Page 100 of Counterpoint
Adrian sighed. “I’ll double-check the sections of code I’m responsible for before I leave each night. Clean up any mistakes.” He shrugged. “I can also build some automated testing other folks on the team can use to help spot issues, if you think that would help.”
Russ folded his hands and seemed relieved. “That’s acceptable.”
This was the weirdest conversation he’d ever had. “Shall I get back to it, then?”
Russ nodded, so Adrian rose and retreated to his cube, heart in his throat. Rather than IM Jackson via the company network, he texted him on his phone.
Just had the weirdest conversation with Russ. WTF is going on here?
Took some time, but a message came back:Easy. William is gunning for your job.
Adrian sat back. Sure felt like it. But his job wasn’t any better than William’s. They were both senior programmers. It’s not like undercutting Adrian would get William anywhere, unless...
Wait, am I up for promotion or some shit like that?
Sometimes you’re denser than a brick.
Adrian ran a hand through his hair.Well, shit.
Beer after work?
Any other day, yes.Can’t. Meeting my catnip and getting intro’d to his friends.
Oh ho. Getting serious. You didn’t tell me this morning!
He hadn’t. Mostly because he hadn’t wanted to let slip who Dominic was.Yeah, we are. Like you and your man.Apparently, Jackson had been at a family cookout with his jazz club boyfriend.
Blow me, Adrian.
Been there, done that.
The next text was an emoji of a middle finger. Adrian chuckled and set his phone aside. After all, he’d promised Russ a test. And he did need to fix all this shitty code.
* * *
Somehow, Adrian managed to get the code fixed, the scripts written, and a happy little group email sent out on how to run it. He ran the unit tests on his products and sent the results to Russ, then was out the door and into the elevator when the clock ticked over to five-thirty.
Getting to the address Dominic had given him was no issue whatsoever. Like many of the brick buildings in Chelsea near the water, it had been a warehouse before renovations. There was a pile of people milling around the entrance, and after a moment, Adrian spotted the Twisted Wishes T-shirts. Fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the band?
It must have been normal, but it was also a glimpse behind the why of the fear that lurked in Dominic. He didn’t know if he could cope with people peering into his life all the damn time. Thankfully, he looked like a businessman and not like a rock star’s boyfriend, so he slid right through the crowd and into the lobby of the building without anyone even looking his way.
He checked in with the front desk, and as promised, the guard knew he was coming and exactly where to send him. Adrian slapped the visitor label onto his suit jacket, and the guard led him to the elevator, activated the panel with his key card, and punched the fourth floor.
The doors slid closed, and Adrian took one breath then another. God. This was it. The other side of Dominic. His friends. His colleagues. All the missing pieces.
Would they even like him? Would he say something idiotic? He’d never met anyone’s family before.
The car stopped and the doors opened. There was a faint but unmistakable sound of live music coming from down the hall. He followed the sound to a door that had been propped ever so slightly open. Through the glass panel, he spied a band.Theband—Twisted Wishes. They were in the middle of playing and holy hell, there was Dominic rightthere, his fingers flying across the strings of a bright yellow electric guitar. Jeans. One of his button-downs, but with the sleeves rolled up. Head thrown back, huge smile. Dominic moved, grooving with the rhythm, his gaze shifting to their blond lead singer, and then across the studio until those eyes snagged on Adrian’s and widened.
The notes went awry with a sound that had Adrian flinching and nearly running back down the corridor—this was Dominic’s domain and Adrian had just fucked it up—but Dominic’s eyes lit when they met his gaze.
“Adrian!” His shout was brilliance and joy and spun Adrian’s heart around in his chest.
Then everyone, all the other members of the band, were staring at him. Adrian swallowed and pushed the door open. “Hi. Sorry. I didn’t want to interrupt.” Heat rose to his cheeks. Fuck, this was awkward.
“Honey, we wouldn’t have left it open if we didn’t want you to interrupt.”
He recognized Mish Sullivan, the Twisted Wishes bass player, instantly. Well, he recognizedallthe band members instantly. Adrian gave her a smile, then his gaze landed on Dominic again. He was grinning ear to ear, and that expression was infectious. Joy and light. Fucking hell. Lemons.
