ll be looking for another date, not that you’re looking to do anything with him. I thought there was some sort of entrance test to get into your posh school, but the more time I spend around you, Ben and Robin, I wonder if they let any old chimp in a suit in.”
“Oi. That was uncalled for. I think you’ve had too much sherry.”
Simon wrestled the decanter off Dorian. “No, I’m not going to soft soap this. If you let Alex go without telling him how you feel you’re a bloody idiot. And I’m telling Robin.”
“Don’t you dare!”
* * *
Dorian towel-dried his hair, he was knackered but annoyed with himself. He had a few scripts to look over, which might help him fall asleep but his mind was too busy trying to replay all his fuck ups over the last ten years.
His phone began to ring, his initial thought was to ignore it but seeing it was Robin he didn’t think he would give up easily.
“Hey, how’s things?”
“I’ve only a few more days left in the US, so would you do me a favour and stop getting my boyfriend riled up because he is meant to be resting and I’m not there to make sure he does.”
“I have not riled Simon up. He’s more than capable of getting his own knickers in a twist. Especially when he’s been on the sherry.”
Seeing as Simon had grassed him up to Robin, he didn’t feel guilty in dobbing the bastard in too. “He’s been drinking?”
“Yep.”
There was momentary silence. “Nice try to distract me, Forbes. I’ll deal with Simon separately, but for now you’re on my shit list.”
“I’ve no reason to be. I’m not your responsibility anymore.”
