“It’s a signed copy I hunted down at this old bookstore…” Matt looks nervous. “You don’t like it!” His voice turns disappointed.
“No! Fuck, I love it,” I tell him sincerely. My eyes sting. I’m touched, really so touched. But also, I got him a gag gift, so…
“I know you love to cook, but I didn’t want to, like, insinuate that that’s your entire personality, but this was so good.”
I GOT HIM A GAG GIFT! “Hey, it’s about time to cook, isn’t it?” I say, standing up.
Matt laughs. “C’mon, I’ll love anything you got me.” He drags me back down and slides me closer to him effortlessly.
I look at the pitiful box, hurriedly packed, currently sitting on his coffee table. His heat does nothing to stop the embarrassment from creeping up.
Matt takes the box and unwraps it with the care it doesn’t deserve. He removes the lid, and his eyes go wide. He takes out the blackT-shirt with a blue silhouette of a wolf and ‘Mr. Big Bad Wolf’ written on it. His mouth opens several times, but no words come out.
Fuck, he said he likes my showone time, and I get him all the merch I can. Actually, he didn’t even say he liked it! “There’s also a mug and a cap. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know we were doing serious gifts,” I start to blabber.
Matt has gone completely still.
“I know you don’t like the show. I just thought it would be funny,” I finish awkwardly. It’s clearly not funny. Not a single laugh is being had.
Matt blinks. “The show?” he asks, confused.
“My show?” Why did that come out as a question?
“Your show? Fuck, your show,” he nods aggressively, smiling now, but his eyes are still wide.
What just happened?
He folds the T-shirt neatly back in the box and tackles me to the couch. “I love it. So much,” he says against my lips, proceeding to devour all my confusion.
Chapter Nineteen
Oliver
We spend the entire day prepping for the party, with Matt interrupting more than helping. After impromptu make-out sessions and a creative blowjob, where he made me continue mixing the cookie dough as he sucked me off under the counter, I’m surprised we got it all done on time.
What’s not surprising? The cookies turned out to be the fluffiest, crunchiest batch I've ever made.
As his friends stream in, Matt patiently introduces me to everyone. Turns out, all of his friends also work in emergency services. The man is dedicated to his work!
Bree, a 911 dispatcher, and her wife, Camilla, a doctor, arrive first. Next, Marcus arrives with his wife, Laura, who is literally a producer on my show. I freak out a bit, seeing her here across the hall from my apartment. Even though she’s only slightly older than me, it’s like running into your school principal at the grocery store.
But she enthusiastically hugs me and tells me she's beenhearing about my work from Emily for months. I try my best to act like a human.
Matt introduces me to Nick. He and Matt must be gym buddies because the guy has muscles everywhere. It must come in handy as a detective. He appraises me with intense eyes that have me squirming. I don’t get the golden retriever energy that Matt described until he nods twice and smiles. Yeah, there it is!
Matt elbows him in the stomach.
“What? I'm your brother. I'm allowed to judge your boyfriend if he’s going to be a part of the family,” he stage whispers.
My face heats up while Matt throws him a serious glare. A weaker man would have cowered.
Elliot, who I impulsively invited while we were at dinner the other day, shows up a few minutes after Nick.
Nick’s smile widens the second he sees him, his whole face smoothing into something way more charming than the goofy grin he’d shot at Matt and me. Elliot assesses him closely, too, but his face turns in a frown, eyes suspicious.
Okay, what’s up with Elliot being a grump now? I mean, he obviously doesn’t need to be excessively nice to Nick, or anyone really. But an outright scowl is definitely not appropriate guest behavior, especially considering this isn’t my party to begin with.
But I’ll let him deal with whatever he’s dealing with, well aware by now that Elliot isn’t the sweet little man he appears to be. And Nick looks like someone who can take care of himself.
