Page 50 of My Brother’s Best Friends Entanglement

Craig drops his jaw and then says, "And miss out on all that free wine? Look, Gerald, I'm not the scholar you are, but I'm not so dumb you'll see me saying no to a free liquid lunch."

Half the staff room loses it, including me.

Over by the window, not laughing, Rhys sits with a laptop open, an untouched coffee beside him. Whatever he's focusing on must be fascinating. Probably Porn For Uptight Assholes, I think traitorously. Then feel slightly guilty. But only slightly.

Truth is, I don't know what I'm supposed to feel about him. After he said Leon would kill him for what he’s thinking, feeling about me, I left without another word.

It's been churning in my stomach ever since.

I took refuge in the staff room, chatting to Craig and the other RAs, but then he showed up. And I haven't been able to focus on anything else since. Not that he's paid me the slightest ounce of attention. What he's even doing here, I have no idea, it's not a secret that Rhys prefers the four walls of his office to any actual human interaction. I position myself so he's at my back, so I'm not tempted to sneak glances at my brother's best friend. That way only leads to heartbreak and chaos. Been there. Suffered that.

Instead I focus on Craig, who's finishing up another anecdote that has everyone chuckling. Half the group peels off to grab some snacks for the group meeting we have in a few minutes.

"So, halfway through the first week. Rating out of ten?" Craig asks with a friendly smile.

"Hm, well, as my brother Leon would say, it gets a solid four flushes."

He almost spits out his water, his eyes wide. "I'm going to need you to repeat that."

"You'd have to understand my brother," I say. "But, layman's translation: it's been solid, pretty good. Would recommend and return. Above average cleanliness,” I tack onto the end.

I’m not surprised when Craig snorts before asking, “No troubles with anyone?"

My spine goes rigid. Do not turn around, I tell my head. "Um, nope. Why? Did you expect me to?"

"Nah, everyone's pretty cool here. Pretty helpful actually. I'm going to miss this place when I leave."

"You're done at the end of the year, yeah?"

He nods. "Yup, this contract's up in a few months and I still don't know what's next. I have some ideas, but nothing set in stone yet. My five-year plan is shaking in its colour-coordinated boots."

I sigh. "Yeah, I hear ya. I just heard today that what I thought was a position I should've been a shoo-in for hit a bit of a snag."

"Well, any time you need to vent, let me know. I could show you around Adelaide properly," he says with a warm smile. "Actual Adelaide, not the uni induction-pack version."

"I'm from here, remember?" I remind him.

"Sure. But you left when you were, what, eighteen? You haven't actually lived here since you were a teenager. That's not the same city. Things have changed."

Yeah." I glance over at Rhys before I can stop myself. He still isn't looking up. "I guess they have."

"So. Coffee? Actual coffee, not this crime against beans," he says, holding up his staff room coffee cup. "Friday? Won't have to worry about it being a school night."

Friday night. So, this invitation isn't just a friendly, co-worker thing. Am I really ready for that?

"No pressure," Craig says, sensing my hesitation. "I promise not to talk about Foucault."

"You say that like you could stop yourself," I say with a wink.

He leans in so close I can smell the carrot cake muffin on his breath, and says, “I contain multitudes, Riley.”

A laptop slams closed. So loud that both Craig and I, and several other people all turn in Rhys's direction, to see him tucking the laptop under his arm. He strolls past us toward the open door leading to the adjoining meeting room, calling out, "Department meeting in five minutes. Last person cleans out the fridge on Friday. Rumour has it Ben had sardines on Monday."

There's a rush of bodies past Rhys into the other room.

"So, Friday?" Craig says. "Should I take your lack of an answer as a yes?"

I cock an eyebrow. "Is that how you approach your research?"