Page 36 of Eternal Hoptimist

“I’m going to go to the meeting and find out more.” She sounded tired.

My brain scrambled as I tried to grasp a solution, but ideas fluttered just out of reach. I grabbed the first one that formed. “I’m going with you.”

She laughed, a tinkly sound I loved. “That’s sweet, Ethan, but I think you’ve been drinking too much of your product and forgot how geography works.”

“I think you’ve been playing too much Bingo and forgot how airplanes work.”

“Now you listen here. You’re not flying out here and taking off work to attend a stupid meeting with me.”

Her stern tone had me squirming in my seat, but I wouldn’t relent. I was the only person on her side, and I wasn’t about to abandon her or her home. Rosie had done so much for me in that house. I came out for the first time there as she held my hand. We sat at her and George’s olive-green Formica table drinking hot cocoa as I told her I was confused because I liked more than girls. She’d told me that some people did and not to worry about it. That home was precious to me.

“We’ve trained someone to cover for me, and I’m long overdue for some time off. It’s not a busy time of year. When is it? If you don’t tell me, I’ll Google it.”

She huffed and gave me the details. I already mentally ran through a task list to get things prepped for Seth and the guys to cover. I knew they would do it, no questions asked. One of the best parts of working with my best friends.

After she agreed, as long as I conceded to staying with her—which wasn’t a hardship if it saved me from several days with my parents—I hung up and got back to work.

I’d promised myself I would give it a couple of days before I reached out to Parker to not put off desperate vibes. But I needed to update him and hope he could arm me with some knowledge that I could take to Kansas.

* * *

“Cheesecake! Drink!” Tyler gestured at the TV.

Dom, Austin, Caleb, and I lifted our drinks in acknowledgment and took gulps from our beers.

“Remember when we played this with HRD in college?” Austin shuddered.

“That’s some shitty-ass vodka. How many times did you get blackout drunk?” Caleb asked after giving Austin a lovingly exasperated look.

“Exactly once because I learned my lesson,” Austin said

“Moving to beer was a wise decision,” Ty agreed.

“Adulting requires sacrifices,” I said.

“I’m impressed that we’ve kept ourGolden Girlsdrinking game going for so many years,” Dom said.

Of the four of us, Dom enjoyed tradition the most. He was the one who usually recommended the game, watching an old favorite movie together, or crowding around the TV to play Bond on N64 like the good ole days.

I tucked my feet under myself and sank into the couch as a new episode started. We’d had a productive team meeting earlier and then moved on to the hanging-out portion of our Sunday. None of us anticipated how important our Sunday routine would become to the brewery's success. From the beginning, we knew we needed regular meetings to ensure strong communication and avoid operating in silos. Adding dinner to each meeting, where we took turns picking the meal theme, was a way to keep it light and fun.

What was even the point of working with your best friends if it wasn’t fun? Using a sex toy as a mediating talking stick worked wonders when conversations got heated. Most important was the required post-meeting hangout. Our way of making sure we got friend time together outside of the business. When we started Tap That Brewery, our biggest fear wasn’t failing—it was the business ruining our friendship. Among all the arguments about where to dedicate our profits and whose turn it was to do dishes, Sundays kept our connection strong.

The Monday of freedom couldn’t come fast enough. After spending last night with Parker, I needed some time alone to collect my thoughts before I reached out to update him about Rosie. As the hours passed, my mind produced increasingly inventive ways to help him explore. I hoped he wanted to get spanked. His pale skin would redden so nicely. My pulse raced every time I thought about the vulnerability in his eyes as he confessed his desires. As if summoned by my dirty thoughts, my phone buzzed with a text from him.

Parker:Consider this my official registration for kink 101

I tried to casually angle my phone away from Dom as I readjusted my position on the couch. I bit the inside of my cheek hard to keep from smiling and knew I would have an annoying bump there for ages.

Ethan:You’re sure about this?

What I wanted to text was:I’ll be there in an hour.

Parker:100%. I trust you. It’s a great opportunity to figure some shit out. Thank you

Ethan:Have you given any thought to what you want to try?

Parker:There are some things I’m curious about, but I don’t really know where to begin

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