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“Together,” Duncan said firmly, giving me a pointed look. “We’re together.”
“This isn’t some one-time hookup?” Danny wrinkled his nose like he was walking near an open sewer grate. “You’re like a thing?”
“Um. Yeah.” I tugged at my ear.
“And you didn’t think that I, your best friend, would want or deserved to know?” Clearly, he’d decided to direct his ire at me, not Duncan, but judging by the glare Danny shot him as well, there was plenty of anger to spare.
“It’s kind of new,” I hedged.
“And you didn’t tell your business partner?” Harley turned his gaze back on Duncan. He also seemed none too happy. “LT, you gonna start banging clients, I might appreciate a 411 before the press gets a hold of this story.”
“I was going to tell you. Today.” Duncan held up his hands. “And it’s not clients, plural. Just Ezra.”
“I don’t sign the checks,” I added.
“A technicality I’m sure the media will buy.” Harley’s voice was three-day-old bagel dry.
“I’ll weather the press.” Duncan sounded so resigned I couldn’t help stepping closer, putting an arm around his chilly bare shoulders, trying to silently remind him we had each other.
“You alone? You think this won’t touch A-List too?” Harley shook his head sadly, then answered his own question before Duncan could reply. “Whatever. Food’s getting cold.”
Harley strode into the room, toward the dining area to the side of the main room. He plopped the food down without looking at the rest of us.
“I’ll find plates,” I offered, desperate to make myself useful.
“I know where they are. I’ll show you,” Danny snapped as he set the drinks next to the food. “And we only brought four coffees.”
“Ezra can share mine,” Duncan offered, which made Harley grunt and Danny glower.
“You might want to throw some clothes on.” Cash nodded at Duncan, who blushed, seemingly suddenly aware of his half-dressed state, and he hightailed it down the hallway to the bedroom as Danny stalked toward the kitchen.
“I’m sorry.” I trailed after Danny, leaving Cash and Harley near the table. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“No?” Danny whirled on me near the pantry. “Ezra, you always get what you want.”
“What do you mean?” I was trying hard not to make this more of an argument, but Danny’s combative tone made it difficult to keep my cool.
“Perfect parents, regular high school, your dream career—”
“That kept me closeted far longer than I wanted,” I pointed out.
“I know, and that sucked, but what I meant is you’re not used to hearing no.” Danny opened a cabinet near the pantry to reveal a stack of white plates.
“I didn’t take advantage of Duncan.” I snatched five plates before Danny could, leaving him to harrumph and move on to a silverware drawer.
“I didn’t say you did,” Danny said testily as he grabbed spoons for the condiments. “But it’s not like you thought about all the implications either.”
He was too damn close to the truth, but I made a wounded noise nonetheless. “That’s not fair.”
“What’s not fair is you fucking things up for Duncan.” He waved the forks at me. “This business means everything to him.”
“I know.” I rubbed the bridge of my nose, wishing I knew how to defuse this situation for everyone. I hadn’t pictured Danny being thrilled, but I also hadn’t counted on this level of hostility. Maybe I should have. Not that it would have stopped me from going for it with Duncan, but I might have been more prepared to deal with a pissed-off best friend hellbent on defending his big brother.
“Do you? Do you really understand what’s at stake?” Danny demanded, stepping closer to me. “Because he’s the one who is going to have to explain himself, not you. You’ll come out golden, like always.”
I held up my hands, trying to avoid being impaled on a rogue fork. “I don’t want this to be hard for him. I—I care for him. A lot.”
“For once, what you want may not matter.” Danny’s voice was more clipped than ever, a businesslike tone I’d never heard from him. “It’s likely going to be a mess, regardless of how hot the banging—”
“It’s more than sex. Much more.” Now I was the one to step closer, force him to meet my gaze, trying to will Danny to see how much I cared about Duncan, how much I wanted this to work out with him.
“Oh.” All the wind went out of Danny’s ruffled sails. He slumped back against the closest counter. “Fuck. This truly is a mess.”
“I know.” My voice came out rough and pained. I absolutely hated upsetting this many people, especially Danny, who meant a great deal to me. “And I’m sorry.”
“You’ll excuse me if that’s not enough right now.” He looked away, studying the gleaming refrigerator.
“You’ve been my best friend for years—”
“Yeah, I have.” Danny’s tone pricked me like a knife, a reminder that I hadn’t always been the best of friends for him. I hadn’t checked in on him nearly enough. I’d lived my own life a little too much, and while I didn’t regret starting something with Duncan, I also had to privately admit that I hadn’t thought enough about Danny and how he might react. I’d been an ass, and I opened my mouth to apologize again, but Danny held up his hand to continue, “And I’m going to continue to be your friend, but I need a damn minute. Or ten.”
