Page 97 of Tech Bros

Isaac and I have never been around other people before—not people who know we’ve fucked. “Yeah, I don’t know what that looks like.”

“Nothing has to happen. I think we just need to communicate with each other.”

“What does that mean? Nothing has to happen? Like what? Like…sex?”

“Yeah, I’m definitely not saying that has to happen, but…”

“But?” I think I’m hallucinating.

“If we’re all attracted to each other, and?—”

“Deacon, I need you to stop right there. You win, okay? You can have Isaac. Go forth and be merry or what the fuck ever,but please for the love of everything sane and sacred do noteversuggest anything like that to me again.”

My best friendSamuel is available when I call him after leaving my apartment in a rush. While Sam usually answers the phone when I call, he’s rarely available to hang out, but since his boyfriend is out of town, he’s actually free. That’s how I wind up at his training gym, processing my feelings via a punching bag in possibly one of the most physically cathartic outpourings of my life.

About fifteen minutes in, he says, “This can’t all be about the dog. Are you working through caffeine or blue balls?”

“Ugh,” I shout, hitting the bag again. I’m already drenched in sweat. No wonder Samuel’s so cut. This ishard. And my hands hurt. I step back to take a short break and grab some water. “Where’s Calyx?”

“New York. It’s fashion week, duh,” he says with a grin.

“Oh, right. Of course. Why aren’t you with him?”

“Technically, it’s next week. I’m flying out tomorrow.”

Samuel, the six-foot-four amateur MMA fighter, is dating a five-foot ten androgynous runway model who’s one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen. I was following Calyx on Instagram for about a year before I met him at one of Deacon’s dinner parties for his friends. Evidently Calyx and Ryan are gym bros or something. Sam’s father is Calyx’s modeling manager, so that’s how the two of them ended up meeting.

As a couple, they mostly keep to themselves, but also I think they’re really busy. “Do you wanna hear how fucked up my life is?” I ask.

“Absolutely. But I can’t promise one of those platonic jobs that made me feel better that one time.”

I snort. Since Calyx isn’t here, it’s safe to talk about that one time I blew Samuel because he was overly stressed and horny. That made me his first boy BJ, and it also made him the only other guy I messed around with during my office affair with Isaac. “I’m okay. I got one yesterday. I get laid most days, actually. Or I did.” Definitely noticed nothing happening today during the longest day in the officeever.

“Who’s the guy?”

“You know who the guy is.”

“Still?” He sounds incredulous.

“Why do you say it like that? Yes,stillmy boss. It’s a thing. Now it’s actually awholething, and it’s gotten messy.”

“No offense, but that was bound to happen. Did someone catch you?”

“No. That would be simple. This is—he went on a blind date and got lucky, and it just so happened to be with my roommate—you know—the one I’ve had a crush on since I moved in? Yeah. And now everybody’s gone nuts.”

“Whoa. Slow down.” Sam backs away from his punching bag and gestures over to one of the wrestling mats.

“Just like old times?” I joke as I head over. We were on the wrestling team together in high school when he was a freshman, and I was a senior.

Sam takes off his gloves as he sits with me on the mat, stretching his legs wide and setting his forearms on the mat.

“You’re really flexible now,” I note.

He winks at me. “Yoga. I’ve got a good teacher.”

I roll my eyes. “Right.” Calyx is also a yoga teacher when he’s not making a fortune being a runway model. They’re a disgustingly cute couple.

“Your boss is Isaac, right?”