“Any news on the Trans’ place?” Ramin asked, gracefully diverting the conversation away from dick.
“No. I’m still pulling my numbers together.” Farzan ran a hand through his hair. He’d finally explained his plan to Arya and Ramin, and both thought it was a good idea too. “Plus we’re working on revampingthe menu for winter. And our produce distributor was late on our last two orders, so now I’m fighting with them.”
Todd frowned. “You can’t call someone about it?”
Farzan shook his head. “Already did. I’ve never left so many voicemails in my life.” He grabbed his mimosa and slouched in his chair. “Some days I really love what I do. Others I just… don’t get how my parents did it for all those years.”
“Well, there were two of them, and there’s only one of you,” Ramin pointed out. “You’re only human.”
“Yeah.” Arya sipped at his herbal tea. “When’s the last time you actually took a day off?”
“We’re closed every Monday.”
“Not what I asked.”
“And I took care of David.”
“That’s a sick day, then.”
“I wasn’t sick!”
“But you were taking care of someone,” Ramin said. “And last Monday when I talked to you, you were doing a spreadsheet, so you can’t act like you take Mondays off either.”
Farzan bit his lip. Arya and Ramin rarely ganged up on him, but when they did, well…
“Listen, I’m fine. I can handle it. And besides, I am taking tomorrow off. Purely for fun.”
He and David had juggled their schedules to get a day off together. On a Saturday, no less. They were going to spend the whole day together. Preferably without clothes.
Farzan’s thoughts must’ve shown on his face, though, because Arya’s eyes lit up.
“Are you shitting me? You made a dick appointment on a workday?”
Across from Arya, Todd started coughing, choking on his mimosa. Ramin rubbed his back until he stopped, but the damage was done: several of the other tables were definitely staring at them, and Farzan’s face felt hotter than the Cholula Todd kept smothering on his eggs Benedict.
“We’re just hanging out,” Farzan lied.
“Damn, dude. Good for you.” Arya raised his flute and toasted Farzan. “Get it.”
Farzan clinked his flute and sipped, trying hard not to laugh. There was one surefire way to get Arya off his back, though.
“So what about you? What’s new at work?”
Arya groaned. “Ugh. Did I ever tell you how much I hate working with dogs? Playing with them, great. Trying to get them to hit a mark on stage? Nightmare.”
“Hey, you.” David answered the door in those sweats that Farzan liked so much and a rose-pink Henley that looked stunning against the sapphire undertones of his skin.
Farzan wanted to devour him on the spot.
“Hey.” He stepped inside, and before he could get his shoes off, David had swept him into a kiss, nearly knocking over the coat rack in the process. “I missed you.”
“I missed you,” David breathed between kisses. “Thanks for coming over.”
“Thanks for asking me.”
David growled, his hands sliding down to Farzan’s waist. “Fuck, I’ve been wanting this all week. I need you.”
“Yeah?” Farzan’s eyes rolled as David sucked the cord on the side of his neck hard enough that he’d definitely have a hickey, but he didn’t care. He needed David, too. It had been a week of texts and FaceTimes, but those had always been quick, late at night, never enough for more than a “Hey, I miss you.”
