‘I’m dating a guy.’
‘Yeah, so you’re—’
‘Dating a guy.’
‘I see… Is that… Is that new or did you always… I mean… Did you ever think of us as—’
‘Don’t give me a reason to break your left leg!’ Alex looks daggers at Spencer – who closes his mouth – then back at Charles. ‘I’ve got a thousand questions. But first, how have you been?’
‘Highly confused. It was a chaotic process. But I’m smooth sailing through it now.’
‘That was about him! Your cryptic investigation on the chair lift in Kitzbühel!’
‘Sorry I was ambiguous. Complete chaos back then.’
‘No sweat. You’re getting away with that.’
‘You broke Spence now,’ George says, clicking his fingers above the coffee table.
‘No, but I think I’m just gonna listen, because everything I’d say would be ignorant.’
‘You’re being wise, so you’re broken.’
‘Shove it once more.’
Charles gives Spencer an appreciative smile and looks at Phil, to get his reaction ahead of tackling Alex’s questions.
‘You’re quiet.’
‘I’mwaiting to hear more about your relationship. Not much to comment on so far.’
‘It doesn’t matter that it’s with a man?’ Charles asks before taking another sip, very close to being at ease and eager to cross the finish line.
‘Why would it? I hook up with a guy every now and then.’
Charles and Alex spit their drinks out. George leaps up, but instead of telling them off for the mess, he claps his hands and starts waving his shoulders.
‘Ha! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!’
Phil sneers. ‘You didn’t.’
‘I absolutely did.’
‘I’m familiar with your M.O. You trick people into believing you’re all-knowing so they spill the beans, but in reality you—’
‘He works at that bowling alley where they all wear flashy Hawaiian shirts.’
Phil jolts and swings his legs back in front of him. ‘How the fuck do you know that?!’
‘I won’t reveal my true M.O.’
George is wiggling and offering a sheer contrast with the group.
Alex has frozen again, Spencer is pinching his lips so hard they’re turning white, and Charles is blinking fast to ventilate and reactivate his brain.
‘Tell me! We’re being careful, so I need to know who’s running their mouth and how they found out.’
‘It’s someone I’ve got so much dirt on, I made sure your secret was safe. I swear it is!’
