“Oh, I love it. Cool, cool. See you later.” And she was off after cuffing him on the arm.
He texted Caleb back.
OMW
He got a picture of a coffee, a perfectly poured cappuccino with beautiful foam on top.
I’ll be here
He headed out, figuring it would be easier to just grab a cab than it would be to try to take public transportation. It took him too damn long to get to Caleb, and he was really kind of impatient about it. Too much time in boring meetings already, and Hawk needed to relax and enjoy Caleb’s company.
He walked into the coffee shop, and Caleb stood grabbing his cup and taking it up to the counter to put it on the bus tray. Caleb met him halfway across the room and grinned, standing close enough to feel his body heat. “I thought we’d go to lunch someplace else. I was just waiting on you,”
“Ah, so you want actual food and not just panini.”
“I do, actually. On the way here, I saw this great little osteria that looked like they had the most amazing polenta and risotto dishes. You want to try?”
“I’m in.” They rubbed shoulders as they headed out the door, avoiding the guy who came flying in, obviously needing a quick cup of coffee. It was always somebody in a hurry. Even in Italy. “I want you to know that Casey, one of my co-workers,is forever grateful to you for getting her out of the lunch thing today.’
Caleb put a hand in the middle of his chest. “I got her out of something?”
“Yeah, I told everyone you were a female hockey player that I was interviewing for the podcast that I’m doing.”
“Dude, you are a dawg. I am not a girl.”
He gave Caleb a sideways once-over. “Yes, that is perfectly obvious, and I’m grateful. I like women a lot, but they don’t do it for me like you do.”
“You know, you have upped your game.” Caleb nudged him with one elbow. “Not that your game was bad before, and I would hope you changed it up in eight years, but you really have.”
He shrugged because he hadn’t upped his game too much. He just felt really comfortable with Caleb. “I’ve just gotten better at faking it. That’s all.”
Caleb’s fingers brushed his, then slid against his palm, not holding his hand, but letting him know it was a possibility. “I’m not serious. And I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I’m just teasing you.”
A smile touched his mouth. “Well, I just wanted you to know that I’m still as seriously awkward as I’ve ever been.”
“And I’m just as much of an asshole.” Caleb turned down a small side street. It was way less crowded than the main road they’d been on. They wandered down about halfway until they reached a tiny little restaurant set in between two big stores. “What do you think?”
Hawk looked at the menu, there was no turistica menu posted alongside the regular one. There were veal shanks that they called osso bucco, and there was polenta. There was risotto Milanese. Pretty standard fare, but all stuff he wanted to try, and it smelled like Italian heaven.
So they ducked inside and got a seat with a couple of localswho were probably eating early, all things considered, and they grinned at each other when they ordered a couple of dishes and half a carafe of wine to share. The waiter, who would no doubt be offended at being called a server, informed them that both polenta and risotto took at least twenty minutes to make and to please not be in a hurry.
They chuckled after he marched off. “Our reputation as Americans precedes us.”
“Can you blame them?” Caleb rolled his eyes. “I’m surprised you haven’t tried to get a Canadian passport.”
“I have one.” His mom was Canadian, and his dad had been playing for a Canadian team at the time he was born, so he had dual citizenship.
“So I’m the American jerk, huh?”
“Something like that.” He loved teasing Caleb. The man liked to laugh, and it made it so easy to be with him, because he didn’t seem to think Hawk was an idiot.
That was a huge bonus in a lover.
“So what’s your plan for the rest of the day?” Caleb asked.
“Well, now that I’ve escaped the luncheon, I don’t have anything until a press thing tomorrow morning. You?”
Caleb’s bright green gaze heated up. “I am footloose and fancy free. I have to work out at some point, but?—”