“Just one?”
Alec looked up to see a handsome young waiter standing in front of him.
“No, two. Can we eat outside?”
“Sure. Come this way.” The guy grabbed silverware and another menu, leading Alec back the way he’d come to one of the tables with a large open umbrella. It was a beautiful day outside, the wind was light with a soft alluring breeze and the temperature was easing off from the intense summer heat. Alec again felt the good fortune of the great moment he experienced—he loved looking at life in this way. He also gave Key props for helping change his perspective.
Alec hiked a leg over the bench seat and sat at the table as a cocktail napkin and the silverware were placed in front of him. “Can I get you a drink?”
“I think I’ll stick with iced tea,” Alec said and pointed to the order of loaded nachos on the menu. “I’m starving. How do these rate?”
The waiter grinned knowingly. “They’re good. One of the most ordered items on the menu.”
“Bring me that while I wait,” he said, his mouth already watering. He had a newfound hang-up for anything hot and spicy since meeting Key. It was his mister’s first choice every time they ordered anything together.
“Sweet or unsweet iced tea?”
Just when Alec thought he’d been fully indoctrinated into the Southern culture, he had forgotten something so basically engrained as how iced tea should be sweetened.
“Let’s do a half and half. Have any mango or pineapple flavoring for the tea?” Alec asked, releasing the buttons at his wrists and carefully rolling up his sleeves.
“Pineapple—it’s a fresh puree.” The guy grinned, maybe with a hint of interest gleaming in his eye. Funny, there was a time that would have been all he needed, but not anymore. Not since Key, and Alec recognized the absurdity of how many times he’d considered his boyfriend in the last two minutes. He was ridiculously in love with that man.
“Perfect.”
The waiter left as Alec heard an alerting chirp from his phone. He fished the phone out of his pocket, happy to see Key’s name in the corner of the screen. With a finger swipe, he opened the text to read.
“that u?” The text brought another silly grin to his face.
“It was. Did I risk anything?” he typed back. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long for a reply.
“good timing.” Hmm. Why good timing? Alec’s brows slid together as he typed.
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“My old man.” Key didn’t need to say anything more. Although he rarely discussed his life, he’d let out enough to know he and his father didn’t have a good relationship. Alec didn’t press him for more—he wanted to, but didn’t—and just went to the important part.
“Are you good? Do you need me? I’m having lunch down the street. I’m close.”
“u helped,” Key replied.
Then it was a good decision to do an impromptu drive-by today. He’d noticed how connected he seemed to be to Key, sort of an otherworldly telepathic bond that sent glorious chills down his spine. Something he’d never experienced with anyone before. Maybe that was what had him deciding today was the day he should venture into the biker’s neck of the woods.
Another text came through as he sat there contemplating the possible psychic side to their relationship. “Have lunch. I got work.”
He could sense the turmoil in his lover. Alec hated that for him. Key was such a good man.
“Hey you,” Janice said, coming to the table. Alec lifted his gaze to her as his iced tea and large platter of nachos were placed on the table.
“Great place,” he said, lifting the tea, taking a sip, giving a thumbs-up to the waiter. The pineapple puree was an incredible touch, one he needed to remember. Janice took her seat and placed a red file folder on the table between them, making Alec cock his head as he drank from the straw to see his name scrawled out in a pretty penmanship across the tab.
“What can I get you?” the waiter asked Janice.
“I’ll have a glass of pinot grigio.”
Oh, okay. So they were having a drinking lunch. An idea Alec absolutely agreed with and seconded that decision to the waiter. “Make that two.”
His phone vibrated again in his hand, and he looked down to see another message from Key. “club biz tonight and tomorrow. See u Saturday.”
No! Alec’s heart sank, and the day took an unfortunate turn. He forgot everything around him as he typed back quickly. “Come over when you’re done.” He felt selfish for asking Key to drive all that way to spend five or six hours sleeping with him only to turn around and fight the rush hour traffic back the following morning. His thumb paused over the send button. He shouldn’t send this message and put that pressure on Key.