Andrew smiled at me. “Yeah, I think it was.”
“Aww, boyfriends,” Sarah said. “That’s so cute!” Then she straightened up and looked squarely at her brother. “Tell me everything.”
“I’ll just go to the bathroom,” I said, excusing myself to leave. It was really just an obvious ruse for them to have a few minutes without me. Sure, it also gave me some time to make sure I wasn’t sporting a hard-on while talking to his sister. Having her interrupt was a mood killer for sure, and after I’d splashed some cold water on my face and my dick had relaxed enough for me to take a piss, I went back out.
Their conversation was hushed and coming from the kitchen, so I followed the sound. I could smell coffee brewing and found three empty cups on the counter alongside Andrew and Sarah in deep conversation. “…I slept on his couch,” Andrew said. The conversation stopped cold when I walked in.
I figured I should contribute to the story. “Yes, I got absolutely shitfaced because I thought I’d lost him to that wanker ex-boyfriend,” I said. There was no point in being embarrassed about it. “Andrew tracked me down, found me in a drunken state, sobbing like a baby, and put me to bed. We talked this morning, and now we’re here.”
Andrew grinned at me before looking at his sister. “Yep. That’s pretty much how it went. His friends came and got me this morning and spent an hour trying to convince me to give him a chance.”
“Really?” she asked. “They did that?”
Andrew nodded and half-shrugged. “I was already going to. Give him a chance, that is,” he said. “I mean, why would I have followed him home if I weren’t interested?”
I looked at Sarah. “And for what it’s worth, I’ve never bought anyone else a record player.”
Sarah laughed just as the coffee machine beeped. Andrew poured two cups of coffee and stopped short on the third. “Shit. You don’t drink coffee, and I don’t have any tea.”
“Coffee’s fine,” I told him. “Actually, I probably need a coffee. This hangover is starting to dig its heels in.”
Andrew frowned. “If you want to go lie down, just say so.”
“Later,” I said, taking the cup. The truth was, I didn’t really like coffee, but I figured any type of caffeine would help clear the mud in my head. And more importantly, if I was going to lie down on his bed, I certainly didn’t want to do that alone.
Sarah sipped her coffee. “So, was Eli really going to take your prints?”
Andrew sighed. “I don’t know. I think he was originally, yes. Whether it was his sole intention from the beginning, I just don’t know. Actually, I’d rather not know at all. I just want to move on, ya know?”
Sarah nodded slowly, but there was warmth in her smile. “Well, I’m glad it worked out. And Andrew, my dear brother, you owe me big time.”
“What for?”
“I was the one who lined this up, remember?” she motioned between me and Andrew. “You didn’t want to even meet Spencer in the beginning.”
Andrew looked at me, smiled, and shrugged. “True.”
I pretended to be offended.
Sarah snorted. “Oh, Spencer you should have seen him. When we left the café after meeting you the first time, he was all panicky. ‘He’s too sexy for me. Eli will know it’s a set-up because there’s no way a guy like that would pick me, blah blah blah.’”
I laughed at her impression of him, and Andrew rolled his eyes. “I’m not embarrassed,” he said, his blush proof to the contrary.
“Yes, I do have to wonder why on earth he doesn’t see himself the way I do,” I said. I waited for Andrew’s eyes to meet mine. “Because if I seem to recall, he was on the cover of Sexy Nerds, whereas all I managed was page twelve of Trendy LA.”
Andrew laughed. “It wasn’t page twelve. It was page four.”
“You were on the cover!”
“I amended yours to the cover,” he said, grinning now. “And I even drew your cover. Where’s the artwork for my cover?”
“Believe me, you don’t want me to draw you anything. I can’t even get stick figures right.”
Sarah was laughing along with us but was obviously confused. “What are you two talking about?”
“Never mind,” Andrew said, sipping his coffee with smiling lips.
“Well then,” Sarah said, finishing her coffee. “I’ll be going. Spencer, you have no idea how happy I am to see you here today. I was thinking I was going to turn up and smarmy Eli would be here.” She leaned up and kissed my cheek, which was a surprise, but lovely all the same. “Andrew, walk me out?”