Falcon tapped his fingers on the steering wheel in time to the radio without noticing what song was playing.

It had been so long since he’d even seen Spencer—somehow, in a city this size, he’d managed to never run into him randomly. Maybe Spencer had been living elsewhere. Falcon hoped he still did.

Once he found a parking spot and the Starbucks they’d agreed to meet in, he locked his car, drew a breath, and walked in.

No sign of Spencer yet. Of course not—it was five to two, and Spencer was never early for anything. Falcon headed for the counter to buy himself a drink. He’d deliberately arrived early so he could get his own drink and his own table, and not have Spencer try to buy his favors.

Falcon chose a table on the end so he could walk away anytime and sat with his back to the wall so he could watch the door. Not that it was hard to miss Spencer’s entrance.

“Look who it is!” His voice echoed around the place like it did when he was trying to be a straight buddy meeting his straight buddy for some straight coffee.

“Hey.” Falcon refused to rise to his feet for a hug, even though Spencer held out his arms. He was in some well-fitted slacks and shirt, probably taking a lunch break from his nice corporate lawyer’s office job. The gesture looked sincere, but Falcon knew better than to let Spencer get close enough that he could avoid apologizing.

It forced Spencer to turn it into a grand gesture instead, before he waved at the counter. “I’d better get a drink. Can I get you anything?”

“I’m fine.”

It gave him a chance to inspect Spencer’s face, watch the way he acted. He was older now—of course. Both of them were. But he didn’t act much older, because he still pushed past another customer to get into line first.

When he returned, Falcon let Spencer break the silence first. “So, uh, you’re looking good,” Spencer finally came out with.

“I know.”

Spencer opened his mouth for a second, too taken aback to answer, and Falcon resisted the urge to laugh. “Uh.” He seemed to try to brush it off. “Good to be together again. All this time. Jeez, it seems like yesterday.”

“Seems like years ago to me,” Falcon answered. He kept his tone light, even if he wanted to be pissed off. It was clear Spencer was trying to avoid the apology he’d implied this meeting was about.

“Too long,” Spencer immediately said and nodded. “You’re right.”

Asshole. “That’s not what I said,” Falcon half-smiled and leaned back in his seat, cradling his coffee cup by his chest between sips. “What are you here to tell me?”

Spencer drummed his fingers on the table. “Just to see you before the whole… you know, public sees us.”

“My family?” Falcon laughed. “Not exactly the whole town.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” Spencer scanned his face, then leaned in. “I had an idea. You know? We could… go to the wedding together.”

Falcon nearly reeled, but he managed to keep his composure. “Now you want me to?”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’d be fun. Just a date, no pressure. Drinks, dancing… you never know,” Spencer winked.

Don’t eviscerate him. Save it for the canvas. Falcon tilted his head. “Thanks for the offer. No.”

“Isn’t that what you always wanted?”

Falcon rose to his feet, leaving his cup behind. The bitter taste in his mouth didn’t need any chasers. “You haven’t changed a bit.”

“Thanks.”

“That’s not a good thing. See you at the wedding, Spencer.”

He barely managed to make it out the door before Spencer could call him back. His blood was pumping, his fingers curled into fists.

How long had he lasted? Five minutes? Longer than Spencer used to last, the mean voice at the back of his head added.

The thought made Falcon grin, relaxing enough to dig his keys out of his pocket. He drove on autopilot, his brain still turning over the meeting.

Stupid of him to go. Stupid to think Spencer might have changed. Stupid to even accept an apology from him. Stupid to expect one.

Halfway through driving home, he had to pull over when his phone went off. If this was Spencer, he was gonna…

It was his sister.

How had his life suddenly become like a soap opera, where he had to check the caller ID before he answered?

“Hey,” Rosalina greeted warmly. “This is your weekly wedding update! Is now a good time?”

“It’s—uh, it’s fine,” Falcon quickly answered, pulling his thoughts away from that asshole.

“I just had to check that you’re still okay arriving early to help with the setup. Are you?”

Falcon smiled to himself. “Yeah, of course! I promised. Not gonna let my big sis down.”

“You’re my favorite little brother,” Rosalina answered, making them both laugh. “And the smartest, and the most handsome…”

“What else do you need me to do?”

Rosalina snorted. “Like I have to have an ulterior motive to compliment my little bro. But also, I might have screwed something up.”

Uh oh. Falcon’s mental phone book immediately opened. Did she need help with a printer? Florist? Caterer? He probably knew someone who knew someone… “What happened?”

“Spencer asked for your number.”

Everything screeched to a halt. Years of practice—casual blankness, or a one-shouldered shrug in response to Spencer’s name—kicked in again. “Huh?”

“C’mon. Spencer. You guys used to be best buddies.” Rosalina wasn’t letting him get away with it.

Falcon blew out a sigh. “Yeah. Right. Him.”

“Well, uh… I remembered the fight… but you never told us much about it back then. I invited him before I thought about it. And then he has your number now. I’m an idiot. I really should have thought about that,” Rosalina breathed out. “I’m sorry.”

“No, no,” Falcon assured her. “We’re adults. We can handle it.” At least, I am. Maybe. Is wanting to show off that I’m happy and I’ve moved on and I’ve got a great life—even if I don’t, even if I’m asking Blane to fake it—very adult?

“Do you think you could make up?”

“No. He was always kind of a jerk,” Falcon said bluntly. “Even though you were friends…”

“Yeah, he was,” Rosalina agreed with a quiet laugh. “We just sort of fell into step. Then I guess I kept being friends with him because you were.”

Falcon winced. And he kept seeing me because you were. “Anyway, nah. I’m still… well, he still doesn’t respect me.”

“The whole creative professional thing?” It was a convenient excuse, because it was true. If not the whole truth. He’d told Rosalina that Spencer told him to go into a real job when he decided to go to art school—which was true.

“Do you want me to uninvite him? Cause dude, I totally will. You know I will.”

Falcon grinned to himself. His sister had always had his back. Given the chance back then, she probably would have, too. It was a nice feeling, to know his big sister was ready to do that.

But as sweet as the offer was, his gut instinct told him to turn it down. Getting Spencer uninvited wouldn’t solve anything. The vindictive, petty side of him told him yes, and he didn’t trust that impulse. Besides, this was a chance to not just show Spencer how far he’d come, but show himself. Even if he had further left to go.

And maybe… maybe… a genuine date.

It was a huge risk, asking Blane to a family wedding when they were so newly-dating. If someone asked that of him, he’d be surprised. But either way, he had to figure things out, and the best way out was through.

No. He wouldn’t avoid Spencer. He’d face him like an adult, and he’d show Spencer exactly what he’d missed out on. Whatever the hell his game was—wanting to openly date now, at his sister’s wedding, after years of secrecy and paranoia—Falcon wanted no part of it.

“No, but thanks. I’ll just ignore him. Besides, I don’t want to cause drama. I don’t wanna have to uninvite my plus-one.”

Rosalina gasped. “Falcon. Who is it? Tell me.”

“Nope.”

“You’re such an ass. Tell me.”

“Nope!” Falcon laughed. “Wait and see. Need anything else?”

Rosalina sighed dramatically. “I guess not. Ugh. Patience is not my strong suit.”

“I don’t think it suits anyone in this family,” Falcon grinned. “Talk to you soon.”

As he hung up, Falcon pressed his hand into his forehead. What was I thinking? Crap. Now I have to show up with a date. Which means I have to ask him.