Felix stood slightly behind him, and Rolf handed him some money. “A latte and something sweet. Not that rainbow cake. It can be a little dry. Cheesecake, if they have it. And something for yourself, whatever you want.”
Felix nodded and disappeared in the direction of the counter.
Rolf gestured to the empty chairs facing Dieter and me. “Okay if we join you?”
“Of course.”
He sat, then glanced between us. “Well, this looks serious.”
“It is,” Dieter replied. He dug me in the ribs with his elbow. “He’s in love.”
I didn’t react.
Rolf, however, stilled for a fraction of a second before his attention sharpened, his gaze settling on me with far more interest than before. “That’s new.”
“It’s not confirmed,” I replied in an even tone.
Dieter snorted into his drink.
Rolf ignored him. “Ah,” he said with a nod. “So we’re at the stage where you’re pretending it’s still theoretical.”
I blinked. “I’m not pretending anything.”
Rolf smirked. “Knowing you, you’re probably analysing it to death. That’s a slightly different problem.” Felix arrived with his tray of coffee and cakes, and Rolf patted the chair next to him. Felix joined us, and Rolf rubbed the back of his neck, a slow, intimate touch. With his other hand, he forked off a piece of cherry quark tart.
“Are we talking about the one from the party?” he asked between mouthfuls.
“Yes.”
Dieter gaped. “Youtookhim? You didn’t tell me.”
I shrugged. “You didn’t ask.”
Rolf smiled. “I wondered at the time. You don’t usually stay.”
“I didnotstay,” I corrected.
“No, you just kept him to yourself. Which was mean, because he was fucking edible.”
Dieter laughed. “So where exactly is the sexy bear?”
“Manchester.”
Rolf’s brows shot up. “Already?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re here.” He glanced once more at my phone on the table, then back at me. “Instead of wherever he is.”
“That would require a different set of decisions.”
Rolf tilted his head. “Yes, it would.” He leaned back, resting one arm along Felix’s chair. “He didn’t appear overwhelmed,” he said after a moment. “Which is uncommon in that space, especially for someone new.”
“He was not easily overwhelmed,” I admitted. Then it hit me.
I used the past tense.
Fuck.