He nods and swallows. "Yes really. What is the flavoring on the chicken?"
"Fuck if I know. I was focused on not laughing while Andre said ‘rub’."
Rhys laughs and I serve myself some food too.
"How was your day honey?" I ask playfully before I take a sip of my beer.
"Good, I had a call with my producer."
"Lennox right?" He nods. "How’d it go?"
"It’s going to be a lot."
"What do you mean?"
"Well Lennox has an immersive style. Fifteen hour days are common. I’ll be in the booth morning til night. It is definitely going to be an adjustment from the part-time teacher schedule I’ve had the last four months."
"Sounds like it." I guild a bite on my fork. "And, well, not to make it about me, but when will we be finding time to fuck over the phone?"
I chew on my, fucking delicious, chicken but I don’t hear the deep, warm, laugh I was expecting. When I turn towards Rhys, it seems his plate has suddenly become very interesting. "Don’t make me feel worse about this than I already do."
His words are quiet.
"What does that mean?" I struggle to get the words out past the lump in my throat.
He straightens and runs his HOPE hand through his hair. "I’ll of course make time for you when I can but our schedules aren’t going to make it easy."
"I’m nothing but easy." My eyebrows add a playful punctuation to this reminder.
"Duncan." Rhys scolds.
"What?"
"Just, can we have one serious conversation?" His hand flexes and curls back into a fist. "Please?"
Sirens sound, big harumphing warnings.
The fire in his voice set them off. His tone is also laced with pain.
What do I do here?
My instinct is to deflect, lighten, joke but he doesn’t want that.
But, that’s me.
"Serious isn’t really something I do."
"I know."
His words hit like bricks. He knows I don’t do serious and yet he’s pushing it. Why?
I let my fork land loudly against my plate as I stand up. Every muscle in my body is begging for exertion. When I realize I’m flashing my ass to Rhys as I walk towards my living room I just flex my muscles and hope he’s enjoying the show.
I turn around and his eyes dart up to mine.
Busted.
Serious my, ha, ass.
