Page 10 of Bad Daddy

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?” Haru asked again, sounding concerned.

Danny shook his head, trying to shove aside his humiliation. “It’s fine. Just, uh, thinking about my schedule.”

“Okay,” Haru said. He didn’t look convinced, but he mercifully allowed the subject change. “About that—you wouldn’t happen to be free tomorrow, would you? I know it’s short notice, but the rest of my week is pretty packed. And I’d like to get started.” He said it apologetically, like he was worried about putting Danny out.

Danny glanced back down at his phone. He had until seven today to study, dictate his paper, and painstakingly go over it to check for typos. In between he had to make sure he took a nap at some point before showering and getting ready to be picked up for dinner.

“It’s obviously okay if you can’t,” Haru said. He rubbed the back of his neck and gave Danny what could almost be an embarrassed smile. “I’m eager to work with you. But we could schedule for later–”

“Sunday’s fine,” Danny said in a rush. If Haru was eager to work with him, Danny needed to jump on that. “Just, uh, in the afternoon? Is that okay?”

“Sounds great,” Haru said. “How about meeting for lunch? My treat, of course.”

Of course?

But it was another free meal. Danny wasn’t going to turn that down. “Yeah, that, uh, that works. If you’re sure.”

“Awesome,” Haru said warmly. “Twelve-thirty?”

Clint would definitely want Danny out of his hair way before then. “Sure.”

“Great.” Haru paused. “Would you, ah, like to pick where we went?

Danny blinked at him. He’d never been asked to choose before. He was always just taken.

“I just don’t want to pick a place too out of your way,” Haru explained. “Or a place you aren’t comfortable going.”

“I know a good Mexican place,” Danny offered. “Authentic and everything.” He didn't go very often, but once in a while he treated himself when he felt like he deserved a reward. He wasn't a regular by any means, but some of the waitstaff even knew him.

“Sounds great,” Haru said warmly. “Why don’t you text me the name and address and I’ll meet you there.”

“Yeah, okay,” Danny said, smiling tentatively back.

Then his phone went off again, the same it’s Clint chime, and Danny barely kept from jumping, immediately glancing down at the phone in his hand with trepidation.

It was a few lines of text this time, words that Danny didn't have the energy to read. It’d have to wait until he could connect to his earbuds and play the message out loud to himself. Which meant he needed to say goodbye to Haru.

Haru, who, when Danny glanced back up, once again looked concerned.

“I um, I have to get going,” Danny said, shoving his phone in his pocket. “I’m sorry, I just—have homework and stuff. Thank you though. For everything.”

“Of course,” Haru said. “I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Thank you for taking the time for me.”

It made Danny flounder. Nothing Haru said made any sense. “You’re welcome? I mean, thank you. For your time, and for the cocoa and everything.”

Haru smiled again. “Anytime.”

Chapter 3

Danny put on the suit Clint told him to wear and dutifully waited for the car to pick him up, trying not to let his stomach twist up into knots at what would be expected of him after dinner. Dinner was at Eclipse, which wasn't Danny’s favorite place. It was very fancy and very expensive, so not only did Danny always feel woefully out of place, but the portions were also very fancy and thus very small. He always ate something before going out to Eclipse, even if it was only seasoned rice, because he tried to choose dishes as protein rich and vegetable-heavy as possible. Carbs were cheap and other food groups weren’t, so Danny tried to take advantage of going out to eat by balancing his diet.

Walking into Eclipse never failed to make Danny feel small, especially with the way Clint kept his arm curled around Danny’s waist. Danny always felt like the servers knew exactly what he was there for, because there was no other reason for a powerful, wealthy man like Cint to look twice at someone like Danny.

They got seated at a nice table and Clint ordered wine for the both of them before Danny could say that he was fine with just water. Great. Now he’d be expected to finish at least one glass.

Danny didn’t know why Clint bothered to order him drinks. It wasn’t like he needed to coerce Danny into bed. Danny was already sleeping with him. It was probably just another power play. It wasn’t as if Clint ever asked Danny what he wanted to drink.

Clint gave him the usual smirk as he slouched in his chair. He was a big man, just beginning to go soft around the middle, and was the type to throw his weight around, both figuratively and literally.

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