Rule #26: A blow job is better than a punch to the face.
Archer
Six weeks later
“You can bring them in here,” I say as I drop a box full ofcutlery on the counter. The delivery guy carts in a load of furniture on a dolly as I pull out my phone to text the others.
Archer: The chairs are here.
Freya: That was fast. How do they look?
Archer: They look like chairs wrapped in plastic.
Julian: Smart-ass.
Grinning down at my phone, I laugh to myself.
Archer: Okay fine, I’ll open them and let you know.
Freya: Make sure to count them. There should be fifty-two.
Archer: Relax, Chef. I got it. I can count to fifty-two.
Archer: If it was fifty-three, we’d be in trouble.
Freya: Ha. Ha.
Julian: You’ve taken too many punchesto the head.
Archer: Don’t you worry about my head, fancy pants.
Julian: Oh I’m not. You give great head.
Freya: You two stop it. I’m busy.
Archer: Let us know if you need anything before tonight, Chef.
Julian: You got this, Freya. Don’t stress.
Julian: Archer, be ready by five.
Archer: I like it when you’re bossy.
Neither of them reply, so with a grin, I pocket my phone and watch the delivery guys bring in the rest of the chairs. After I’m finished here, I have to run back to my place to get ready for tonight.
Julian invited me to his parents’ anniversary party but never quite clarified if his family knows I’m his boyfriend. It shouldn’t really bother me, but it’s stuck with me all week. It feels like if I was his date, he’d say it.
I don’t care. Not really.
It’s just…
If I’m not his date and neither of them are ready to accept what this is, will they ever be? These past six weeks have been a dream. I haven’t been to a single fight. My face has actually had time to heal, which is a rarity. And I don’t have that overwhelming need to punch something or feel the impact of a fist against my jaw.
Rex’s ears must be burning, because his text comes in as soon as I lock up the restaurant for the night.
Rex: Look at this guy.
I click the link as I walk, and it pulls up a video of a guy who appears to be my size and age. I like his style. He fights with a cocky grin, and I imagine what it would feel like to punch it off his face.
