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They sigh dramatically and tease their fingers through my chest hair. “I suppose we should talk about things. What, specifically, do you want to talk about?”
I raise my eyebrows. “Well. First things first. What pronouns today?”
Stef’s face lights up and it makes my heart simultaneously full and ache that something so simple means so much. They rub their eyes sleepily and consider. “They/them today.”
“They/them it is.”
They lean down and give me a quick squeeze, their dazzling smile still in place, then pop up and we’re all business again. “Okay. So what did you want to talk about?”
“Well…” I take a moment to consider what I want to ask. “Are you okay with not working together anymore? I know you’re just getting your business off the ground and—”
Stef kisses me soundly. “Thank you. That’s incredibly thoughtful, Blake, but Mia and my other clients send me so many referrals, I have a waiting list. I have some regular long-term clients, but there are always some who are short-term, so those slots go quickly. I’ll make a few calls and move one of the waiting clients into the schedule sooner.”
Knowing our decision won’t hurt them financially is an immense relief. “Okay, good.”
“But it’s important that we continue with your stretching and meditation. If we’re going to be dating, I definitely don’t want to be rushing you to the emergency room for some stress-related chest pains—or any other kind of chest pains, for that matter.”
“I agree. We started doing it for the health benefits, but I love it. I love how it makes me feel, and I like having something we do together that we both enjoy.
Stef’s eyes light up, and they nod. I can see their mind working through the details. “I like that too. Okay, so maybe we can just switch up the time. We’ll continue the stretching and meditation, but we’ll do it in the evenings.”
We’re interrupted by my phone buzzing on the bedside table. I reach over and grab it, seeing a text message from Tadhg. Groaning, I rub my eyes. It was foolish to think I’d have a bit more time before the questions started. I show Stef my screen.
They nod and look around the room. “Yeah, I’m sure wherever my phone is, there are some texts from Erik and Jules. Probably asking the same things that Tadhg has for you. Varying versions of WTF and why didn’t you tell me.”
“Yeah, fishing for more details. I have a feeling there will be more colorful language than that, but that sounds about right.” I search Stef’s face for signs of embarrassment or concern, but they don’t seem fazed by any of it. “So, what do we tell them?”
Stef gives me an affronted glare. “What do you mean, ‘what do we tell them?’”
“Well, obviously we’re not going to tell them how we initially met. Right?”
Stef looks stricken. “Blake, are you ashamed of how we met?”
“No, no, no, no! Not at all. I just want to be sure that—”
“That we’re on the same page.” I groan and nod yes. They lean down and kiss my cheek. “Weareon the same page, darling. I definitely don’t mind if our friends know. They love us and won’t judge.”
That right there is the crux of the twinge in my chest. “Okay, maybe not about that, but us being together must seem sudden and out of left field for them.”
Stef see-saws his head back and forth. “Maybe a tad sudden, but then I’m pretty spontaneous, so why should they expect anything less?”
I stroke my fingers along their spine and watch them arch into my touch. “Because it’s not normallyme. I’ve said before that I’m not usually one to leap before I look.”
“Well then, it sounds like you’re going to have the bigger problem.”
They laugh, and I shake my head. “Thanks. That’s a lot of help.”
“Oh, you’re welcome. Anytime.”
I chuckle and tap on the text message.
Tadhg:WTF Blake? Spill the t!
Me:Later just waking up.
I glance at the time, shocked to see it’s nine o’clock. On a normal day, I’d have been up for two hours by now. I groan when I see the dots dancing on the screen.
Tadhg:W
