The official plan for the summer event had been submitted, the budget had been properly allocated, and once he got the okay, promotional material would begin development. For the first time since Aaron had taken on the project, he felt like maybe, just maybe, he’d be able to get through it without royally botching the job.

Spending the night with Vance last week definitely didn’t have anything to do with his good mood. Totally. Not at all. He’d been humming along to songs in his head and smiling more than usual because he was finally getting on top of his workload. It was a blessing that he didn’t feel guilty over what he’d done with Vance — and it was an even better sign that he was pretty sure he’d be able to forgive Vance for the wrong he’d done in the past — but it wasn’t the determining force behind his mood.

And looking forward to seeing Vance again didn’t have him smiling from ear to ear, either. Nope. It had everything to do with his diminishing workload, and nothing to do with the fact that he felt emotionally satisfied for the first time in ages — maybe even ever.

But whatever it was, whether professional fulfillment or otherwise, it added an extra bounce to his step as he entered the tiny coffee shop that he and Teddy met at from time to time, when their schedules allowed. Teddy was already seated at one of the tables, and he lifted a hand in greeting when Aaron entered the shop. Aaron smiled and lifted a hand back, paid for a coffee at the counter, then went to sit at the table as the barista brewed it.

“Hey,” Teddy said. “You’re looking… bubbly today.”

“Bubbly?” Aaron narrowed his eyes. “Really?”

“Not in a negative way. I just mean you look happy. There’s this aura around you that wasn’t there before. Did something happen? Did they offer you the job?”

“No.” Aaron laughed. “Nothing happened. Nothing like that, anyway.”

“That’s nice and cryptic.” Teddy glanced to the side, thinking. “So if it’s not something to do with work…” He looked at Aaron again. “Did you meet someone?”

Aaron hesitated before replying, and it was long enough that Teddy had a chance to laugh.

“You did meet someone,” Teddy said. “I can’t believe it. You’ve been married to your job for how long?”

“I didn’t meet anyone,” Aaron argued, but he was aware he was smiling. He couldn’t help it. “It’s… it’s not like that, okay?”

“How can you tell me it’s not like that when you’re grinning like you are? A look like that says it’s exactly like that. Don’t even try to fool me.” Teddy grinned. He seemed to be feeding off Aaron’s good vibes. “So, when do I get to meet him?”

“There is no him.”

“It’s a her?” Teddy’s eyes widened with shock. “I mean, I’m not hating on you, Aaron, but I’m surprised. I thought you weren’t attracted to women.”

“I’m not,” Aaron said. “There’s no him and there’s no her.”

“Are you dating someone non-binary?”

Aaron planted his face in his hands. “No. There is no her, or him, or they. Okay? There is no anyone. And no, I’m not in a relationship with a ghost, or whatever other excuse you might come up with to make that statement work. There just isn’t anybody, okay?”

“Well…” Aaron glanced up to find Teddy didn’t look convinced. “I guess I can give you a pass this time. It’s not like you hooked up with Vance Chastain or anything, after all.”

Aaron’s face fell. Teddy’s eyes widened.

“Wait,” Teddy said, incredulous. “I was joking. You kept telling me that Vance was a total dick.”

“He… was.”

“Oh my god.”

“You’re sleeping with Vance.”

“I’m…” Aaron looked around. “Can you keep your voice down?”

Teddy leaned forward and whispered, “You’re sleeping with Vance!”

“Just… can you not let anyone know?” Aaron asked, keeping his voice down. The barista brought him his coffee, and he thanked her, then waited until she was well back behind the counter before he continued. “It’s not only bad for his career if this gets out, it’s bad for mine, too. And I have some history with Vance that makes it so that if some people found out, they might think less of me for… you know.”

“History?” Teddy sat back in his seat, astounded. “You said you went to high school together. Were you a thing back then?”

“Only sort-of. It didn’t even really happen. It was a month.”

“Oh my god.” Teddy rubbed at his face. “I was so confused about how you managed to get him to come back and play this event, but that makes so much more sense. He wanted you. Did you reject him all those years ago?”

“Something like that,” Aaron mumbled. “It’s not really a big deal, okay?”

“What are you talking about? It’s a huge deal.” Teddy grinned. “You’re sleeping with a rock star. The guy who wrote Whoa. That’s kind of incredibly amazing.”

“He’s just a guy, just like you and me.”

“Uh, no he’s not. He’s famous. That changes a person.”

It looked like Teddy wasn’t going to give up on it. Aaron sighed and smoothed the hair back from his forehead. He looked at Teddy, trying his best not to be too crushing, but also not really wanting to further Teddy’s excitement. “It was just a one-time thing. He came over to do some work, and he… well, it just so ended in a way that meant we worked things out.”

“Uh-huh. The sweaty way.” Teddy grinned. “I’m not even angry, you know. I understand now why you kept telling me he was an asshole. I’m not going to swoop in and steal your man. My love life may suck, but I’m not that desperate. I love you, Aaron, and I’m happy that you’re happy.”

“How does a one-night-stand translate to happiness?” Aaron asked.

Teddy looked at him flatly. “Really? With the way you’re glowing, and with the bounce in your step? I know that there must be something going on with the two of you that makes you want to deny that anything is going on, but the truth is, you’re betraying yourself with every breath you take. You look good, Aaron. It’s good to see you excited about something… even if you want to deny that something to the moon and back.”

Aaron knew he wasn’t going to win this one. He smiled softly at Teddy. “Thanks.”

“But I will say one thing.” Teddy’s tone turned serious. “I know that you spent all that time telling me about what an asshole he is, and I’m not sure how true that is, but if there’s an inkling of truth to it, and if there is drama between you from your high school days, then just… be careful, okay? Because as much as I like to see you happy, I’m worried that a guy like that is going to promise you forever and then break your heart just because he can.”

Aaron internally winced. The words hit him like a sack of bricks. “What?”

“I’m not saying it to put you off or scare you or anything,” Teddy said. He smiled softly at Aaron as if to calm him down. “All I’m saying is that I want to make sure you stay happy, and rock stars aren’t exactly… you know… the relationship type. I don’t want you to get invested in him only for him to turn around and take off for Los Angeles. He’s not back in town forever, right? He’s at least staying until the summer, so he can play the festival, but after that, what are his plans? I can’t imagine after getting a taste of city life that he’d want to come live somewhere like here.”

Aaron didn’t know what to say. He pursed his lips and tried to fight off the fear rising like bile in his throat, but it was hard to do. Deep down, he knew what Teddy was saying was true, but he’d been blissfully ignoring it in favor of chasing satisfaction. He could only imagine Vance stringing him along for months, sharing his bed and promising to make him his, only to pack up and leave abruptly once his career got off the ground thanks to the hype from the summer festival.

Is he only using me to get what he wants? Does he see me as another rung on his climb back to the top? All of the things he’s said… what’s true, and what’s not? What can I believe?

Teddy frowned and reached out, grabbing Aaron’s wrist. “Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel like shit. That really wasn’t what I set out to do. All I wanted was for you to be made aware that sometimes, guys like that really are jerks. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Aaron said, even though he felt like puking. He smiled at Teddy, trying to diminish some of the worry on his face.

“You don’t sound fine.”

“I’m a little shaken, but it’s not like you told me something I didn’t already know. That’s why I told you it was only a one-time deal. I’m not getting serious with him.”

“It’s just… be careful with your heart, okay, Aaron?” Teddy squeezed his wrist, then let go. “That’s all I’m going to say. I’m not going to dwell on a conversation that’s so distressing. I’m happy for you, and I want to make sure you stay happy, and that’s all I’m going to say about it. How about we talk about my upcoming trip instead?”

“Yeah, that sounds great.” Aaron couldn’t help but laugh. He shook his head and lifted his coffee mug to his lips and sipped. He’d ordered a coffee with almond cream, and the taste was rich and relaxing. He closed his eyes and let go of the stress. He was being ridiculous, and he needed to stop. It wasn’t like he had feelings for Vance anyway. “Tell me all about it. I’ve forgotten already.”

“I don’t blame you,” Teddy said with a wink before launching into all the details about his upcoming trip — from what hotel he was staying at, to the activities he had planned, to when his flights were. It was the distraction Aaron needed, and he appreciated Teddy’s generous offer of redirecting the conversation. Right now, the last thing he needed to think about was Vance — especially the fact that he may or may not have started to feel for Vance a lot more than he should have. He didn’t need drama like that in his life. Not when he knew that Vance’s heart could never be his. After all, Vance had said it himself — his career in Hollywood would change forever if he was to come out, and that meant that as long as Vance was chasing his dreams, love couldn’t be in the equation.

Not that they were in love. Not at all.

It was a good thing that professional satisfaction woke the butterflies in his stomach and added an extra bounce to his step. A damned good thing. It would help Aaron not miss him at all.