Ricky about our grocery shopping trip tonight and he offered to drive us, rather than have us lug all the groceries back to your place. I hope you don’t mind.”
Brett came out from behind the counter. He put his hands on Linden’s cheeks and pulled him into a kiss. It was closed mouthed, chaste, and Brett detected a familiar vanilla scent wafting off Linden. “I don’t mind. Tell Ricky thank you.”
“I should go wait with him. You’ll get out of here faster without me hanging around.”
Brett raked his gaze over Linden. “You are distracting.”
Linden kissed him on the cheek, leaving a faint trace of lip gloss behind. “I know. See you in a few, beautiful.”
Brett locked the door behind Linden and went through the closing checklist as usual. He climbed into the back seat of Ricky’s car fifteen minutes later. “Thank fucking god this day is almost over.”
“I’m sorry your day was shit.” Linden turned in his seat so he could face Brett. “Is there anything I can do?”
Brett buckled his seat belt. “I’m fine. Just tired and cranky.”
“We can go shopping in the morning if you would rather go home.”
“No, it’s fine.” Brett exhaled. “Thanks for the lift, Ricky.”
“It’s not a problem. I’m looking forward to tomorrow night. Is there anything I can bring? A nice wine?”
“You could bring wine. That’s a thing people do, right?” Linden said before Brett could tell him not to worry about it.
“I have connections to a sommelier.” Ricky said as though it was no big deal.
Well, duh, Ricky had connections. Brett tried not to be jealous about stupid things, but sometimes he wanted to be the person people could turn to for help. He wanted to be the one to afford the fancy wine, or have the car to offer to take his friends shopping.
Brett tried to shake off the foul mood, but it clung to him. He forced a smile when they arrived at the grocery store. Linden immediately twined his fingers with Brett’s and pulled him toward the entrance. He didn’t mind that Ricky drove them, or that Ricky came shopping with them.
For the longest time, it had been just him and Ansel. Of course, he also counted Eric and Caleb as friends, but they were a bit older. Ever since Linden crashed into Brett’s life, things had been different, but for the better.
Linden brought Dante. And Ricky. And Zane. He widened Brett’s circle and added light to his life. Brett clung to Linden’s hand and watched him from the corner of his eye as they entered the store.
Linden hadn’t really gone out this done up before and Brett wondered if that was another reason Ricky came along with them. Linden feared the reactions of others over his appearance. Sometimes it was scary, Brett had to admit. He’d gotten a lot of looks over the years, and sometimes he saw hate in the eyes of strangers.
Ricky grabbed a shopping cart, and they headed to the produce section. Brett’s phone vibrated in his pocket and he fished it out. Linden caught the frown he aimed at the screen.
“What is it?”
“My brother.”
“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” Linden assured him.
Brett exhaled and put his phone away. “You’re right. I don’t. I don’t know why he bothers with me. All he ever does is harass me about our parents.”
“Have you asked him?” Linden stopped and tore a plastic produce bag from the roll. “Sorry. I don’t have siblings, I’m not sure how to navigate that particular relationship.”
“I haven’t. And it didn’t used to be so bad. There was a time when it felt like he was on my side, you know. He’d come over and we’d talk about things that weren’t them, and I kind of miss that. But that changed, and I’m not sure what happened. Maybe I did something.”
Linden stuffed the celery into the bag and gave Brett a piercing look. He pointed the celery at Brett. “You didn’t do anything but be yourself, and that’s not something your family should punish you for.”
Brett, despite the topic, smiled at Linden. “You’re adorable when you’re worked up.”
Linden sighed and dropped the celery into the cart Ricky pushed. If Ricky was listening to their conversation, he stayed quiet about it, offering no opinion on Brett’s situation with his brother.
Brett didn’t think Ricky had signed up for a discussion of Brett’s shitty family when he offered to help, and he was about to steer the conversation in a different direction when