“Oh?”
“You, me, Argos,” he says. “Ethan, Jen, Mia.”
“Really? You know Argos has noxious nervous-car-ride farts.”
“Exactly,” he says.
“I don’t understand.”
“Everything I’ve suggested, Ethan’s countered with the opposite. And this time, I’ll graciously give him what he asks for.”
I bite my lip. “That is devious.”
His hand skates up my back, a soothing, gentle touch. “That is the least he deserves.”
He lets go, then steps past me, sliding Argos’s leash higher up onto his wrist. I watch him grip the doorhandle and lift up as he turns the key I’d abandoned in the lock. They key wrenches smoothly left. He just… opened it.
“What the heck?” I ask.
Alex shrugs. “The restaurant’s back door lock has always stuck like that, too.”
I take the key from him, peering down at it. “Thanks,” I tell him quietly.
He brushes his knuckles along my arm. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay.” Sighing, I meet his eyes. “I’m going to ask Fern for a meeting before we leave for vacation. I’m nervous about asking her. And I’m terrified of the meeting. But I’m going to do it.”
Alex smiles so wide, it makes my heart skip a beat. “To go over your business proposal?”
My smile’s reflexive. “Yes.”
Alex yanks me into another hug, crushing me to him. “I’m proud of you, Ted. You deserve to go after what you want.”
I smile against his shoulder, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Thanks. I’m proud of me, too.”
“Good,” he says into my hair. “Because what you’re doing takes guts.”
“You’d know, wouldn’t you, Chef?”
“It’s not the same.” Alex lets go of me and steps back. “I’m not head chef at the restaurant again.”
I clasp his hand in mine and squeeze. Alex has been dipping his toes back into working in the kitchen at his restaurant over the past year, on the condition that his former sous, Olu, remain the head chef. I know he’s scared to throw himself back into work there full time—so much so that even the limited number of hours he’s been putting in feels like playing with fire.
“No,” I agree, “you’re not head chef right now. But you’re working your way there.” I squeeze his hand again. “That takes guts.”
“Well, that’s true,” he says. “Olu is a fucking drill sergeant. An absolute nightmare to work under.”
I roll my eyes.
Alex grins, taking a step back. “Hope it’s a good day at work, Ted.”
I smile as I watch him start to walk away.
“Alex!” I call.
He turns around, facing me.
“Hope it’s good for you, too,” I tell him.