Tom smiled as another person came up to try and make small talk. This was why he hated these parties—he’d never been good at mixing and mingling with people. Especially when everybody was dressed to the nines and secretly measuring one another up as they talked, and nobody really knew anybody.

“You must be the assistant,” the woman said, holding out her hand for Tom to shake.

Tom wanted to roll his eyes and say yes, technically he could be considered an assistant. He was also the one who’d helped her win her case six months ago when she’d come to the firm, and he’d met her twice before.

Adam and Enid, Tom’s bosses, took on plenty of good clients, people who genuinely needed help. But to make sure they could keep the firm going, they also had to take on a certain number of rich clients, like this woman. Her name was Pauline, Tom remembered. And those clients were insufferable.

But he had to be polite, so he pretended he’d never met her before and that he actually cared about her new penthouse apartment.

“It’s got amazing views,” Pauline went on. “And I got this immense bed to go with it. I know king sized is probably too small for just one person, but what are you going to do? It fits the room.”

She gave him a sharp smile, and that was when Tom realized—she was flirting with him.

Oh, Lord.

“I’m so sorry, I think I see my boss waved at me.” He plastered a smile onto his face. “Please excuse me.”

He hurried over to Adam, who was refilling his drink. “If anyone, especially that redhead over there, asks, you called me over to talk to me about something.”

Adam glanced over at Pauline, who was pouting. “Ah. She tried to hit on me, too, while I was working her case. I had to tell her I had a fiancé.”

“That should help prevent people doing that anymore,” Tom said, indicating Adam’s wedding ring. Adam and his husband Luke had tied the knot last month, and had only gotten back from their honeymoon last week.

Adam grinned at him, sharp and mischievous. “You could just buy a cheap ring, wear it, make up a fake wife.”

Luke snorted. “Husband.”

Adam held up a finger. “One moment.” He turned, waving at Enid. Enid and Adam weren’t just law partners, they were best friends.

It was part of why Tom loved working for them—there was a cheerful and friendly atmosphere to the office. Things could get intense during cases, as they always did, but there was nothing of the tense, competitive atmosphere that Tom had had at his last firm.

Enid walked over, brushing some of her curls out of her face. “What’s up?”

Adam jerked his head at Tom. “You owe me fifty bucks.”

Enid sighed. “Really, Tom? You couldn’t have been bi? Helped a girl out?”

Tom grinned. “Nope, strictly dick over here.”

Adam choked on his drink, laughing.

“Now you’ve done it,” Enid said. “You’ve killed your boss.”

“I’m fine,” Adam rasped.

“How much longer do you think this party will go on, anyway?” Tom asked. “Not that I don’t understand how important socializing is…”

Enid snorted. “You need to relax more, Tom. I know the people here are kind of … obnoxious, yeah. But they’re not all like that. And God knows you could do with some relaxing.”

“You work harder than we do,” Adam said. “You’re the paralegal; I thought you were supposed to be the one who went home before me, not after me.”

“I like my job,” Tom protested.

He meant that. He really did enjoy his job. But he could admit—to himself, anyway—that it was a bit of avoidance as well. He just wasn’t that comfortable with crowds or going out. And he didn’t have anyone to go out with.

“We’re glad to hear it,” Enid said with a little laugh. “Seeing as we’re the people you do your job with. But there’s more to life than the office.” She shot a sly grin at Adam. “Just ask Mr. Newlywed over here.”

Tom knew the whole story about how Adam had met his husband. He’d been hired to work against Luke in a custody battle for Luke’s younger brother, Seth. Adam had risked his job helping Luke to keep Seth, and had ended up leaving his firm to move to Chicago and start a new firm with Enid so that he could be with Luke.

It was all nice and romantic, sure. Tom was happy for Adam. But he wasn’t sure that he’d get his own romantic story. If he was supposed to have some epic or sweet romance, then he was pretty sure he’d have had it already by now.

“Enid’s focusing too much on the romance,” Adam said, rolling his eyes. “One of the best parts of meeting Luke was meeting his friends. Enid was my only friend until then. We’re not trying to say you should date someone, but we worry about you.”

“You never talk about going out with friends, or having movie nights, or anything like that. You don’t seem to have any social life at all. I used to be like that, and I have to tell you: no matter how much you love your job, it can be pretty miserable.”

“We’re social creatures,” Enid added. “When was the last time you went out with people to the bar or something to get a drink?”

Tom made a face. Adam laughed. “What?”

Tom shrugged. “Well, it’s just. Going to bars. The floor’s all sticky, and people try to hit on you with the worst pickup lines ever, and the drinks are super expensive…”

“Are you a snob?” Enid asked gleefully.

Tom shrugged.

“When was the last time you actually relaxed?” Adam asked. “Just watching you go around the room just now, it’s like someone’s yanked your spine on a string.”

“Are you even capable of slouching?” Enid asked.

“I relax,” Tom said, feeling his face heat up. “Just … at home. By myself.”

“Alone time is important,” Adam acknowledged. “God knows there are times when I need to just soak in the tub and lock the bathroom door behind me. But you need people too.”

Enid gasped, a gleam in her eye. “You should take him to Joe’s!” she said to Adam. “He’ll get to meet everyone. You know they’ll love him. If anyone can get you to relax,” she added to Tom, “it’s Luke’s group at the bar.”

The idea of meeting a whole bunch of new people made Tom kind of want to run for the hills. He knew they wouldn’t be stuck up like the clients at this party, but he didn’t think he’d do well being the one new guy in a group of people who all knew each other.

From what he remembered of the wedding, most of Luke’s friends had all grown up together. They all had known each other for years. How was he supposed to handle himself with people who’d had decades to get comfortable with one another?

Enid laughed. “Poor boy, he looks terrified.”

“I’m only two years younger than you.”

“And I will continue to call you whatever I please,” Enid replied. “Does the idea of socializing really scare you that much?”

Tom shrugged. “I’m just the sort of guy who likes to go to a museum or something.”

Enid mouthed ‘snob’ at him fondly.

“Why don’t you just come to the bar with me, one night,” Adam said. “You can meet some guys. Eric would love someone who’ll go to foreign films with him and God knows Davis is always bemoaning our lack of sophistication.”

Tom wasn’t sure. But he supposed that they had a point—he needed to get out more. Find some friends. It wasn’t that he was antisocial. He was just … picky, about how he spent his time.

And working in law was not the sort of job you picked up if you weren’t a bit of a workaholic. Tom liked his job, even if the clients were sometimes a pain in the ass. He’d always enjoyed finding out the rules, and then figuring out how to use those rules to his advantage, and where the loopholes were.

Working in law was a way to explore that puzzle while also helping people. And the competitive aspect of being in court, going up against the prosecutor or defender and coming out the winner—that appealed to him, too.

After a long day at the office or in court, why would he bother going out to a bar or somewhere that inevitably ended up annoying him? A place that was dirty and loud and disappointing?

But Luke’s bar had been where they’d held the wedding reception, and he remembered it being really nice, with a fun atmosphere. And he knew that nobody Adam married would stand for things like disgustingly sticky floors or patrons harassing each other.

“It’ll be just this once,” Adam promised. “If you don’t like it, you don’t ever have to go back. We just want you to meet some people, that we know are good people, that you’ll get along with.”

“And they’re not all rednecks,” Enid said.

Adam rolled his eyes at her. “Thanks, Enid, I’ll be sure to tell them you said that.”

“Half of them are rednecks, the other half are snobs like you,” Enid said cheerfully.

“I’d argue, but that’s … actually kind of true,” Adam said. He looked uncomfortable with this fact.

Tom took a sip of his drink to hide his smirk. Enid had a way of simplifying things, saying them in a way that made you uncomfortable, or that were just short of offensive.

“In all seriousness,” Enid said. “They’re a good mix of people. Lots of different personalities. You’re bound to get along with some of them.”

“I did meet them at the wedding,” Tom said. “They all seemed nice.” Although, to be fair, he had spent most of the wedding hiding in the back.

“You talked with everyone for like, two minutes,” Enid said. “Then spent the rest of the time with my wife.”

“Your wife is great to talk to,” Tom protested.

“Did he really only talk to one person at the wedding?” Adam asked, incredulous.

“Well, of course you didn’t notice; you were too busy gazing lovingly into Luke’s eyes.”

“I hate you.”

“So you tell me every day.”

“Will you, though?” Adam asked, turning to look at Tom. “The party’s going to be over shortly; we’ve only rented the space for another hour. Joe’s will definitely still be open. You can come back with me, stay just for a half an hour, hour tops. Get to properly meet everyone.

“And then, if you don’t ever want to come back, you don’t. But we will have to keep hounding you to find some other friends if you don’t like mine.”

Tom rolled his eyes, but he knew that for all of their teasing, they just wanted to look out for him. They were lawyers; they were used to being blunt and forceful about things. Their hearts were in the right place.

And, well, if he did go, it wasn’t like he was going to really lose anything. It was a bit of a drive, but he’d be fine. Tomorrow was the weekend, he could sleep in. How bad could it possibly get, spending an hour with Adam’s friends? He liked Adam, and he’d liked what little he’d seen of the group at the wedding.

“All right,” he said. “After this whole farce is over with, I’ll go back with you to Joe’s.”

Enid and Adam grinned in triumph. “You won’t regret it,” Enid said.

“That’s what you said about the fifth shot at the Christmas party,” Tom pointed out. “And the paintball tournament. Forgive me if I’m not filled with confidence.”

“Well, trust me then when I say you won’t regret it,” Adam said.

“I’m perfectly trustworthy,” Enid grumbled as she took another sip of her drink.

Tom nodded at Adam, taking a sip of his own drink as well. It couldn’t possibly be too bad. Who knew, he might actually get some friends out of this.