Page 43 of Tempted By the Safety

“I’m not cranky, I just miss him.”

“Aww, you’re adorable,” Dalton says. “When are you seeing him next?”

Knox sets his phone face-down on the table. “He flies in tomorrow, actually. I can’t wait.”

“Thank fuck,” Dalton says. “You’ve been unbearable.”

Knox flips him off and Dalton laughs.

Dinner goes easy after that. Barrett and Cole discuss a new coach neither of them likes, Harlow and Dalton talk about the upcoming season, and Bennett helps Knox brainstorm surprise date ideas for the weekend with Adrian. I sit there with Spencer’s arm slung over the back of my chair, and I don’t think about Alan again until we’re standing up to leave.

“Milo.” Alan’s at my elbow before I’ve made it to the door, voice pitched low. “Can I get a word?”

The others file out ahead of me into the street, discussing whose place they’re going to for drinks. Spencer stops just inside the door and waits.

I step aside with Alan, out of the traffic by the door.

“I just wanted to say.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I hope there’s no hard feelings. It was a tough spot, the restaurant, you know how it’s been since the spring, and you were always one of the good ones, Milo. I mean that.”

“It’s okay, Alan.” And, because I mean it: “Thank you for firing me.”

He blinks at me.

“I’m serious,” I say. “It’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

I don’t wait for him to figure out what to do with that. I turn and walk back to Spencer, who’s watching me with a question already forming.

“You alright?” he asks.

I get a hand in his collar and kiss him, hard, right there inside the door where anyone could see, and he makes a low sound against my mouth and his arms come around me like he’s been waiting all night for it.

“Never been better.”

I take his hand and lead him out into the night toward the loud, ridiculous,ourscrowd on the sidewalk.

THE END