Page 56 of Bro Amazing

"Where to? This is your idea so you get to make the attack plan," says Ethan, joining me on the sidewalk.

"Breakfast, obviously." I find myself taking Ethan's hand, entwining our fingers. "Then we're going to do what I call an Artist Date."

"Do you want to go to Over Easy? Their reviews list them as having a good brioche French toast," suggests Ethan.

"I didn't know you liked brioche," I tease as we head to the train platform.

"I have no idea if I like it or not." Ethan chuckles. "I didn't have time to google what it is before you came downstairs."

"It'll be a day full of firsts for us then, and I can give you the whole schedule for our Artist Date." One of those firsts is my first date in the city.

Working from home means I don't get out much or meet many people, so I haven't been able to meet potential dates. I'd thought in moving here my life would become glamorous and exciting, but all it's been is work and loneliness. Making friends as an adult is way harder than I thought it would be.

"Good, because I don't know what an Artist Date is either," says Ethan, smiling down at me.

My stomach does a little flip at that smile. At the trust behind it. He's letting me lead him wherever I want, just happy to be here with me.

I'm glad he came back early.

It's more brunch than breakfast, but we split a brioche French toast so we can both try it. We also split an omelet so we have a backup that we know will be delicious. I’m glad we did,too, because I thought the French toast was great, but it was too rich for Ethan.

After breakfast, we go to the aquarium and look at fish. We take turns pointing out our favorites and then making up little stories of their friendships with the other fish in the tanks. And the entire time, Ethan keeps my hand in his, so this feels like a real date.

We even pick up tacos on the way home so all we have to do after all our walking around is flop down on the sofa in the basement. Ethan divvies out the tacos as the projector warms up. I should be helping, but all I can do is sit here and admire him, a warm feeling in my chest as I watch him carefully transfer our food from the to-go container to plates.

"Do I have food on my face?" asks Ethan, not distracted from the taco situation. "You've been staring at me all day. If you've let me walk around with egg on my face this entire time, I'm going to be annoyed."

"No, you're fine." Ethan doesn't say anything. This is the time to say something about how much I enjoyed today, if I don't chicken out. "Thank you for today. For our Artist Date."There. That wasn't so hard.

"It was fun." Ethan glances quickly at my face as he passes me a plate, then fiddles with the remote to pull up a movie. "Nice to go out on a date," he adds, very quietly.

My heart swells. I'd been thinking the worddateall day, and while I'd called it an Artist Date, I'd tiptoed around using the label other than that. Yet he'd paid for everything, which was sweet—and helpful, because my budget is still really tight. He hadn't complained once about what I'd chosen to do, and had readily joined in on my weirdness at the aquarium. I knew we had chemistry in the bedroom, and the connection we're forming in real life is just as special.

"It was a great date." I lean over to kiss him on the cheek before turning to face the screen. "So what are we watching?"

"This one is about an Earthling who befriends an alien, and they end up hitchhiking through the universe," says Ethan. "It's nerdy for me, and there's a little romance for you."

"Sounds perfect." I bite into my taco, thinking the same thing about today.

"Yeah, it is," says Ethan, and I can feel the weight of his gaze on me.

But when I glance over at him, he turns his attention back to the movie.

I smile to myself, settling in next to him with my tacos. Maybe I'm not the only one who needed to play hooky today. Or to go on a date.

"Fuck people." There's the crash of a suitcase tipping over in the hallway, followed by footsteps coming into the kitchen. "Next time I suggest it's a good idea to go out and interact with the world, remind me it's not."

Lionel drops into a chair at the table next to me. There are purple bags beneath his eyes, but he looks more angry than tired.

"You're home early. We weren't expecting you for a few more days," I say, keeping my voice even. If he's pissed, I'm not going to be the one he takes that anger out on. He's always been so in control of his emotions, this side of him is new.

Lionel glares at me for a moment, then glances down to my sandwich. "I was supposed to get in late last night, but my connecting flight got delayed and I had to sleep in the airport."

"That's rough," Ethan says, dropping down across from us with his own plate. "They didn't comp you a room?"

"No." Lionel leans over and picks up my sandwich, taking a big bite of it before getting up to make his own. "And of course, I couldn't get to any of my luggage during that time either, because it was already checked."

"At least you made it home safe." Looking up at Ethan, I smirk and add, "Just in time to join our game too."

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