Page 117 of Due Dilligence (Takeover)
Sam chuckled. “Good to hear, especially after...” He waved at the Polycom.
“I’m so glad to be home.”
“As am I,” Eli said. He rose and grabbed his cane. “Now, wasn’t there a lunch plan that included tacos?”
A few minutes later, the whole office was out the door and heading up Murray. Fazil hung back and walked with Eli and Justin. “How do I help Todd?”
Eli watched the ground as he walked, then looked ahead. “You don’t.”
“That’s not helpful.”
“I know. But if they have it out for him, there’s nothing you can do. Make sure every work e-mail is professional and he’s only one of many recipients.”
Justin glanced over. “If I understand the situation, the most you can do is warn him.”
Well, great. Not exactly the conversation he wanted to have tonight, but he owed it to Todd to saysomething. “This whole thing is shit.”
Eli patted him on the back. “Well, at least you can drown your sorrows in Taco Truck tacos.”
He could. Especially with Sam paying.
They ended up tromping back down to Grounds N’at and bribing Brian with three tacos so they could camp out and pay him even more money for coffee.
“You don’t have to feed me,” Brian said. “You guys practically pay my rent.”
Sam grinned. “I know who butters my bread. Or rather, brews my coffee. Besides, we’re neighbors.”
“To the neighborhood.” His coworker Adam raised a cappuccino.
Fazil raised his cup, as did everyone else.This is my home.He didn’t want to be anywhere else.
***
By the time Todd got back to his apartment, it was nearly eight o’clock. He wolfed down a pile of salad topped with some chicken in a desperate attempt to counteract all the exercise he wasn’t getting stuck behind his desk fifty-plus hours a week.
At least when Fazil had been here, they’d been able to hike, walk, and fuck. This whole web-based relationship put a damper on all of that, though rolling dice and telling Fazil exactly how to pleasure himself had certainly kept him hardandentertained. He’d always liked porn, but watching Fazil over videochat was something else entirely.
Damn, he missed Z. Needed him here. Wanted to hold him, touch him. Breathe the same air. Exist in the same space. It wasn’t the sex—it wasFazil. He sank down on his couch and flipped open his laptop. Fazil was online, waiting for him, looking tired around the edges. “Hey, long day?”
Fazil’s smile was warm. “Kind of. Pinball league tonight. I just got home.”
“Hitting flippers works up a sweat?” He tried to grin through the rolling in his gut. Yes, Fazil had a social life. That wasfine.
He laughed. “No, but joking around and egging each other on does.” He leaned back. “It’s a good group. Nice to see them again.”
Todd ran his tongue over his teeth. Fazil was settling back into his life. “How are things with your ex?”
“Kris?” Fazil’s brows furrowed for a moment. “She’s good. Her and Lance have hit it off really well. We didn’t talk much, though. I think she’s worried I took the breakup hard.”
“Did you?”
Those lines on his forehead became deeper. “Are you getting jealous on me?”
Was he? Todd fidgeted. “Yeah, maybe.”
Fazil crossed his arms. “I told you Kris and I didn’t work out.”
“Not about her.” Todd tapped at the casing of his laptop. “You’re there, having fun, and nothere... having fun.”
