draped the jacket and tie over another chair, and got a Pepsi from the fridge.
“What about my pipe and slippers?” Somers said, a trace of the wariness lingering in his face as he kicked off his shoes and took the Pepsi.
Hazard kissed him again.
“I guess that’ll do,” Somers said, stripping off his socks.
“If I find those socks on the floor,” Hazard said, “you’re going to be doing your own laundry for a year.”
Grinning, Somers held up the balled socks and then made a huge production of putting them on the chair with the jacket and tie, rearranging everything, shifting it all again, starting over.
“Why in Christ’s name am I ever nice to you?” Hazard said as he pulled the ribeyes from the refrigerator.
“Because I’m charming.”
“Not that charming.”
“Because of my sex appeal.”
“You have sock lint between your toes.”
Somers wiggled his toes, arched his back, and groaned. Then he held up the Pepsi, seemed to consider something, and said, “Because I do that thing in bed you like.”
Hazard waved the saltshaker at him. “You do it because you like it. The fact that I happen to like it too is just a bonus.”
Laughing, Somers took a drink of the Pepsi, and Hazard was surprised to see his boyfriend blushing. Hazard turned his attention to the steaks, keeping his face carefully turned away.
“Well, now tonight’s ruined,” Somers said, and Hazard could hear the smile in his voice.
“You wanted chicken?”
“I had this shit day. That meeting with Riggle and Park dragged on and on, and everything I said, Park was all over me with questions. I know this sounds crazy, but she said some weird things the first time we met. At first, I kind of shrugged it off as her throwing down a gauntlet. Now, though—” He shook his head. “I honestly think she might believe I had something to do with the Keeper killings.”
“What? Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because it’s crazy. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. It was past noon by the time we finished, and I know you’re wondering, but I still haven’t heard from Dulac. I told Riggle, and he agreed to start looking for him. But when I wanted to take the lead on that, Park pulled me off it immediately. I spent the rest of the day shuffling papers. Just a fucking waste of my time.” He paused and took a drink of the Pepsi, setting it down hard, his voice rising as he continued, “And then I come home, and I’m really ready to have it out, just the fight to end all fights about Dulac, and you have to be cute and nice.”
“Bullshit,” Hazard said, adjusting the cast iron over the heat. “I’m never cute and nice.”
“Hey,” Somers said.
“Yeah?” Hazard dropped in the first ribeye; the meat sizzled as it hit the pan.
“Hey, big boy.”
“Jesus,” Hazard said as he placed the other steak in the cast iron. “What are you? A sailor on Fleet Week?”
“Will you please look at me?”
“I’m trying to make you a delicious, heavy dinner so that when we talk later, it doesn’t turn into a fight.”
“Ree, over here, please.”
Hazard glanced over his shoulder.
“I just wanted to let you know that it’s official.”
“You’re pregnant.”
Somers choked on the Pepsi, and he took about thirty seconds clearing his airway and dabbing at himself, and when he’d finished, he said, “Asshole.”
“Sorry,” Hazard said, hiding his face by turning back to the cutting board again. “You were saying?”
“I was going to say that it’s official, as of today, July 4, 2019, I love you more than ever.”
“Huh.”
“But now I’m not going to say it.”
“Ok.”
“Because I do not appreciate this side of you that likes to tease me. It’s coming out more and more.”
“Noted.”
“And because you’re trying to sedate me with steak. Steak should only be used for good.”
“The ends justify the means.”
Somers was silent for a moment, and then the moment dragged on, and Hazard looked over his shoulder. Somers’s expression was distant as he played with the Pepsi.
“So it’s pretty bad, huh?” Somers asked. “This stuff with Dulac, I mean.”
“It’s not great. Let’s eat first. Did they make any headway on the search? Let’s start there, because if he turned up, that changes what I’m going to say.”
“Shit,” Somers said. “I completely forgot. I need to check in. Let me make a few calls; Riggle told me to steer clear, but I bet Norman and Gross will blab if I promise them beer.”
Hazard checked the steaks, flipped them, and seared the other side.
“This is ridiculous,” Somers said,