Page 41 of Small Sacrifices

Reid doesn't remember that, and going by the confusion on Everett's face, neither does he. Still, he nods. "Right, well. You know we're not here to have a good time, right? The whole local guide thing kinda falls flat."

Mr. Swayne regards him with amusement as he speaks. "I know, Ev. But I really just needed a reason to get you over here."

Oh no.Reid can feel himself getting fidgety again, so he interlaces his fingers where his hands are already lying in his lap. He wants to say something. But is there anything that he could say that wouldn't make things worse for him?

"Why?" Everett asks. When Reid chances a glance at him, he looks as apprehensive as he himself feels. Somehow, that's surprising.

Mr. Swayne hums. "Well, because a little birdie said that he was told to avoid you and then resolutely refused to answer any follow-up questions."

It turns out that looking at Everett was a mistake. The moment Mr. Swayne says that, Reid again freezes in place. He can feel his face burning in embarrassment—in full view for Everett to see. But the worst thing is that it forces Reid to watch as Everett turns from looking at Mr. Swayne to looking at him, confusion on his face transforming into wide-eyed hope. There's a weird mix of joy and defiance in his dark eyes.

"Who said that?" Everett sounds like he's trying to sound calm. But he swallows before he asks, and Reid could swear that his chin is pushing out further, like he's squaring his jaw.

"Mr. Wright?" It comes out sounding like a question. Should Reid even be talking about this? Surely, that's a bad idea. Especially in front of a colleague. But he's already said too much.

"And why would Mr. Wright tell you to avoid me?"

Reid wets his lips. "He suggested I was being inappropriate."

Wouldn't want anyone to think that you're trying to sleep your way up, would you?The words echo in his mind, a malicious twist on what was an innocent smile. Reid wants to reveal the exact words Mr. Wright used, but fears Everett might not believe him. It's hard to imagine anyone taking such a claim seriously, and even if Everett did, there's still Mr. Swayne. Depending on his perspective, Reid could find himself in trouble for speaking the truth.

Everett's jaw drops, a reaction that stirs a flicker of triumph in Reid. If Everett's surprised, maybe he didn't think Reid's smile was inappropriate after all.

"Inappropriate how?" Everett demands to know.

Ah. He was right. Reid suppresses a smile at the confirmation. "I smiled at you yesterday. He thought I was flirting with you."

Next to him, Mr. Swayne snorts. But the outrage on Everett's face is so magnificent that Reid can't spare the noise more than a fleeting thought. "You—when we were walking out, and you smiled at me? That's it?"

Reid nods.

"Fucking hell!" Everett throws his head back and groans. "How is that flirting?"

Reid would like to know that, too. "He asked me how well I knew you. I think he thought there might be more going on."

"God, he's such an asshole." The words are muffled by Everett's hands, brought up to his face to rub his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose. Reid concurs, but he takes great care to show no signs of his agreement. It distracts him enough that he jumps when Everett abruptly rips down his hands and turns to look at him again.

"Wait, what did you tell him?"

Reid frowns. It almost sounds accusatory. Did they not just agree that Reid hadn't been flirting with Everett?

"I said that we'd made small talk, but that I didn't know you otherwise."

"Oh, thank God." Everett's shoulders descend from where they had almost been touching his ears. "You should be okay, then."

That—wait. Reid frowns. Does that mean that Everett thinks he could actually have gotten in trouble just for talking to him? Why? Nothing about this makes sense. He mourns the fact that he didn't text Marisol as soon as he arrived at the tarmac. Maybe then he'd have answers by now. Marisol always knows what's happening.

"I should hope so," Reid says. "I don't plan on doing anything to jeopardize my job."

Everett looks pained. "You haven't done anything wrong. They can't get you in trouble just for talking to me. It'll be fine."

Next to Reid, Mr. Swayne shifts in his seat. It doesn't seem to mean anything, but it draws Reid's attention to the fact that he and Everett aren't alone. He doesn't want to talk about this in the first place—but the audience makes him even more uncomfortable. Especially because Mr. Swayne seems to have orchestrated this. He feels he has to explain himself.

"I smiled at you, and Mr. Wright thought it meant I was being inappropriate. If the bar is so low, I feel it would be best for us not to speak."

Although he can't help but be curious. Why would something so simple make Mr. Wright think there was something more going on between them? And why would he care? Somehow, Reid thinks this isn't about him. It's about Everett. So does it even matter what Reid does? Probably not. He reallyshouldstay away from Everett.

The thought makes him feel heavy. He likes Everett, the way he just leaves him be with his little idiosyncrasies, the enthusiasm he seems to have for the things that interest him, and especially the way that he seems to keep seeking Reid out. It's nice to feel like someone is genuinely interested in him.

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