You can ask me all the questions you want, but I can’t promise my answers will be interesting. There’s nothing exciting about my job.
But speaking of interesting, I heard back from Oliver. He said he’d like to meet youtomorrow night, if that’s ok with you. It’s fine if you prefer to wait, though. We can go another day. There’s no rush.
I hope you have a great afternoon.
William
He’d been meaning to wait before introducing them, thinking Adathan would need more time to settle before meeting new people. However, seeing as Adathan had knocked on their neighbor’s door yesterday, stayed over for coffee, looked at baby pictures, and walked out with a potted plant...
William had obviously underestimated Adathan’s ability to adapt to new situations.
———
William slowed to a stop. He looked over his shoulder, across the street, and back around. There was no one in sight.
He walked closer to the dining chairs sitting in a pile of trash bags. Two were broken beyond repair—and made William wonder how the fuck their previous owners had managed such a feat. The third chair appeared to be in perfectly good condition.
Home wrestling for an audience of one?
William chuckled internally as he cast another look around. The coast was still clear.
He snatched the good chair with a palpitating heart. He resumed walking with a hurried gait, his gaze laser-focused on his apartment building a few dozen steps away.
William had learned his lesson: brief humiliation was insignificant compared to the satisfaction of improving Adathan’s quality of life. He’d never pass up such an opportunity again. Besides, why pay for something when he could get one forfree? It was a really good chair, too—solid wood that would last him a lifetime if he used it like a normal person.
William unlocked the front door and stepped inside with a quiet sigh. He was greeted by the delicious scents of garlic and cheese, which guided him to the fourth floor. His mouth watered when he found out he was the lucky man who would soon get to indulge.
“My surprise!” Adathan exclaimed as William walked in. “I love it. Thank you!”
William glanced at the chair he’d just found in the trash. “This?” He wrinkled his nose. “No. This isn’t—it’d be a shitty surprise.”
Adathan cocked his head as he stepped closer, a cheeky little smile on his face. He was wearing William’s old Metallica T-shirt... which wasn’t part of the bundle he’d given him, William now realized.
William had been careful not to offer garments he’d worn before, not knowing how he’d react to seeing a cute man parade around in his clothes. It was now clear it had been the right call.
William wanted to be annoyed that Adathan had taken the liberty of wearing his clothes, but he couldn’t bring himself to. How could he when Adathan looked so damn hot?
Fuck.
“Do you think offering me a place at your table is a shitty gesture, William?” Adathan asked.
William blinked. His lips parted, but Adathan had once again rendered him speechless—because he was right. William hadn’t realized how symbolic the gesture was.
He kicked off his shoes and dropped the chair at the table, grateful for the distraction from his thoughts. “Then I guess you’ll have two surprises tonight,” he said with a smile.
Adathan beamed. “Thank you, William.” He closed the distance between them and hugged him tight. “I’m making broccoli casserole. Hope you like it.”
“Smells great,” William said, patting Adathan’s back. His hair smelled amazing, too—his shampoo’s comforting blend of cherries and lilac mixing a little too well with the meal’s aroma. It would be a big loss once the bottle was empty. Or maybe not. There were hundreds of different shampoos in the world. They’d find one Adathan liked just as much, if not better.
William wanted nothing to do with Eden Serviteurs.
“Will we still be eating on the sofa?” Adathan asked as he pulled away.
“Nah. We’ll be more comfortable at the table.” William dropped his backpack onto their new chair and took out his lunch bag. “Do you need help with anything?”
Adathan snatched the bag from William. “No, thank you,” he said, heading to the sink, which was already filled with soapy water. “You go relax. You had a long day.”
“And you?” William asked, trying to steal the dirty containers back. “I’m sure you had a busy day, too.”
