Bas sucked in a pained breath at the disappointment in Drew’s voice.This was better, he reminded himself.Better thansilence.
“You’re my best friend, and she’s my sister. And I wanted better for both ofyou.”
“Do you blame me?” Bas forced himself to ask. The question had been weighing on him for a while. “For herdeath?”
“Christ no! No.” Drew looked over at him briefly. “Not at all, Sebastian. If everyone hadn’t been going to celebrate your engagement, it would have been something else. I have never for one second held youresponsible.”
Bas nodded, and he couldn’t deny the relief that he felt at thosewords.
“It’s just the idea of youfalling into somethingthat takes on a life of its own.” Drew shook his head. “You’re smarter thanthat.”
Bas laughed dully. “You’d think. But I’m finding there are a lot of areas where I’m really fuckingslow.”
Looking at Drew now, at the hard cut of his jaw and the soft fall of his hair, he was beginning to realize just howslow.
“I’m sorry for what I said about Gary,” he offered. “I didn’t like the way he flirted with you.” He shook his head and admitted, “I didn’t like the way you smiled athim.”
“I smile at a lot of people,” Drew said. “Pro tip: it’s generally consideredfriendly.”
“Yeah, thanks. But… you don’t give other people that smile. That’s the smile you use forme. It’s… I dunno. Different. Like you’re really focused on me. It’s special.” It was a flirtatious smile, he realized now, a smile of total interest and absorption. And he wanted that from Drew. He covetedit.
Like fucking One-Eyed Willie the pirate and his Goonietreasure.
Drew laughed and ran a hand over his face, but didn’t argue thepoint.
“And there was another guy in the bar looking at you, too,” Bas grumbled. “Watching you from afar like a fucking creeper.” He shook his head. “Next time I’m going to bring a baseballbat.”
Drew looked at him and frowned. “Or you could just let me take care of my own love life, thank you very much. I can decide who I want to date on myown.”
The idea of Drew dating made him weirdly anxious, and he really didn’t want to think about it. As long as it all stayed hypothetical, he’d try to controlhimself.
“You’re, uh… not planning on dating Gary, though, areyou?”
Drew smirked - a sexy, sideway twist of his lips - and pondered a long moment before answering. “No. I don’t think so. Although I think he’s a very good guy. An upstandingguy.”
“If you’re into rodent eyes,” Bas mumbled, looking out thewindow.
“You’reridiculous.”
Yeah. He kindawas.
He was also able to deny that he was attracted to his bestfriend.
Drew found a parking place on the street barely half a block from Bas’s gate - a minor miracle at this time of night - and neatly maneuvered the car intoplace.
“Come in with me,” Bas saidimpulsively.
Without turning to look at him, Drew shook his head. “Not tonight, Bas. I’mtired.”
“You’re annoyed, still. And I deserve it. But we haven’t hung out in a long time, and I’ve really missedyou.”
Drew contemplated this in silence, his finger tapping on the steeringwheel.
“We can order whatever you want,” Bas promised. “You got me Thai last night, so you can pick the place. Even that gross pizza with the sprouted wheat crust. And we can play a video game - your choice. I’ll let you kick my ass at FIFA. Or we can watch whatever you want on TV, even if you wanna go wild and crazy withCNN.”
“Shut up.” Drew whacked him on the arm, and Bas took the blow with the same thrill of glad relief he’d have felt if Drew had hugged him, because that teasing slap meant that Drew was forgiving him… probably. As long as he didn’t fuck it upagain.
“We’re getting wheat pizza with extra vegetables,” Drew said, shutting off the engine. “And you’re eating it, too,” he warned. “No getting a second one with extra cheese and lard foryourself.”
“I will avoid lard and eat the cardboard as penance,” Bas promised, pulling himself out of thecar.
Drew locked the door and met Bas on the sidewalk, shaking his head ruefully. “One of these days, I will figure out how to stay mad atyou.”
Bas slung his arm around Drew’s shoulders. “I sincerely hope you neverdo.”
