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Chris nodded. The thought of such a loaded conversation made the pizza swirl unpleasantly in his stomach. “I don’t even know what to say.”
“Be direct. Anthony will lose his shit regardless.”
Chris had no doubt about that. The thought of asking him to face Tobias again was gut-wrenching.He’s likely going to hit me, then throw me out.
Jay signaled the waitress to bring them their check, and when she did, he took out his credit card and paid for the two pizzas. In response to Chris’s confused stare, Jay said, “You’ve already cost me ten thousand dollars tonight, so what’s a few more bucks?”
They got up and left.
13
ANTHONY
The table was set for four people. The salad was already seasoned, the mashed potatoes perfectly creamy, and two quiches were warming in the oven. Jazz music played in the background—not Anthony’s personal taste, but suitable for grownups’ dinner.
He allowed himself a moment of pride for pulling off this event after the crazy day he had at work. He always wondered how it would feel like to become more successful, but now, with new clients popping up like mushrooms after the rain, he mostly missed having more free time. At least he smiled every time he checked his account balance.
A knock on the door; Ethan’s knock. Four quick taps that made Anthony’s heart skip a beat. He hurried to open the door.
Ethan held a bottle of wine and flowers, making Anthony think of a scene from a romance film he never expected to star in.
“Are those for me?” Anthony asked.
“Nope, I’m gonna hit on Jay.”
“Into bad boys, I see.”
Anthony gave Ethan room to enter and closed the door. He turned around in time to meet Ethan’s lips. Gone were the days when their kissing felt weird. Now, it was freaking awesome. After a long minute, Ethan broke the kiss and went to place the bottle and flowers on the table. He wore a button-down black shirt, still rocking his little beard that Anthony was quickly getting used to.
Ethan sniffed. “Smells amazing in here.”
“I showered.”
He smiled and gestured with his finger for Anthony to come closer. When he did, Ethan placed his hands on Anthony’s hips and swayed them to the rhythm of the music. Their similar heights made it easy for Anthony to gaze into Ethan's lovely green eyes.
“I tried a new recipe,” Anthony said and put his hands on Ethan’s shoulders. “Be honest if it’s good or not.”
“Very honest?”
“Reasonably honest.”
“Okay. How was work?”
“Fine, but I really need to hire more people. It’s becoming a headache.”
“Remember to only expand gradually. Those people will be dependent on you to provide them with a stable income.”
Anthony felt nervous hearing that, although he didn’t disagree. He had experienced enough turmoil with his business to become hesitant about long-term commitments.
“Sorry,” Ethan said. “I’m projecting. I expanded too fast with my business, and... well, you know the rest. But you’re more careful than me.” He kissed Anthony’s lips. “And hotter.” He kissed again. “And such a good cook.”
“Damn, I’m a catch.”
Ethan smiled and glanced at his watch. “You know if Chris and Jay are running late?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Then I’ll be quick. I have two things to tell you. First, I’ve started interviewing for a new job.”
