Twenty-Nine Arya #2
It was different. But it was the same, too.
Turns out, being a real boyfriend wasn’t that different from being a fake one.
“It’s nice,” Arya added when David and Farzan kept staring at him. “What do you want me to say?”
David snorted and reached for his own mimosa. He’d elected for pineapple, and Arya hadn’t even made a joke about it.
God, what was the world coming to?
David set his glass down and smiled. “I’m happy for you, man. Liking someone looks good on you.”
“We’re both happy for you,” Farzan said. “That doesn’t mean we won’t tease you, though. Turnabout is fair play.”
Arya sighed. Farzan had a point there.
As he reached for his mimosa, his phone buzzed. Farzan’s and David’s did, too.
Arya’s heart rate doubled. He pulled his phone out and saw Ramin was FaceTiming the group chat.
All three of them looked each other. Shit, was this it?
“I’ll answer.” Arya scooted around and turned his phone to landscape so he could get Farzan and David into frame. He swiped to answer.
Ramin’s and Noah’s faces flashed on-screen, then off, then on again. Both had sun-pinked cheeks and huge smiles. Ramin’s eyes were sparkling, even in the compressed video.
“He said yes!” Ramin announced without waiting.
Arya’s heart leapt into his throat.
Holy shit. His best friend was getting married.
“Ramin. Noah. That’s amazing!” Farzan said.
“Congrats, you two,” David agreed.
Arya swallowed past the lump in his throat.
“I’m so proud of you, Ramin. And so happy for the both of you.” He swallowed again. What the fuck was wrong with him? His friend was getting married, not moving to Australia. But his voice had turned all hoarse. “You deserve the world.”
Ramin’s smile widened and his dimples deepened. Noah turned and gave him a loud smooch on the cheek.
“Stop,” Ramin whined without any heat, but Noah just laughed.
“Aw, let him love on you,” David said. “We’ve all been rooting for him.”
Noah cocked his head, the same way Jake did. It was kind of adorable. “You have?”
“We have,” Arya agreed. “We love how happy you make Ramin. And we love you, too.”
“Wow.” Noah’s voice turned thick. “You guys…”
He swiped at his eyes. “Your friendship means a lot to me. Being welcomed like this. It’s been amazing. For me, and for Jake, too. He’s lucky to have so many uncles.”
Shit, now Arya was getting misty-eyed himself. Noah had slotted into their friend group like he’d always belonged. Like he’d always been there. Easy as breathing.
Would it be that easy if Arya started bringing Ben around? Everyone got along at kickball, and Ben and David were friendly at Aspire, but still. It was a big leap. Wasn’t it?
Shit. Focus. Today was about Ramin and Noah. Not him and Ben.
He cleared his throat. “So what are you thinking for dates? You know, I know a thing or two about wedding planning…”
“We haven’t even talked about it yet. But you are not allowed to plan our wedding,” Ramin said. Then his voice softened. “I was kind of hoping you and Farzan would be my groomsmen.”
Arya’s heart squeezed. He met Farzan’s eyes, smiling wide, and Farzan smiled back, even wider.
“Of course we will,” Farzan said.
“And, David?” Noah asked. “I thought… maybe you could be one of mine? I’m going to try to get Jakey to be the other one, but he seems dead set on being a ringbearer…”
David laughed. “I’d be honored, man. Thank you.”
“So where did you pop the question?” Farzan asked.
Ramin started telling them all about the day they’d had, the trip to the rooftop of Milan’s cathedral. He was just getting to the good part when their server returned, tray laden with brunch foods.
“Oh, you’re in the middle of brunch! Why didn’t you say something?” Ramin asked.
Arya shook his head. “You know we’ve been waiting for this.”
“Well, go eat your brunch. We’ll talk more soon. Love you guys. So much.”
“Talk soon,” Noah added, and before they could even say their goodbyes, the call ended.
Arya stowed his phone as David thanked their server.
All three of them looked at each other. Arya was the one to finally say it.
“They must’ve been truly desperate to go fuck.”
Farzan nodded sagely. “I’m surprised they managed to call us before.”
David snorted. “I figured they called us between rounds.”
“Right?” Arya scooped up a chunk of his biscuits and gravy.
The biscuits were cheesy—the menu said cheddar and Parmesan, and they were like the Red Lobster ones of his youth but turned up to eleven.
And the gravy was sage and sausage, warming and a little spicy and a little herbal.
Arya sighed in contentment. “Fuck, this is tasty. Good pick, David.”
“Cheers,” David said, raising his glass. All three of them clinked and drained their mimosas. David chuckled and eyed his empty glass. “Guess it’s gonna be one of those days, huh?”
“It’s a celebration!” Arya pointed out. “Our friends are getting married.”
“And our other friend has a boyfriend,” Farzan added.
Arya nodded and turned back to his biscuits, but he felt like he’d gotten stuck doing a load-out in the cold rain. He tried to keep his face neutral but something must’ve showed.
“What’s wrong?” Farzan asked.
“Nothing.” Arya forked off another bite, but he didn’t eat it. He couldn’t even say what had come over him. “Just…”
What was wrong with him? He was happy. He was beyond happy!
Ramin and Noah had found each other, and now they were getting married! It was all Arya had ever wanted for his best friend.
And yet now it was really happening. Ramin and Noah would be married. Maybe one day Farzan and David would, too. They were moving forward, and here Arya was. The slut of the group. The one who had stories every week of his conquests, his disasters, everything in between.
Except now he had a boyfriend. A real-life boyfriend. For the first time ever.
He was so far behind his friends. He didn’t know how to be this new Arya. The one that curled up on a couch and petted a dog and didn’t make walks of shame.
He hated how pathetic he sounded when he finally asked, “What if I fuck this all up?”
Farzan reached across the table and grabbed Arya’s hand.
“Hey. You’re one of the best people I know.
You won’t fuck it up. And even if you do?
You apologize and move on. Being with someone means choosing them, over and over, in a million different ways.
” Farzan’s gaze slid sideways, and he gave David a sweet little smile before turning back to Arya.
“He likes you for you, Arya. Just be yourself. And for everything else, we’ll help you. We’ve got your back. Right?”
“Right,” David said. “And Ramin and Noah will, too. Once they’re back. And, you know, not fucking each other’s brains out.”
Arya snorted.
Weirdly, that did make him feel a little better.
“Okay, enough gay shit,” he announced. “Do you see our server? We need more mimosas!”