Page 75 of Eternal Hoptimist

Hector’s mouth fell open, but he quickly schooled his features. I waited for him to get angry. Instead, he hit me with something worse—disappointment. I nearly threw up my beloved samosas.

“Had no idea you were such a good actor.” His jaw was so tight I was impressed he could speak.

“I’m not acting. Not any longer. We’re trying to make it work. For real.”

“You think that’s possible if you get partner?”

I tried to suck in oxygen, but it disappeared from the room. “I will make it work.” Didn’t know how, but I would.

Hector grabbed a napkin and dabbed the corners of his mouth. “I’ll say this, then I’ll go back to enjoying my food because negative emotions do not belong in the same space as the samosas. If I had a job that made me resort to faking a relationship to get a promotion but was lucky enough that the relationship became real? If that job threatened my relationship with the person, I would reevaluate the job.”

CHAPTER 29

ETHAN

Team Tap That Group Text

Dom:Tyler. Stop eating my goddamn protein bars

Ty:WTF makes you think it’s me!

Austin:Fifteen years of evidence

Ty:Wow. So it’s let’s all gang up on Ty day, huh? Actually, that sounds like fun [smirk emoji]

Ethan:I’d suggest we steal some of Ty’s food in retribution, but he doesn’t keep anything good in the house

Ty:[GIF of a man pointing to his head and smirking]

Dom:Gotta give you credit. That’s actually a good strategy

* * *

“Are you sure you’re okay for tonight?” I asked Seth as I cut a ton of cheese for the charcuterie boards on our menu.It was a tight fit for two adults in our cramped brewery kitchen, but once the outdoor seating area was done, Caleb could park his food truck there full-time and take over food after he hired someone to run the truck.

I could practically hear his eye roll. He was amazing at every job we’d given him and fit in like the missing fifth member of our boy band. I trusted him completely but was still getting used to not being there literally every minute we were open.

“Seriously, it’s fine. I’ve got this. Go support your man.” Seth washed grapes and placed bundles in a plastic container. It would make his life easier later, having as much prepped as possible while I was off supporting Parker at his firm’s anniversary gala.

I couldn’t believe it was already time for the gala. It seemed like I’d only met Parker two weeks ago at that bar, not two months. I’d dreaded the anniversary gala because it meant the conclusion of our agreement. I was so fucking happy we’d—I’d—finally gotten over ourselves—myself—and stopped pretending.

A part of me was still worried, though. Tomorrow was the unknown because neither of us knew how his life would change after becoming partner. Parker had mentioned a few times that he’d hoped to have more schedule flexibility, but I knew it was more likely he would be even busier. Tomorrow meant figuring out how to make time for each other.

“Out of curiosity. If I murder my brother, would you help me hide the body, or would you be on the true-crime shows talking about what a monster I am and that I’d always been shady?”

I snorted. I enjoyed having Seth around. “Did he steal all your underwear? He did that to me in college.”

“Oh god, don’t give him any ideas. He ate the last of my oatmeal.Again.I drove all the way over to Milwaukie to grab the organic Scottish oats I love from the Bob’s Red Mill store. He knows I’m particular about my breakfast oats, and that fucker ate the last of it. It’s high school all over again.”

“Sounds like you’re settling into Dom’s house with us just fine.” I thought for a moment. “That explains why my yogurt hasn’t been going missing in the mornings.”

“He’s damn near thirty-five! Surely he’s learned how to take care of himself by now.”

“He can when he needs to, but it’s much more fun to troll us.”

Seth snickered.

I kept slicing cheese while Seth bitched about Ty. It was nice having him living in Austin’s old room. I still missed having Austin only a door away, but I enjoyed getting to know Seth better. He fit in well with the group and seemed to love working with Austin on the brewing side. Once we could afford more equipment, having a second brewer would be critical.

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