Chapter 38
Chapter thirty-eight
Rhys
Me-N-U
Everyone around this table knows. Right? Because they're being way too casual about it.
I expected this group to tease or make innuendos but instead conversation has flowed normally. It feels natural.
Easy.
Did Emmett not tell everyone what he saw?
"So Rhys, are you staying with the high school?" Felix asks as he hands me a piece of apple pie.
"Um, no actually. I wrap up right before their winter break begins."
"And what are you doing then?" Harper asks.
"Going home to Nashville." I see Duncan pause as he brings a forkfull of food to his mouth but he blinks heavily and closes his lips around it.
Just like he had around my cock twenty minutes ago.
But we’re not talking about it.
Or about how we’re going to manage when I go back.
"What will you do back in Nashville?" Emmett asks.
"I'll start recording the album, and shortly after that rehearsals start for the tour."
"You're going on tour?" Harper asks hopefully.
"Yep, it'll be announced in February, tickets will probably go on sale in March but just tell me what show you want to come to and I'll get it set up."
"That is so cool." Harper says as she elbows Aiden. "Isn't that so cool."
"Very." He says with a warm smile.
I glance around the table at Duncan's teammates and their significant others. There's an incredible amount of affection and tenderness between them all. Conversation turns to Laila and Crosby who left before I arrived. I watch Duncan’s face battle his conflicting feelings. I know he’s excited for his friend.
I also know he’s worried about everything changing.
"Will you still be in town for their shower?" Felix asks me.
"Sadly, no, I'll be back in Nashville by then."
Duncan’s face falls further and before I can even think about it my hand is resting on his shoulder and sliding to the back of his neck. I squeeze the tense muscles in an effort to remind his body that mine is still here, for now.
He relaxes into my hold and leans slightly in my direction. When he gives me an almost imperceptible nod I slide my hand down his spine and return to my dessert.
When I look up, all eyes around the table are on us.
Felix clears his throat and everyone else busies themselves with their pie as Duncan scans the table. I bite my lip when his eyes meet mine and I lift a shoulder in a shrug.
His eyebrow lifts.
I nod.
Duncan wipes his mouth and stands. "Wanna know what’s on the menu tonight?"
"Duncan, What are you talking about? We already finished dinner." Felix checks around the table, everyone seems just as clueless. "And you’re halfway finished with dessert."
Honestly, I’m not sure where he’s going with this either.
Duncan turns to me and holds his hand out. I take it and stand. I hear a little squeak come from Harper’s direction.
"Me-N-U." Duncan’s eyes sparkle as he squeezes my hand.
"I don’t get it." Emmett says.
"I think they’re telling us they’re together." Jo stage-whispers to everyone.
"Ooh! Me and you. Ha." Emmett chuckles.
"So, wait, what is going on?" Felix asks as he precisely places his fork next to his plate.
"Rhys and I are together. It’s not that surprising." Duncan says with a squeeze of my palm.
"Yes it is." Bryson states. "But, well, is Rhys considered a HAB?"
"A what?" I ask.
"Husband and boyfriend." Bryson clarifies. "I’m the world’s best for Jojo here."
"Don’t call me that." Jo rolls her eyes.
"Yes, by the nature of the fact he is my boyfriend, he’s considered a HAB." Duncan sits back down and throws his arm across the back of my chair. Leaning back like a king on a throne.
"We’ll get you a jacket!" Harper grins.
"We have to clinch the playoffs first." Aiden presses a kiss to her temple.
"And, we’re not really going public yet." I hedge with a tentative look at Duncan. "My PR team is working on it so, we’re excited for you all to know but it doesn’t leave this room."
"Can I tell Crosby?" Duncan asks me quickly.
"Of course, babe."
"Babe." Harper swoons.
Duncan throws a wink in her direction.
Conversation continues, Emmett’s grandmother mentions something about the physics of the pie filling. It feels natural to be here, easy, inevitable.
I’m less and less worried about how we’ll announce our relationship publicly with each passing moment.
Duncan finishes his pie and then swipes a piece of mine. I swat his hand away playfully and he pouts.
"But babe I’m hungry."
"Unbelievable." I shake my head as I slide the plate in front of him.
"I’m not worried about Duncan contending for the world’s best HAB title. I’m worried about Rhys." Bryson complains.
"You should be very worried about me." Duncan points his fork at his teammate. "I’m going to support my rockstar boyfriend way better than you support your soccer star fiancée."
Bryson stands. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!" Duncan stands.
The two face off across the table.
Jo and I just shake our heads with each other.
"You’re both the best okay?" I try to reason and pull Duncan back down into his seat.
"That’s not possible." Bryson complains. "One of us has to be better than the other."
"Can we come up with divisions?" Jo suggests.
"What do you mean?" Duncan narrows his eyes at her.
"Well, HABs can be the best in different categories. Like it wouldn’t be fair to compare supporting my soccer career with supporting Rhys’s music."
Bryson’s arms are crossed over his chest and he runs his tongue across his teeth behind his lip.
Duncan’s pose mirrors Bryson’s and he bops his head back and forth, considering. "That works for me."
"Same." Bryson concedes and he reaches a hand across the table.
The two shake.
"Great, can we move on now?" Aiden begs.
"Please." Felix says.
I let myself get washed up in the camaraderie around the table. It feels unfair to just be getting to know these people and have to leave for Nashville so soon. It feels unfair to make things official with Duncan and have him leave for a road trip and be gone until after I move back.
It’s about to get hard.
Ha.
Duncan’s influence has taken root.
And, maybe tonight, I’ll take a play out of his book. The challenges ahead of us are a problem for another day and as my boyfriend would say, why worry about it now?