Jason rubbed his forehead.“Sure.I don’t know what I was expecting, but I should’ve known.Are we getting on the subway, then, or…?”
“Or.”Heath waved his phone.“We’re taking a car there, obviously.We do have drivers, you know.She’s waiting downstairs, so if everyone’s ready and done with complaining, please follow me.”
The three of them got into the back of a limousine that was waiting for them in the downstairs garage.It didn’t have the divider Raven had seen in movies, but it was still spacious, and there were bottles of water in the fancy, polished cupholders next to their seats.Raven felt out of place.
Jason, by contrast, whistled while he took a slow look around.“Wow.Business expense?”
Heath clicked his tongue.“What else?”
Raven had ended up in the middle seat, though it was by no means cramped and had its own three-point seat belt.Still, he flinched when Jason reached for one of the water bottles in the cupholder between them.
Jason stopped, looking him.“Sorry.I just wanted—”
Raven swallowed as the car started moving.“Yeah, sorry.Go ahead.”
Jason pulled out the bottle and peeled a piece of tape off it.Raven could see something had been written on there, but he couldn’t quite make it out.
“Drink water or enjoy the hangover.Clement,” Jason read aloud.
Heath leaned over and pointed at the bottle on Raven’s other side.Raven nodded, and Heath pulled it free.
“Passive-aggressive little fucker.And mind you, I only say this because we’re no longer inside the house.‘Drink or feel like death while throwing up,’ this one says.”Heath tightened his hold on the bottle, and the plastic crunched slightly.“They’re all trying to manipulate us!We’re not going to let that happen, right?Also, this whole entire evening is a business dinner, just for your information.So go all out.”
Jason took Raven’s hand.“I think I’m in love.”
Raven chuckled.“Gold digger.”
Jason raised a finger.“Platonic office romance.”
Heath narrowed his eyes at him.“You can only have that with really nice accounting software.”
Jason groaned.“Yes, talk dirty to me.Sum me up and then round me to two decimals, Daddy, please.”
Raven pulled his hand free of Jason’s to hide his smile.“Are you two already drunk?”
Heath was frowning.“Did you just call me Daddy?”
Jason handed the now-tape-free water bottle to Raven.“Maybe.And no, we’re sober.At least I am.I don’t know about my future office husband over there.Means you should catch up.Remember to drink the water.”
Raven nodded.Oddly, holding something offered comfort, and without letting go of it, he slid the bottle into the pocket of his hoodie.It would be okay.This was fine.
Sitting between Jason and Heath was ideal.The two of them were chatty, and it came easy to them.They didn’t force Raven into the fast clip of their conversation, but stopped to get him to say something every now and then.It was entirely manageable.
Raven saw the neon sign of the club before either of them did, given Jason was talking about horse people again.
“You know, I think it’s just expected that you drink like a horse when you ride one.”
Heath made a dismissive noise.“It baffles me that people are still so endeared with horseback riding.Or have made it into a sport.It’s not that I don’t appreciate horses, because a really good one isn’t going to abandon you ever, but you have to stable them and feed them, and you always smell of horse.Also, some are dickheads and will bite you in the ass.”
Jason opened his mouth, considered, then started again.“I didn’t smell them.And I didn’t really look at my hookup’s ass to examine it for bite marks.All I’m saying is, they wear riding costumes, they drink a lot, and they don’t stop partying before sunup.”
Heath dipped his head.“That’s probably because being in the saddle all day sucks, and there’s no better way to forget about it than drink.”He gestured.“And a hookup, just like you said.”
Raven tried tuning them out.Ahead, the neon lights blinked in shades of red, a three-leafed clover glowing next to the club’s name.There was a line, too.He hadn’t expected a line.He’d thought Jason was being hyperbolic about getting in.
Everyone waiting to be let inside was dressed up.Raven had picked out clean clothes, of course, but he looked nothing like the people who actually wanted to be here.On the one hand, that made him feel guilty, seeing as how Jason wanted to be here.On the other, a part of him wouldn’t mind if they were sent on their way at the door.
If Maxim isn’t doing anything else, we can play another round or two of chess.I’m getting better.It’s fun now.
