Karl smiled. “That can be useful.”
“And dangerous,” I added.
Karl’s eyes flickered with amusement. “Often the same thing.”
I huffed a quiet breath. “And he doesn’t pretend. If he thinks something, he says it.”
He tilted his head. “That’s refreshing.”
“No, that’s terrifying,” I corrected.
That made him laugh. “Ah. Now I understand.” He paused. “And Hans?”
I groaned. “Don’t.”
Karl sighed. “He made a pass at you.”
“What gave it away?”
“Hans makes a pass at anything with a pulse,” he said dryly.
I snorted. “He said he’d made one at you once.” That hadn’t left me all day.
Karl gave a small, resigned smile. “In all the years we’ve known each other, have I ever discussed my private life?”
“No,” I admitted.
“Then perhaps it’s time I did.”
I looked at him.
Karl met my gaze calmly. “Yes, I’m gay.” He said it simply, just stating a fact. “I came back to Berlin for someone. We were together for a few years. It ended.” A small shrug. “I stayed.”
I nodded, taking that in. It didn’t feel surprising, but it did clarify a few things.
Karl studied me for a moment. “May I offer you some advice?”
“Of course.”
He took a sip of his drink. “Let go of the idea that you need to understand everything before you experience it. You don’t.”
I frowned. “That feels… risky.”
“It is,” he said. “But so is staying exactly where you are.”
That hit home.
Karl smiled, his eyes bright. “Feel. Experience. See what happens.” A beat. “Just… don’t go to bed with Hans.”
I laughed, the tension breaking instantly. “That wasn’t on my To Do list.”
“Good. He’s far too young for you.”
“No argument from me.”
Karl’s gaze sharpened. “What about this Stefan? Is he more… appropriate?”
I hesitated before replying. “Yes.”