David’s dark skin didn’t turn red, but Farzan could swear his cheeks darkened anyway, matching Farzan’s own blush.
What’s worse, Deb had said it kind of loud, loud enough for—
“Boyfriend?”
Farzan’s shoulders hiked up right next to his ears.
Farzan’s mom swung around from the corner table where she’d been sitting with Arya’s mom and a few other Iranian women from her book club. She came up, resting her hand around Farzan’s waist.
“You have a boyfriend, Farzan-joon?” she asked, then spotted Deb. “Oh, Deb!”
“Hey, Persis,” Deb said. “Sorry it’s been so long. You know how life gets.”
“How are your daughters?”
Farzan’s head spun. His mom knew Deb, who was… not David’s mom, but seemed to be with David’s dad, possibly romantically. David, who was here, with his dad and a woman. David, who had locked eyes with him at the first mention of “boyfriends,” panic evident in his wide-eyed stare.
“Farzan?” His mom was staring at him. Had she asked him something? He’d been too busy trying to wrap his mind around the slowly moving meteor crashing down on his world like an end-game cinematic.
“What?”
“This is your boyfriend?” she asked, glancing toward David.
Farzan met David’s eyes. What were they supposed to do now? David had made it clear they were not dating. He was moving away. He didn’t want anything permanent.
“No,” Farzan said, the same moment David blurted out “Yes.”
That meteor blasted apart into something warm and glowing. David had said yes. Why had he said it? Just because he remembered Farzan complaining about his family not taking him seriously? He smiled at David, tried to silently thank him for that, but David’s dad started laughing.
Persis, meanwhile, said, “You don’t have to be embarrassed, Farzan-joon. He’s very handsome.”
Farzan’s ears burned as he caught the heavy wink she threw David’s way. He wasn’t embarrassed by David. (And yeah, Davidwasvery handsome. The most beautiful man Farzan had ever seen in his life.) No, he was embarrassed from being tossed into this situation without any warning. And right in front of his mother, too. Which meant in less than five minutes, his dad would know, and his siblings.
By this time tomorrow, his cousins in Iran would probably be talking about it.
“Okay, I’ll let you enjoy your meal,” Persis said, reaching out to briefly clasp Deb’s hand. Then she turned to Farzan. “Why don’t you sit for a while, maman? The kitchen will be fine without you.”
David’s eyes went wide at that, and Farzan wasn’t sure if it was in surprise or panic. He needed an exit strategy.
“I should really…”
But Deb cut him off. “Please, join us.” She gestured to the open seat next to David. Farzan glanced back toward the kitchen. Yeah, they could probably handle things for a few minutes, though Farzan had been in the middle of seasoning the fesenjan. But surely Sheena could check on it.
He locked eyes with David one last time. David gave him a tiny nod.
“All right.”
Farzan slid in, bumping his knees against David’s.
“Wine?” David offered, but Farzan shook his head.
“I better not. What with all the knives and all.”
Smooth. Real smooth.
“He’s got apoint, you know,” David’s dad said.
David groaned.
