Page 8 of Due Dilligence (Takeover)
Fazil nodded. The server finally appeared and took their drink orders. A large gin martini for Eli and a Pike Stout for him.
Eli leaned back. “The people in finance aren’t bad. Most of them are doing what they’ve been told. Ryan needs to be canned, with prejudice.” Eli worked his jaw and shook his head. “How that man got into that position—Fucking idiot’s schemes are barely legal. If that.”
Fazil winced in sympathy. No wonder Eli wanted a drink. He might not understand the financial end of things, but he trusted Eli’s knowledge. He was tough, could be an ass sometimes, but the man was fair to a fault.
The server returned with their drinks. Fazil waved away the glass. It was, after all, a drink-from-the-bottle kind of night.
Eli took a sip of his martini and slumped against the booth. Like that, he looked younger and far less intimidating. “I’m glad things are better for you.”
“I haven’t met all of engineering yet. Stephen is frazzled, but he knows his tech. Main problem is that they need to not have all the important shit stored in someone’s head. And get them following their own processes.”
“So, no problems with Todd?”
Goose bumps rose all over. Fazil took a pull of beer from the bottle and hoped that covered the shudder. “No.”
“Good. I can’t quite tell if he’s an old friend or an old enemy.” Eli took a large mouthful of his martini. “I almost guessed enemy.”
“Not a bad guess.” Fazil toyed with the neck of his beer. “He’s my ex-boyfriend.”
Eli’s exhale was nearly a squeak. “But you’re...” He didn’t say the rest. Didn’t need to.
Fazil ripped the label off the neck of the beer bottle, then took a swig. “Actually no, I’m not straight.” He tried to keep the anger from his words, but they fell like daggers. “There’re a couple more letters inLGBTQthan justG, Eli.”
Eli shrank, his face pale but for very red cheeks. He reached for his drink with an unsteady hand. “I... Shit.” He stared into his glass. “I’m sorry. I should know better than to assume.”
Now, that was a tone of voice he’d never heard from Eli. Absolute and contrite sincerity.
“Yeah, well, you know what they say about assumptions.”
Eli flinched. After a sip, he looked up. “I guess I’m quite the ass tonight.” Color now touched his face and neck.
Fazil shrugged. “It’s not like I haven’t heard it before. Being bisexual means you’re just faking it one way or the other and you should make up your mind.”
Eli rotated the stem of the glass between his fingers. “I didn’t mean... I don’t think...” He took another swallow. “I should just keep my mouth shut, lest I jam my foot even further inside.”
“Well, that’s a first. Leaving you speechless.” Probably the beer talking, but what the heck.
Eli choked on his drink and lifted a single brow, and Fazilfinallyunderstood why Justin had fallen for this guy. Under all the posturing, there was a real person with quite a bit of heart.
“No, come on. Tell me. Why’d you think I was straight?”
Eli shrugged. “Well, aside from the whole girlfriend thing, I never noticed you checking out men.”
He’d never risen to Eli’s off-color banter. “Just because I don’t checkyouout doesn’t mean I don’t look.”
Eli’s blush grew deeper and Fazil smiled before he drank more beer. “Besides, you’re not my type. If I want tall, dark, and cranky, I can look in my mirror.”
“Wait, I’m cranky?”
His turn to raise a brow and stare.
Eli studied his empty glass. “Okay, I’ll give you that.” A smile played around his lips.
“Not as much lately. Justin’s been good for you.”
He rubbed his thumb against his wedding band. “You have no idea.” Soft, dreamy, distant look.
That was how love should be. Fazil had never found that, never felt that with anyone he’d dated, except once.
