[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Itai scooted closer to him, smiling.He squeezed Miles’s bicep.“You okay?”“I’m going home.”Itai frowned.“Really?”“Yeah.I don’t want to be here anymore.” Miles hated the petulance in his voice butcouldn’t help it.He was too drunk to act anymore.“Whatever you want, baby,” Itai told him.“Can I have some cash? I don’t have enough for a taxi.”Itai reached into his back pocket.“You can use a credit card, you know.”“Great.Thanks.” Miles turned away and headed toward the door.“Miles, wait!” Itai rushed to catch up.“I didn’t mean it like that.I’m saying you could ifyou wanted.Here.” He opened his wallet and handed Miles forty dollars.“That shouldcover it.”“I’m not going out of state.Going home.”“I know, but there may be traffic.Just to be safe.” Itai shoved the money into Miles’shand and kissed him on the temple.“See you later.”“Bye,” Miles grumbled, turning back.He glanced around, but no one seemed to noticethe kiss or the money or him at all.He felt invisible, like the night before when he’d serveddinner, but this time it wasn’t a good feeling.It was just…empty.Chapter SixPickled Nasturtium CapersItai didn’t make it home until the following morning.He looked disheveled as he crawled into bed, hair standing on end, reeking of alcohol.Miles asked if he had driven home in that state, but he didn’t get an answer; Itai was snoringthe second his head hit the pillow.On his day off, Miles typically preferred not to go downstairs.He needed one day aweek where he didn’t smell like vinegar, one day to do all the other aspects of the businessand life, things like laundry or running errands.It was his day to get little jobs done or spendtime at home watching football on the couch or go somewhere with Itai.But the idea of staying in the house right now with so much anger inside him toward Itaiseemed dangerous.He was likely to say something he meant but didn’t want to speak outloud without further thought.So he decided to make himself a coffee and make some soup for tomorrow’s lunch.Soup prep, like pickling, was something he enjoyed doing when he was trying not to think.It was repetitive motion, all muscle memory, and it left his mind blank.He had a lot of creamer left over from the Hanukkah dinner, so he decided to make asweet-potato cream soup.He stared out the back window as it simmered and reduced,wondering how awful the next week was going to feel.He wasn’t sure what was worse—breaking up with someone or thinking about itincessantly.Miles’s phone rang.He checked the screen but didn’t recognize the number.“Hello?”Someone cleared his throat.“Hi, Miles.”It was Nic.A flood of warmth filled Miles.“Hey, Nic!”“Sorry to call.”“No, it’s okay! I was actually thinking about you.” Miles winced.“Er…thinking abouthow I don’t have your number.”“Well, now you do,” Nic said.It sounded like he was chewing on something.“How’s thekraut?”“Starting to smell.”“Is that…a good thing?”“Yes.” Miles walked away from the soup and lifted the cheesecloth on the sauerkraut.“Smells like horse farts.”“Being unfamiliar with horses or their farts, I’ll take your word for it,” Nic said.“So I’mcalling for two reasons.One, I have to testify on a former case tomorrow at ten in themorning, so I’m going to come in late.But I will have my guys there undercover watchingout for the place.They have been instructed to give you the signal if they think anything’sgoing to happen, and you’re to follow their lead.All right?”“Sure.” Miles turned over his wooden spoon and poked at the sauerkraut.Pungentpockets of gas bubbled to the surface.“That’s a big deal, isn’t it? To have to testify?”“I’ve done it once before.I’m not worried about it, but I do hate the fact that I have towear a suit.”Miles laughed.“I don’t know if I even own a suit anymore.But wait, you wore one theother day.”“Yeah, and I hated it then too.I only wore it to impress you.”“Really?” Miles smiled, leaning against the counter.“You should have worn tight shortsand no shirt.That would probably impress me more.” He winced, thinking he went too far,but Nic chuckled on the end of the line.“I’ll keep that in mind.How tight?”“For the shorts?” Miles cleared his throat.“I’m a gay man with a lack of imagination.You figure it out.”Nic laughed at that.“So what was the second reason?” Miles asked.“Huh?”“You said you had two reasons to call me.”“Oh!” Nic started chewing something again.“Yeah.Want to go out for drinks tonight?”Miles felt warm and excited.“Yes! But…” But he couldn’t.He wasn’t single, was he?“But I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”“Sure it is, and let me tell you why,” Nic said confidently [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]