Page 30 of A Hard Fit

“That’s okay,” Thomas said with a hint of a lip curl when he saw Finn’s panic. “I don’t mind the nickname. I’ve certainly been called worse.”

“Haven’t we all,” Finn said, relaxing. “Hey, a bunch of us are heading for a drink after work. The Bitter Exchange, just down the block, if you haven’t been yet.”

“Mmm,” Thomas said, glancing at his watch. “I’m not sure…”

“You should come,” Finn said. “Get to know everyone a little better.”Like Luka.“It’ll be fun.”

Thomas considered a moment longer, then nodded once. “Yes, thank you. I have a few things to finish up here, then I’ll come for a drink.”

Finn tidied up his desk a little—very little—then barged into Luka’s office at 5:01, shrugging on his jacket. “Moreno! It’s quitting time.”

Luka didn’t look up, in the middle of madly scribbling notes in the margins of a report. “I just have to—”

“Nope!” Finn snatched the papers out from under his pencil and held them aloft. Luka would work all weekend if you let him. “Everyone’s going for drinks.”

“Finn!” Luka reached for his work, then paused. “Everyone?” he asked, in the most obvious way possible.

“Everyone,” Finn said, trying to rein in his smirk.

Luka chewed his lip and eyed his monitor. “Okay.” He stood and grabbed the papers back so he could file them away. “Where are we going? Do not say Exchange.”

Finn grinned. He had to admit, as the Bitter Exchange had become the usual afterwork hangout, it was rather amusing how much Kazio, the owner, seemed to actively dislike Luka—handsome, charming and liked by literally everyone else.

“Why do we have to go there?” Luka groaned.

Finn clapped him on the back. “Ten-dollar pitchers and the best wings in town! What’s not to like?”

“Were you wanting a list, or…?”

With a playful shove, Finn turned to charge out. “Last one there buys the first round!” He didn’t want to keep Rory waiting.

* * * *

Finn and Rory walked to the pub with Tawney. It was her turn for a joke—“Why do walruses love a Tupperware party?”—then they grabbed a few tables in the corner. The place buzzed with the usual Friday crowd, and their tables filled up with Breakpoint coworkers. Luka arrived, giving them a wave and heading straight to the bar to battle with Kazio.

Finn was draining the last of his first beer, feeling pleasantly warm and admiring Rory’s exquisite profile, when his phone rang.

It was his mom.

Melwas all the Caller ID said.

What the fuck?She never called.

His finger twitched over the screen, a whispered curse escaping his lips. There was no way he was going to answer.

Except, fuck. Shenevercalled.

“Excuse me,” he muttered to Rory.

He swiped to answer and pressed the phone to his ear. “Hello?” he said, wiggling between tables to slip out through the front door.

There was a pause, entirely too long, coming from the person who had placed the call. “Finn,” his mother finally said.

“Mel,” he replied, already tired of her bullshit.

“How are you?” she asked.

Finn leaned against the brick wall of the pub. Wow, acting like she cared and everything.

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