Chapter 23

“I know,” Elliot muttered. He scratched his chin before his fingers began twisting strands of his beard, forcing them into half-hearted curls, as he listened to Mick breathing on the other end of the line.

“I don’t know what to do.”

Elliot exhaled sharply. How hard could it be? “You have to tell them. If you want us to work, you have to be honest. I’m not going back into the closet for anyone.”

“I’m not asking you to.”

“Not on purpose. But it feels like you’re shoving me in there and slamming the door in my face when you introduce me as a friend.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.”

“I’ll…I’ll tell them.”

“Thank you.” More silence. “You don’t have to do it today. Just…soon?” Elliot already felt like crap. No need to force his lover to do something that would make him feel shitty, too.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Go mingle.”

“Are we okay?”

Elliot grimaced at the vulnerability in Mick’s voice. Great, now he felt like an even bigger asshole for making his lover feel like that.