4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

Felix

I leaned back in the chair at my cubicle, fiddling with my headset.

The call I needed to return was a big one, and I’d gotten personally invested. Not just because I was aiming for a management position in the company but also because the client who had contracted us was hosting the medieval swords exhibit at Philly Art Museum. I couldn’t fucking wait to go. From the moment the assignment had landed on my desk, I’d been chatting with Carly, the exhibitor owner.

She’d left a message to call her but hadn’t mentioned about what, and my gut fizzed with nerves. I’d been at the top of my game for most of the project, which would launch fully next week. My supervisor had been hinting that if this went well, potential promotions were in store for me. And I banked on that. No matter how hard I worked, I always felt like I had something to prove.

Maybe if I had a management job, my folks and my brother would see I was capable. That even the sick kid who got seizures could be successful.

Maybe I needed therapy too, but that was a problem for another day.

I stared at the white ceiling I only needed to see when I wanted to. Icarus Tech was flexible about working in the office or at home, and most of us floated in and out. But I liked my team, a bunch of awesome geeks, so a lot of us tried to coordinate days to come in.

Okay, enough stalling. Time to call back. I hit the Dial button, and the ringing began.

“Hello, this is Carly.”

“Hey, it’s Felix,” I said, my palms growing a little sweaty. “I got your message. What can I do for you?”

“Just the guy I wanted to talk to.” Her voice switched from cool professional to warm. After our long chats, the rapport came easily. “You’re a big fan of the exhibit we’re putting on, right?”

“Huge. I even take historical sword fighting classes, so the exhibit is at the top on my list to visit.”

“Perfect. We’ve got a gala to raise funds next weekend, and since you’ve been such a joy to work with, I wanted to offer you and a plus-one tickets to attend. It’d give you a chance to look at the swords and weaponry up close in case you needed more convincing.”

Oh, damn.

My heart just about leaped out of my chest. Up close and personal with the exhibit? At a fucking gala at the Art Museum? Talk about way outside my pay grade.

However, I sure as hell wouldn’t pass up the chance.

“Yes, I’d love to,” I blurted out. Shit, Cor would be so damn jealous. I couldn’t go without him. “Wait, you said I could bring a plus-one?”

“Absolutely,” Carly said.

“Cor is going to be so excited when I tell him.” The nerves from before converted to pure, bouncy adrenaline. “He’s just as into historical weaponry as I am. It’s how we met.”

“Really?” Carly said. “That’s so adorable. I’ll send you an email with your tickets and all the details. I’m looking forward to seeing you in person after the work we’ve done together.”

This was awesome. Not only were we going to go to some fancy soiree at the art gallery while it was closed for the night, which felt like something rich folks did, not a lowly guy from the IT department, but we’d also get an exclusive sneak peek at the exhibit. I vibrated in my seat.

“Thank you so much. I can’t wait to meet you too.” I tried to calm the bubbliness from my tone. But seriously. Swords. Art museum. Fancy gala.

Cor was going to lose his shit.

“And of course I’m excited to meet your boyfriend too. It’s wonderful you both have something so unique to bond over.”

Wait, record scratch.

Boyfriend?

“I’ve got to get going,” Carly said. “But check for the email.”

Before I could say anything, she hung up.

She thought Cor was my boyfriend. Me, who’d only ever dated women. Guys had never been on my radar, even though Marco was openly bisexual, and my folks didn’t care. Not that I had any hard “hell no” vibes when it came to guys, but no one had ever sparked my interest. No “man, I need to jump on that dick” urges.

Though if I did have a boyfriend, I’d want one like Cor. He was like the gold fucking standard for guys. Massive and barrel chested and he probably cuddled like a dream. But he also was chill and easy to be around. He made me feel big, which, for a small guy who constantly had mother hens pecking around, was a treasure.

And why the fuck was I thinking about Cor’s boyfriend qualities?

I should be figuring out a way to email Carly back and explain that Cor and I weren’t dating, that I was just bringing a friend. Except I really wanted to impress her. And even if I weren’t Cor’s type, he’d be willing to pretend for a night so we could see the exhibit.

If he hated the idea, I could go solo. Tell Carly he caught some rare stomach virus or some shit. My insides rioted, nerves and adrenaline flat out going to war.

But attending with him would be so much better.

Honestly, doing anything with him was better. When had Cor wedged himself so firmly in my life? Over the past six months, he’d become one of the most important people in it.

I slipped my phone out and shot him a text.

Can I cash in on that dinner tonight?

Normally, I didn’t head out to Kennett Square this often. When you moved to Philly, a weird city bubble occurred, and you rarely left it to the suburbs. Everything lay within walking distance or was accessible via public transit, so a drive wasn’t high on the agenda.

Right after I left for college, my folks had moved there, downsizing from their house in Malvern. Cor and his massive horde of Brannons had lived in Kennett Square their entire lives, so the whole town knew them. Chances were, Marco did too. He’d landed there along with Ruby, so I was the outlier in the family, in the city.

Clearly, the independence would be too much for my delicate constitution, and I’d perish.

I pulled up in front of Zodiac Brewery, a place I’d hit up a few times. Cor had offered to come my way, but he was leaving the job later, and I already planned on inconveniencing him enough with this ask. Sweat imprinted on the steering wheel from my palms. I didn’t think he was seeing anyone, so hopefully, he’d laugh my question off as ridiculous, and we’d get to enjoy geeking out together over a killer display at the Art Museum.

Cor’s red pickup truck was already in the lot. I hopped out of my car, and the brisk air cooled some of the sweat. Still, I was chewing on the inside of my cheek as I entered the place.

Zodiac Brewery was a cute joint—all astrology themed—with dark ceilings studded with painted stars and hardwood furnishings. Cor sat crammed in one of the booths. With how massive the guy was, he looked oversized in just about anything. He still wore his work jumpsuit—navy coveralls with the Brannon Contractors logo, the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. His thick brows were drawn together in concentration, and the scowl on his face with that dark, bushy beard might’ve been forbidding on someone else, but Cor’s soft blue eyes gave him away every time.

He was kindness personified, and that alone spurred me forward.

Cor glanced up and smiled as brightly as the sun, his eyes crinkling at the edges. My adrenaline kick-started all over again. Damn nerves.

The urge to slide into the booth next to him reared because I couldn’t seem to keep out of his personal space. Then again, he always welcomed me with ease. However, if the talk went poorly, it would be better if I sat on the other side.

“Hey, thanks for dinner.” I winked at him as I dropped into the cushy vinyl booth opposite him.

“It’s the least I could do,” Cor said. “You saved our ass last week with the computer situation.”

Shit, now I felt like a dick for asking a favor. “What do you recommend here? Is this one of your normal meetup spots?” Did my voice just lower? I couldn’t seem to turn off tease mode when it came to Cor, and I had no damn idea why. It wasn’t like I got this way around my other guy friends, though I had no problem sitting on laps or giving hugs. Toxic masculinity could suck it.

“For dates?” Cor lifted his brows.

I shifted in my seat, and my leg bumped against his, but I didn’t move it. Maybe the touch would give me the push to ask him. “Well, yeah. I’m assuming you don’t meet Grindr hookups here.”

Cor shrugged. “Clubs or just my house tend to be better for that, but it’s not a bad date spot.”

“Is this where you brought Luke?” I asked. Cor had dated him a few months ago and couldn’t seem to shake the guy, even though they’d only lasted a short time. He’d bitched about Luke over tacos more than a few times, and the relationship had left him a little jaded, even if he didn’t extrapolate.

“I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s lurking around here. Like, in the fucking bushes outside or some shit.”

“Please don’t tell me he’s done that at your house.” My hackles were up, protective mode engaged. That shit crossed too many lines.

Cor’s deadass look was not promising.

“Restraining orders are a thing,” I said.

A waitress walked up, and Cor ordered a Swiss and mushroom burger and the Libra beer on tap. I ordered the same, figuring he knew what was best here. The moment she stepped away, the reason for calling him out to dinner descended on me with a heaviness I couldn’t avoid. I needed to get it off my chest.

“Okay, so I did a thing today,” I said, and his gaze landed on me. The seriousness in those blue eyes was potent, intense, and my brain scrambled. The man made me feel visible in a way I preferred to the usual sort, where everyone gawked at whatever malady had overtaken me.

“Now I’m getting nervous,” Cor joked, even though he chewed on his lip in hesitation. “Are you about to tell me you’re moving across the country?”

“Fuck no. I just might need you to be my boyfriend for a gala at the Art Museum.”

Cor blinked at me, dumbstruck.

I swallowed hard. “Please?”