Page 9 of A Hard Fit

“He’s a bit of an ass, isn’t he?”

Further scrunching. “Well—”

“Sorry. Maybe he hasn’t shown his ‘ass’ to you yet.” The laugh that escaped him sounded like a cat with a hairball.Shut up, Finn.You’rean ass.

Rory blinked.

Finn cleared this throat. “I mean, like…”Fuck. The glimpse he caught in the mirrored ‘Breakpoint’ sign was devastating. A lumbering troll with a face the same color as his hair, and a serene elfin creature who was clearly regretting their decision to invite the troll along to lunch.

“Hey!” Luka bounced into the foyer, rescuing Finn from his agony. “Sorry! Got hung up on a call.” He grabbed Finn’s forearm and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. “When I tell you what my client just said to me, you will perish.”

“I have no doubt.” Finn smiled at his friend in relief. Luka made everything so much easier.

Luka entertained them with his story as they walked down the busy sidewalk. “First of all, she emailedseventeen timesover the weekend…”

Finn tried to focus and laugh appropriately, but his brain was screaming about all the times his shoulder brushed Rory’s. Especially when Rory pulled off their blazer and tucked it through their elbow. Finn’s gaze slid sideways over the vines that wound down Rory’s arm. When he looked closer, he realized that each leaf contained a letter in flowering script. He wanted to trace each one with a finger and find out their story.

“And then shefinallysays,” Luka said, approaching the punchline, “through her tears, ‘when I saida Grease aestheticI meant themovie, not thecountry.’” Luka threw his head back with a burst of laughter. “Can you even believe it?”

Finn cackled. “I’m actually surprised you didn’t immediately assume the movie.” Luka had a deep love of movies, especially musicals.

“I know, right?” Luka sighed. “Anyway, this project just got a lot more fun, at least. And it gives me an idea for my Halloween costume.”

“Halloween?” Finn shook his head. “It’s August.”

“Practically September, and one can never prepare for Halloween too early. Wouldn’t you agree, Rory?” Luka generously lobbed a question at Rory, who was silently striding along next to them.

“Oh, absolutely,” Rory said. “I like to plan ahead.”

“See? Finn does not.” Luka laughed. “He gets mad if I mention holidays more than a week in advance.”

“Not true.” Finn sniffed.

Luka laughed again. “It absolutely is! You do your Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve.”

“I just don’t like how the holidays seem to start earlier and earlier, and you have to buy your shit then, because when the normal time to shop rolls around, you can’t even get it anymore. Sorry if I want to be able to buy a beach towel in July.” They were now standing in line at the deli, perusing the giant chalkboard menu.

“Yes, yes,” Luka soothed, patting his arm. “Poor Finn. Anyway, the turkey is amazing,” he told Rory. “You have to get it with the cranberry bread, it’s to die for, and if you like cheese, the smoked gouda.” He kissed his fingers. “Heaven.”

Finn could not be more thankful for Luka, who chatted easily, filling in the silence before it even existed, being sure to include Rory in the conversation.

“How long have you two been at Breakpoint?” Rory asked once they were seated on the sidewalk patio with their sandwiches.

“About four years,” Luka replied. “Finn started just before me.”

“Nice to work with friends, isn’t it?” Rory asked. They folded one ankle over the other, pants cuffed in an effortlessly stylish way.

“You’ve got that right,” Luka replied. “Finn keeps me grounded, reminds me not to worry about the bullshit.”

“And Luka is really good at attracting bullshit,” Finn added.

Luka sighed. “I’d smack you, but, unfortunately, you are completely right. Did you have lots of friends at your last job?” he asked Rory.

“Yup. Friends and family. It was my parents’ company.”

“Oh, cool. What made you leave?” Luka crunched on a potato chip.

“Just”—Rory lifted a shoulder—“ready to do my own thing.”

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