“I’m surprised you’re working today. Don’t you usually attend the munchies?” He slipped onto the stool, setting his arms on the countertop.
Over the top of his head, I saw Oscar shake hands with someone before they hugged each other. I almost wished that was the brother who was sitting here instead. Oscar, I could handle it. He didn’t make me feel like doing things I knew I shouldn’t want.
“I attend when it’s on weekends.” Mostly. I tried to, at least. I couldn’t always get Saturdays off though, since there had been times we were short-staffed. “Boss thought I may need to be here in case more than the normal amount of customers showed up.” It was a good enough excuse, even if it was a lie.
“You’ve been working too much.” I shifted where I stood. My gut fell, disappointed that he could tell that by just a simple look. “Noah’s mentioned it too.”
I shrugged.
“Asher?” I glanced up at my name from a voice I hadn’t heard in quite some time.
Dakota stood just in front of Allister. He was still taller than his Sir, and slim, too. But it was still the first friend I had that was of my choosing.
“Dakota.” I couldn’t stop the smile as my feet took me right to him. Allister didn’t move as I wrapped my arms around the younger man, holding on tight for a second longer. “Oh my gosh. I’ve missed you.”
I pulled back only to give Allister a shorter hug that held just as much emotion.
“Someone wanted to come see you, and you know I’d never tell a certain boy no.” Allister’s smooth voice settled me like it often did.
He was a dom, one that I cherished more than he’d ever know. He wasn’t my dom, but he’d been there to set rules and boundaries when I didn’t know anything else. So of course he’d have a special place in my heart. As did Dakota.
“Happy birthday, Asher.” Dakota’s words were quiet and only meant for me.
“Thank you. You didn’t have to come all the way here just for that. Or anything, really.”
“Nonsense,” Allister brushed my words away with a hand motion. “You deserve more, but I know you won’t accept anything else but this.” He pulled out a gift card, and handed it over. It was black with the yellow logo of the place I tended to buy books from.
“Thank you.” I slipped it into my pocket, excited about what books I could possibly buy already. “Are you staying....”
“For a bit, yeah. Is that okay?”
“Please. I only serve at the bar, though.”
If anyone understood my limits, it was these two. They didn’t have to ask to know why. They just nodded before Allister led his boy to the bar, both taking seats one space down from Beckett.
“Waters?” I already knew what they’d drink, but I still asked to make sure.
“Yes, please,” Dakota answered, causing Allister to beam. I knew they were working on a number of things to get Dakota a bit more open to ideas. Like ordering food, or going out to places. Just him being here was the best gift they could get me.
“I don’t get a drink?” Beckett asked, gaining not just my attention, but also Allister’s, who sat closest to him.
“Yes, sorry. What can I get ya?” I plastered a fake smile on, trying to not look at him in the face. I failed when he spoke.
“I was more wonderin’ if you were gonna keep ignoring me.”
I breathed through my nose as I lifted my glare up to him. “That’d be bad business. Water?”
He could have gone around the wall to where his own friends were and got his own drink. There was a reason why they had two servers over there, catering to whatever was needed.
“Water will be fine, thank you.”
I held in the grumbling that wanted to escape as I turned my back on him to get a cup. I added mostly ice before pouring water into the cup then sat it back in front of him without a word, or a look.
I would ignore him. Maybe he’d get the hint to go back to his group and leave me alone.
“How long are you two in town for?” I gave my attention back to Allister and Dakota.
“Only for a few hours. I had to come to get papers from a client since she insisted everything was still on paper.” It was nice to know that Allister was still doing accounting work on the side. He was always good with numbers, which always made my head throb just thinking about such a thing.
