“You know, it’s not always my fault,” Spencer groused, accepting a cappuccino from Chess. “Wolf doesn’t make it easy to be his friend.” He took a sip and set it on the table.
They were having brunch at Chess and André’s beautiful apartment, and while Spencer usually loved visiting, he had a feeling today was not going to be that day.
“I never said it was your fault. But you have to admit you pick on him much more frequently now. It’s almost as if you want to get a rise out of him.”
Good thing he wasn’t holding his cup. Yeah, he’d like to get a rise out of him, all right. When he’d woken up in Wolf’s apartment after getting black-out drunk, he’d had the crazy idea of slipping naked into Wolf’s bed and showing him what he’d been missing for the past four years. But pride had held him back. Pride and the fact that he didn’t want to sleep with Wolf and have the man say it was another mistake. Spencer was the one who’d made the mistake of letting Wolf in once, and he wouldn’t be doing that again.
“I’m tired of him acting like he’s king and everything he says and does is more important than the rest of us. We know he’s saving the world, so he can stop shoving it down our throats all the time.” He checked his phone. “Where are Elliot and Win, anyway? I’m never the first one here.”
André and Chess exchanged a guilty look, and he glared at them.
“We…had an idea,” Chess began just as the doorbell rang, and he ran to answer it so fast, Spencer swore he left skid marks on the shining wood floor. André gave him an embarrassed smile.
“Why do I have the feeling I’m going to get angry?”
“Everyone’s upset at your constant bickering, so Chess and Elliot thought this might be the best way to handle it.”
“This being wh—” His voice trailed off when Chess reappeared with a surprised and wary-looking Wolf behind him. “Okay, what’s going on?”
“We have an errand to run. Shouldn’t take us longer than an hour. There are bagels and everything in the kitchen. Talk it out, guys.”
Hand in hand, Chess and André left them staring at each other. Spencer didn’t truly believe it was happening until the door slammed shut.
“Damn, I’m surprised they didn’t try and lock us in together,” Spencer muttered, and a second later his eyes flew open at the sound of a key turning. His phone buzzed with a text at the same time as Wolf’s.
Chess: Yes, we locked you in from the outside so you won’t be able to leave. Please don’t kill each other. The floor is very expensive and will retain bloodstains. Remember, Win is a detective. Make it work.
“Make it work! Who the fuck does he think he is, Tim Gunn? Marry the guy off, and he thinks he owns the world.” Spencer drained his cappuccino, desperately wishing for something stronger.
“What do they think they’re going to accomplish?” Wolf remained standing by the kitchen island, all rigid, like a sentinel.
“They’re upset by our fighting all the time. I guess being together for those few days before the wedding made it more apparent? I don’t know, but I-I can admit I might needle you a little.”
“A little?” Wolf smiled, and it was as if the sun came out after a storm. Spencer would never tire of seeing the transformation of Wolf’s stoic face to one of laughter.
“Okay, a lot.” He joined Wolf in the kitchen. “You have to admit, Wolfie, it can be fun sometimes.”
Wolf’s expression turned wistful for a moment, then reverted to that frostbitten one Spencer was more familiar with.
“Why did you get so drunk last week? The night I found you in my building? I haven’t seen you so out of control since college.”
He hadn’t anticipated that swift turnaround, and it caught him off guard. “I, uh…it wasn’t so bad.”
Wolf snorted. “You passed out on my couch.”
“Disappointed I didn’t come in and share your bed?” He was mostly teasing, but Wolf worked that hard jaw.
“Don’t be stupid. You don’t get drunk like that unless there’s a reason.”
Spencer didn’t like that the narrative had switched from Wolf to him, but he couldn’t help recalling the reason he’d let loose so spectacularly. “It was nothing,” he mumbled.
“Bullshit.” Wolf braced his arms on the kitchen counter. “Tell me why.” His voice, gentle but with an edge of steel, had moved countless jurors, but Spencer knew better. Wolf didn’t really care. He wanted to know so he could use it against him in the future.
“It’s nothing you need to know about.”
“We used to tell each other everything.”
Spencer’s gaze met Wolf’s mournful one. “No. I don’t think we ever did. I knowyousure as hell haven’t.” Wolf paled at his words, and Spencer knew he’d struck a nerve.
