Mike licked his lips. “Yeah?”
Ezra’s heart skipped a beat. He’d been kidding, but… if Mike was going to take him seriously, this wasn’t a chance he could bring himself to miss. Hedidwant to hang out with him.
And they could totally go on a platonic date, right?
People did that all the time, Ezra was sure. Normal people who didn’t have lingering crushes on the best friend who just walked out of their life one day. The same best friend who’d just walked back in.
“Well, I mean… it’d save either of us from having to make small talk with people we don’t like, right?” Ezra said, getting into the idea now. There were a lot of benefits to having a date.
Oscar would never let him hear the end of it, but he could handle that. He’d missed Mike too much to give up the chance to spend more time with him before he disappeared again.
“Right, yeah. And uh. Then I wouldn’t look completely pathetic in front of Rachel and her rich boyfriend. Fiancé, actually, I think. Geez, maybe husband by now.”
Ah. That explained why Mike had jumped on the idea.
Well, that was fine. Ezra was cool with playing the part of hot date in front of Mike’s ex. Hell, the thought was kind of exciting.
“You’re not pathetic,” Ezra said softly. “But if you want me to stick close…”
“Would you?” Mike asked, his eyes soft and pleading. “Because I don’t think I can handle facing her alone.”
Stomach clenching, Ezra reached out to put his hand over the one Mike had resting on the table. “I won’t pry,” he said. “Unless you wanna tell me about it. But I’m happy to help if you need someone.”
“Maybe later?” Mike said, looking down into his coffee. “I have no right to ask this of you.”
“You don’t need the right.” Ezra squeezed Mike’s hand. “This is what friends are for. I missed you because I wanted more opportunities to be your friend.”
Mike smiled again, soft and a little sad. “I never deserved you,” he said. “But I’m glad I’ve still got you anyway.”
“Always,” Ezra promised, trying not to think about the fact that he’d just agreed to be Mike’s date to the wedding.
It’d be fine.
Right?
