“Oh,I know, believe me,” Ash said, smiling wryly. “Are you here for that job?”
“Actually,I’m here to take you to lunch. If you’ll do me the honor. I’m buying.”
Ashwet his lips. He wasn’t in the habit of saying no to either free food or anopportunity to hang out with Declan, so he wasn’t about to start now. “Can youhang around for, like, ten minutes? Simone should be back from her break bythen, I don’t wanna leave the place short-handed.”
Declanlooked around at the practically empty store, but then shrugged.
He’dnever been in the habit of arguing with Ash.
“Ican wait for you,” he said, heading for the reading nook in the corner andsettling himself down on one of the huge, plush armchairs.
Ashsmiled at that, and then smiled again every time he glanced in Declan’sdirection until Simone came back. He knew it wasn’t reallynecessarytowait, but he wanted to be responsible. Despite definitely beingunderappreciated here, he always did his best.
Declanhad settled into the comfy armchair and let his eyes fall closed by the timeAsh told everyone he was going to lunch, so he touched his shoulder gently towake him. Declan jumped, blinking up at Ash. “Lunch time?” he asked.
“Lunchtime,” Ash confirmed.
Along time ago, they’d gone to lunch together most days. But then Declan hadstarted skipping his lunch breaks to work, and Ash had felt as though workshould come first for him when it started, because Declan’s career seemed to begoingsomewhere.
Now,he regretted that. He wished he’d told Declan to slow down a little when itmight have made a difference.
Allthe same, he could see traces of the old Declan coming back. He was brighter,his smile coming easier, his shoulders straighter. It was nice to see. Declandidn’t deserve to work himself to death.
Ashfollowed Declan out of the store and onto the street, trailing a half-stepbehind him, his eyes on the diner perched on the opposite corner of the street.
“Burgerswork for you?” Declan asked, though he didn’t have to. Ash wouldalwayshave picked a hamburger, especially from the diner they were clearly headed to.Declan knew that.
Declanliked to experiment a little more, and he’d found some great little placesdoing all kinds of cool things tucked away in back streets very few peoplethought to look down, but for Ash, there was still nothing quite as comfortingas sinking his teeth into a warm, greasy hamburger.
Thatwas Declan’s fault, so he’d just have to live with it.
Burgershad been their go-to comfort food when they’d first met and they’d beenclinging desperately to each other, trying to survive working their way throughcollege. It had been an important ritual back then to decide that they’d workedhard enough and eaten enough ramen that they deserved something delicious foronce.
“Absolutely.This is nice,” Ash commented as they crossed the street, sticking close toDeclan’s body for warmth. His breath was freezing in front of him, his nosegoing numb from the cold.
ItwasdefinitelyJanuary.
Ashdidn’t hate the cold, though. It gave him a chance to get some use out of allhis knitwear.
“Yeah,I’ve missed this,” Declan agreed, holding the door open for Ash to go throughit.
Ablast of warm air hit him the moment he stepped inside, and he sighed withrelief. As much as he didn’t hate winter, it was nice to get out of the cold.
Hefollowed Declan to a booth and sat down opposite him, glancing around at thenot-too-busy diner and smiling. He rarely came here without Declan.
Onetime, when he had, the waitress had asked him if he’d had a fight with hisboyfriend. Part of Ash had been thrilled that anyone would think someone likeDeclan would be interested in someone like him.
Ashmight not have struggled with finding a date, but Declan was way out of hisleague. And painfully straight.
Declanordered coffee without needing to consult Ash, and then leaned forward, botharms resting on the table and his hands clasped in front of him.
Ashknew what that position meant. Something big was coming.
“So,uh… my great uncle Marv died,” Declan began, tapping the pads of his thumbstogether.
Ash’smouth fell open. He hadn’t been expecting news like that.
“Declan,I’m so sorry,” he said. He’d never heard of great uncle Marv before, whichseemed strange, but then he supposed Declan didn’t tell himliterallyeverything.
