"What time do things get started?"
"I usually head over at two. Football starts at three."
Shit.
"Do you mind if I meet you there?"
Duncan’s brow furrows. "Why?"
"I’m volunteering tomorrow at a shelter from two to seven."
"Oh, do I need to be there too?"
"I don’t think so."
"Okay. What did Zara say?"
"We didn’t get to talk about it. I’m going to try and get coffee with her later."
He pulls up his phone. "I can probably make it after conditioning if I shower at the facility."
"Oh, I don’t think you need to be there. We’ll come up with a plan. If you want to review it with me you can but she’ll know when the timing is right and which outlets to leak it to."
"Got it."
The air in the kitchen has changed. Duncan’s phone rings and he answers to tell the doorman to send up the delivery guy. We’re silent as he takes the food and brings it to the kitchen.
I hate that I dimmed his light. I hate that there isn’t a clear path for me. For us.
But I’ll figure it out.
"What is the dress code for Teamsgiving?" I ask as he starts to unpack the boxes full of pastries.
"Comfortable? Elastic waistband for sure." He says, his tone absent of the bright and cheerful melody I love. He simply sounds drained. "You can always go fancier if you need to dress up for Zara."
"That’s not fair." I point out as I watch his shoulders round forward.
"You’re right." He flattens his palms on the counter and looks up at me. "Sorry, I don’t know what I’m doing here."
"That’s fine, I’m not asking you to know. I’m going to get it figured out for us. And then after my commitment tomorrow I’ll meet you at your party." My stomach sinks like rocks to the bottom of a loch but I manage to summon the courage. "Do you still want me there?"
HIs brown eyes lift to mine but they don’t sparkle when he says, "Rhys, you don’t need my permission to come, Rhys." With that he pushes off the counter and walks down the hall. "I’m going to workout."
Chapter thirty-five
Duncan
We could be joking about cum.
"Solike,whatareyou and Rhys to each other?" Caroline asks me as I build the perfect charcuterie bite on a piece of toasted baguette while Crosby and Laila make their way inside. Crocs immediately starts stretching like it’ll help him when we all know wearing crocs for the Turkey Bowl won’t help him at all.
"Friends." I answer because that's all we can be until his stupid publicity team says otherwise. I feel like such a jackass after calling my parents to say Rhys and I were dating. My mother squealed. Literally squealed. My dad had a bunch of questions about how I plan to date him during my busy season.
Meanwhile, Rhys was inside plotting whether or not we could tell people.
"Who kiss?" Caroline asks hopefully.
Instead of answering because I don't want to lie, I just turn to her and shrug.
