Elias
ELIAS
Of all the things he might have guessed would come out of Cade’s mouth, the sudden gambit proclaiming them a couple was not one of them. As a matter of fact, would have placed it on the list of top things Cade would never say. From the utterly blank expression on Christine’s face, it seemed wasn’t alone in being knocked off-balance by Cade’s announcement.
“Yeah, right,” said, thinking he deserved an award for how unbelievably casual his voice sounded.
Then again, a proper actor would have known what to say next. Instead, stood there, feeling foolish as he held onto his half-drunk glass of sparkling wine, staring at Cade and Christine. Relief flooded Cade’s features, but Christine was still looking at them as though they had just pissed in her prize fern.
However, she recovered quicker than Cade, drawing herself upright. “Well, this is...a surprise. I hadn’t realized you were so...diverse in your tastes.”
knew Cade well enough to know his tastes were definitely diverse, but not regarding gender. He almost felt bad for Christine, who fumbled for the right thing to say now her latest attempt to get with Cade was disappearing. He was more bewildered about why Cade had suddenly used him as a shield. It wasn’t like the conversation between Cade and Christine had been all that weird. To his credit, Cade was still looking at with wide, startled eyes as though he was also wondering what the hell he’d just said.
Cade whirled around, taking a step back toward . “Well, it was a surprise for us too.”
That was putting it mildly.
Cade reached back, his hand fumbling over ’ arm and then finally settling over the middle of his back. “But hey, take what you get, right?”
Christine continued to stare at them with wide, curious eyes. “And...just how long has this been going on?”
“It’s recent,” Cade spat out hurriedly.
tilted his head, unsure if he should return Cade’s touch. “Very recent.”
“But still important,” Cade added.
“Of course,” said.
Finally deciding he had to do something , let his free hand rest at the base of Cade’s neck. Putting a benign smile on his face, he flexed his fingers, gripping the muscles of Cade’s neck and shoulders affectionately. wasn’t sure what was stranger, that it felt natural to do it, or that Cade didn’t tense at the touch. Then again, the man’s muscles were rock-hard. Maybe he couldn’t get any more tense.
Christine’s eyes swept over them, darting and landing with abandon. Yet was left feeling more evaluated than the last time he’d had an X-ray. She might be a rich socialite, but had no doubt the woman was sharp. It was obviously bizarre for Cade, a man who had a lifetime of dedicated heterosexuality, to suddenly claim he was dating another, completely straight man.
What the hell had Cade been thinking?
A smile finally graced her features, though it did nothing to assuage ’ nerves. “Well, what a surprise and a pleasant one at that.”
“It, uh, doesn’t bother you?” Cade asked nervously.
Was that hope in his voice?
Christine fixed a stray lock of hair, tucking it behind her ear. “Bother me? I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little surprised considering...well, all the same, I’m not some member of the old guard. I’m a child of the 21st century, after all. I think it’s wonderful that you’ve discovered this new...side of yourself.”
Her words and smile were bright, but ’ gut squirmed as she spoke. Though she wasn’t exactly glaring at them, he didn’t like the thoughtful way her eyes darted between him and Cade. He couldn’t prove it, but he was sure Christine knew Cade had been lying out of his ass and that was backing him up.
Cade, however, seemed to relax the tiniest amount. “Right, of course. I shouldn’t have doubted you for a second.”
She shrugged her thin shoulders lightly. “No offense meant, no offense taken, right?”
“Of course.”
“And these days, even with all the acceptance, I imagine it was a very difficult realization.”
“Uh, yeah, it had its moments.”
Christine turned her gaze to . “And you?”
blinked. “What?”
“Was it difficult for you?”
“Oh. Well, you know. Yeah, it was a little strange at first. Took some getting used to, wrapping my head around it.”
“Of course.”
“But when you’ve got something good, you go for it, no matter how strange it might seem at first,” continued, realizing he was babbling.
Christine nodded, eyes wide with interest. “I can imagine. After all, before all this, you both were...perfectly heterosexual, right?”
“Yeah,” said.
“Yes,” Cade agreed.
“So I can only imagine how strange and even...melodramatic getting to this point would have been,” Christine continued.
“Well, as I said, it had its moments,” Cade said slowly.
Yeah, this was not a woman fooled by Cade’s story. Neither nor Cade were willing to get into too many details, though could only guess at his friend’s reasoning. wasn’t a liar by nature, but he knew enough to know it wasn’t a good idea to make up too many details. The best way to keep to a lie was to stay as close to the truth as possible. That way, you didn’t mix up too many fake details and end up caught. The problem was, none of what they were saying was even remotely close to the truth, and had simply said the first thing that sprung into his head, the things that made the most sense.
“I’m sure there’s plenty of stories you both have to tell,” Christine continued, her tone encouraging.
And there it was. She wanted details.
cleared his throat. “Well, no offense, but we’ve only recently got into...this. Talking about it so freely in a room full of strangers is a little...weird.”
It was a cop-out. He knew it, Cade knew it, and he’d bet every dollar in his bank account she knew it too. Still, he was hoping to appeal to the sense of propriety that Cade swore up and down was bred and drilled into every rich kid, at least the high society ones.
Christine winced delicately. “Of course. This must have been so unbelievably difficult for you both, but it seems to have ended well for you, hasn’t it?”
“Yeah,” said.
She grinned. “Well, then that’s all that matters, isn’t it? I apologize if I seem too intrusive. This was a surprise, and I’m afraid I lost my manners. Of course, you don’t want to talk about your personal affairs in front of a room full of perfect strangers.”
smiled at her. “Well, thank you for understanding.”
“I suppose tonight was a good thing then. After all, I’m sure you’ll be expected to accompany Cade to all sorts of engagements in the future. Oh, speaking of engagements?—”
Cade held up a hand sharply. “One thing at a time, Christine.”
“Of course. Ah, love, its joy is so...infectious. Forgive me,” she said with a light, tittering laugh.
Before they decided how to respond, a soft voice called Christine from the back of the room. turned to see the ‘new money’ group raising their hands, politely but insistently motioning her over. When turned back to face her, the smile had frozen on her face.
“Ah,” she sighed. “The life of a hostess never ends.”
“Maybe the next party you can enjoy yourself a little more by not hosting it,” Cade offered.
“Now there’s an idea. Will you two be staying long?” she asked.
Cade answered hurriedly. “We haven’t made up our minds. We can’t screw with our sleep schedules too much.”
“This from the man who liked his weekend outings,” Christine teased with a wink.
Cade jabbed a thumb at . “Well, we can’t screw with his too much. Do that, and he won’t sleep right for days, and no one wants to see that.”
frowned at him. “Hey.”
Christine laughed, handing her now empty glass to another server. “Well, it’s nice to see you two are managing, and it’s sweet of you to care, Cade. If you leave before I see you both, be sure to stop by and say good night.”
Before they could say anything else, she raised her hand to the group waving her over and marched away. watched her long strides as they took her out of hearing distance. A glance around told him no one was near enough to hear him either, not if he was quiet.
“Other engagements?” hissed quietly.
“Now is not the time for that,” Cade muttered.
“Dating?” persisted.
“Definitely not the time for that.”
“Then when, honey ?”
Cade winced. “Look, let’s just get through the rest of this party, pretending we’re happy and having a good time. Then we’ll slip out when Christine’s distracted, go back to your place, and you can yell at me.”
didn’t want to yell at anyone, but he sure as hell wanted answers. Christine had been too interested in getting answers from the two of them, and her eyes had been too bright for ’ liking. He didn’t know Christine personally, only what few things Cade had told him, and that she was apparently on good terms with Pamela. Add all those things together, and he couldn’t rid himself of the nerves jangling away in his guts.
Cade took a deep breath, closing his eyes. “Just...let’s get through this. Then we can get it over with at your place, okay?”
“Yeah, yeah,” agreed, with the sinking feeling that it wouldn’t be over quite that easily.
* * *
Considering Christine’s focus on them, leaving had been remarkably smooth. had expected the woman to ambush them when it looked like they were trying to leave. Then again, maybe he shouldn’t have underestimated just how tricky Cade could be. waited until Cade had given the signal, and the two of them had simply walked out.
He thought leaving would be the hard part, but he hadn’t expected how awkward the ride back to his apartment would be. While he knew Cade was probably upset about the entire thing, hadn’t been expecting the total silence that filled the car as Cade drove them back. Even the radio had been turned off, leaving only the sound of the engine and the occasional noise from outside.
Christ, was Cade pissed at him?
That thought scratched at the back of his head, digging deep into his mind as Cade parked the car, and they slipped out. wasn’t sure what the hell Cade could be mad at him about. Then again, he hadn’t expected the night to go the way it had. He’d also never known Cade to give anyone the silent treatment unless he was pissed at them, choosing to keep his lips sealed rather than risk saying something he might regret in the heat of the moment.
Only when his apartment door closed behind him did he watch as Cade’s shoulders slumped, and a harsh breath escaped him. Cade’s bright eyes turned to him, searching ’ features with something that could only call hesitation.
“Alright, let me have it,” Cade said.
frowned. “What?”
“Let me have it. I just told Christine and probably anyone who was listening that not only are you not as straight as you actually are, but you’re dating me. I lied to save my own hide, so let me have it,” Cade said.
hesitated, understanding what had been wrong the whole time.
snorted. “You think I’m mad at you.”
“Um, aren’t you?”
“Shit, I kept trying to figure out why you were so damn quiet in the car. I even started to think I’d done something to piss you off.”
“Piss me off? What the hell would I have to be pissed at you for?”
shrugged. “Fuck if I know, but you’re normally only quiet when you’re sleeping, watching a movie, reading, or pissed off at someone.”
Cade opened his mouth, frowned, and then grunted. “Okay, that’s fair. Fuck you for calling me out like that, but that’s fair.”
pulled his suit jacket off, tossing it over the back of a dining room chair. “Go sit down and take a breath. I’m not pissed at you. I’m just going to get us some beer.”
Shaking his head, he entered the kitchen to do just that. No wonder Cade had been mute the whole way home. The idiot had been waiting for to lose his cool, which was funny in its own right. Despite looking mean and being too quiet for people’s comfort, Cade had the temper. If anyone were at risk of blowing a gasket and yelling, it would be him.
returned, twisting the cap off one and handing it to Cade. “Here.”
Cade looked up from where he’d slumped in the plush chair. “Thanks.”
took the cap off his own and flopped down onto the couch. “Can’t believe you thought I was pissed.”
“I mean, you have every right to be. I pulled you into it.”
snorted. “Man, I’ve been pulled into your shit since we became friends. That’s just how friendship goes.”
“Well, you make it sound so beautiful and poetic. You should write inspirational posters about friendship.”
smirked. “Might not be pretty, but it’s true. Being friends with people means going through their shit just like they go through yours.”
“Well, that’s a little better.”
“I try. And for the record, I’m not pissed about what you said.”
Cade snorted. “Seriously?”
placed the bottle between his legs with a light laugh. “I mean, I wasn’t expecting it, and you surprised the shit out of me. But, if the past couple of years of people thinking I’m gay for you didn’t bother me, people we see every day pretty much, why would I care if strangers think the same thing? Plus, there are worse things than being known as the guy dating you.”
“Hmm, worse things, huh? Like having cancer?”
rolled his eyes. “Being known as your boyfriend isn’t an insult.”
And with that attempt at self-deprecating humor shot down hard, Cade lapsed into silence again. Belatedly, it occurred to that maybe he’d gone too far trying to reassure his friend. A strange, awkward silence fell between them, and realized they weren’t normally the type for kind words or reassurances. Their friendship was based more on being there for one another, being someone to talk to and ultimately rely on to always have one another’s back. Of course, there were the casual displays of physical affection, which, after two years, felt as natural to as their conversations.
Was it weird that he’d changed the script suddenly? Or was he just making himself feel weird about it because the whole situation was just plain weird?
shook his head, knocking the thoughts away. “So, I gotta ask, what the hell made you say it?”
Cade sighed. “Didn’t you hear her?”
grunted. “I was standing, like, two feet away. I heard her. So what?”
“All that talk about wanting to spend time with me.”
“That’s normal.”
“And talking about the station.”
“Right, she deals with our station and all the others.”
“, I’ve grown up around people like that. I know what she meant.”
“Okay, well, forgive this poor kid who doesn’t understand subtlety.”
Cade scowled at him. “Don’t.”
grinned. “You’re still going to have to explain it to me.”
“She was...threatening me without actually threatening me.”
frowned. “So, like...your job?”
“Or maybe the station, I don’t know. She’s a woman who likes to get what she wants and has a lot of power. If she wanted to make my life hell, she could. And she could make it hell for the station too. There’s always something she could find to put pressure on the chief and, inevitably, on me. I may not play the game, but I know it when I see it. She was trying to put the screws on me, pushing me to give in and be with her, even if that meant threatening what I love most,” Cade said, bitterness heavy in his voice.
“Are...are you sure?” asked. It wasn’t like he didn’t believe Cade, but hadn’t gotten that feeling from what she’d said.
Cade looked up, giving him a weak smile. “I know these people, , I know how they work. She wouldn’t have been happy without a good reason to leave me alone.”
Which only left the other question to be asked. “You know she won’t let this go, right?”
“Caught that did you?”
laughed. “She was, uh, pretty persistent. Didn’t seem like she was willing to bite quite yet, but knew she was trapped into looking like she did.”
“Yeah, I don’t know what she’s got up her sleeve, but you could see the wheels turning in her head. She’s not done with me yet, and I just hope it doesn’t get too bad.”
Cade’s whole adult life had been spent trying to separate himself from the life he’d come from, even though he was bound to it through his parents and their financial allowance. wasn’t sure that Cade was right about Christine’s original intent. Still, he knew the woman wouldn’t give up and would be livid if she found out he’d lied to her.
leaned forward, gripping Cade’s thigh and squeezing it. “Hey, don’t worry too much about it.”
“Uh-huh,” Cade said, but still took hold of ’ wrist and squeezed back.
“You’ll figure it out, and I’ve got your back, you know that.”
“I do.”
“Good. Then stop worrying about what might happen. You’ll only drive yourself crazy. Instead, focus on what we’re here for.”
“Uh, getting drunk?”
grinned, eyeing the TV. “Getting drunk and playing video games.”
Cade’s eyes widened. “Oh shit, that’s right! Fuck, let me load it up, man...perfectly timed.”
chuckled, letting go of Cade’s warm leg and sitting back on the couch while the other man hopped up excitedly. As much as he was glad Cade was so easily distracted, he still couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in his guts. He didn’t need to read Cade’s thoughts to know his friend was afraid things weren’t over.
And agreed.