Page 62 of Back to You

Max: Of course! You’re hot and all, but making new friends is always a good thing.

Brandon: Thanks. Just let me know where and when, I’m usually done at work around 6:30.

They quickly set a time and place, and Brandon set his phone back down. He was feeling slightly optimistic about this.

***

Ethan dragged his feet as he followed Lake out of his office. “Lake, I really don’t —”

“And I told you I don’t care what you want. You’re going to leave this office long enough to get coffee. It is unhealthy for you to be cooped up in there all day and half the night.”

Ethan sulkily went along with Lake’s orders, because he owed Lake and Lake rarely ever asked him for anything. Didn’t mean he had to like it. Suddenly he remembered where Lake usually preferred to get his coffee.

“Wait, we’re not going to …”

“What?” Lake said. Then his eyes widened. “Oh! No, I’d never take you there without your permission.”

Ethan tried not to ask, but couldn’t help himself. “Have you been in there lately?”

Lake was silent, trying not to look at him.

“It’s okay, Lake. I don’t expect you to stop being friends with him.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, it’s okay.” Ethan turned his gaze to his shoes. “How is he?”

“Marcus said it’s been rough, but Brandon seems to be taking it one day at a time. He’s gotten popular for some special bread he’s been baking.”

“I’m sure he hates that,” Ethan said with a small smile.

“He does. But he and Michelle turned it into a fundraiser for the animal shelter, so that’s pretty cool.”

That was his Brandon. Grumpy on the outside, heart of gold on the inside.

Well. Not his Brandon anymore, was he?

Ethan went back to sulking.

They trooped down the sidewalk, Lake leading the way like a tiny drill instructor. “It’s just down this way. It’s pretty good, I think you’ll like it.”

Lake led him through the door of a small coffee shop. It certainly smelled good. Ethan took a look around to get a sense of the ambiance.

And there, in a corner, smiling and laughing with some guy he’d never seen … was Brandon.

“Oh Jesus,” Ethan whispered. Brandon looked amazing. All the pain and despair Ethan had been pushing down for two months now came roaring back to swamp him.

“What?” Lake followed Ethan’s gaze. “Oh no.”

“He’s on a date, isn’t he?” Ethan said, every scrap of pain evident in his voice.

“I’m sure it’s not, he’s just …” Lake trailed off. “I’m sure it’s not.”

Ethan turned and walked back out, Lake hot on his heels.

“Ethan! Ethan, wait!”

“I’m fine, Lake. Go get your coffee. I need to get back to work.”

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