Cal slumped down heavily onto the end of his bed and put his phone to his ear. He stared at his reflection in the tall mirror opposite as he listened to the ringtone, watching a dark spot appear on his red shirt as water dripped from his hair. Ten minutes ago it might have pissed him off but now he figured it didn’t matter.

Harry picked up on the fourth ring. “Please don’t tell me you’re coming in early.” He sounded out of breath.

Cal shook his head slightly even though Harry wouldn’t have known it. “Everything okay?”

“Not really. The guy from the cleaning service didn’t show up and we hosted a party last night so the place is a mess. I’m trying to get things straightened out before you get here.”

Cal cracked a smile. Harry’s version of a mess was usually when the cushions hadn’t been straightened and no one had remembered to take out the garbage. “Well, don’t rush. He can’t make it.” Cal was surprised just how bummed he sounded as he said it out loud.

He’d gotten the text from Ben just as he’d stepped out of the shower but hadn’t thought to look to see who it was from until he was mostly done dressing. He’d sounded genuinely apologetic and regretful in a way that wasn’t really necessary but had made Cal feel a little better about having his afternoon screwed up. It wasn’t the first time Ben had canceled. Cal understood that he was pretty much dragging along the bottom of Ben’s list of priorities but still…he felt more disappointed than he really wanted to admit.

Clearly, Harry knew him better though. “Oh,” he said, and Cal could hear he stop whatever he’d been doing. There was silence for a moment and then Harry asked, “You wanna come over anyway? We can get takeout and watch that sci-fi thing you like on the flatscreen?” Cal was tempted to refuse, make some excuse about getting ahead on the pile of marking waiting for him, but then Harry added, “Come on. We can snuggle, I can blow you if you want. I won’t even charge you full rate.”

Cal laughed. “One day I’ll take you up on that offer and you’ll have a heart attack.”

Harry snorted. “As if. You still wouldn’t be able to afford me. I’ll expect you in thirty.”

Cal arrived as the delivery guy was leaving.

“I got Thai ‘cause it sounded like you were moping. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to finish cleaning up but I figured you wouldn’t care.” Harry didn’t bother looking up from where he was opening all the boxes of food at the kitchen counter.

Cal sighed and looked around. He’d been right. The cushions weren’t straight.

Harry pushed a pair of chopsticks in his direction. “You wanna tell me why you’re pissed about this date canceling?”

Cal shucked off his jacket and shook his head. “Not really.”

“Is it the money? Because I told you from the beginning, you just have to ask.”

Cal’s lips curled up into a small smile as he hitched his hip onto one of the stools next to the counter. “No, it’s not that, although I appreciate the offer.” He pulled one of the boxes towards him and peered into it like noodles somehow had the answer to a question he wasn’t ready to ask yet.

“You didn’t kiss him did you?” Harry laughed and shoved a dumpling into his mouth. His eyes were wide and shining with mirth until he clocked the sheepish look that was obviously seeping from Cal’s pores. “You didn’t?” Harry’s mouth was half-full but it didn’t stop him laughing again. “You rescind your membership to the Pretty Woman school of prostitution?”

Harry laughed it up but when Cal couldn’t seem to find it in him to join in, Harry’s amusement died away until he simply shook his head and mumbled, “It’s a stupid rule anyway. I don’t think you should be upset about it. I’ve done worse in the throws of passion.”

Harry was right. It was a stupid rule, something that Cal had said to a client in an offhand way back in the beginning when he had no idea what he was doing and the guy had a serious case of halitosis. Once he’d told Harry and a couple of the other guys about it and they’d all had a good laugh, Cal was ready to let go of the idea. Until he wasn’t.

“I know it’s stupid but I’d just like to keep something for myself, y’know?” Cal wasn’t sure why he was saying that to Harry, as Harry didn’t mind giving everything and anything away for a price. Cal stabbed at his rice noodles. “Except we weren’t exactly…”

Harry looked interested and waggled his eyebrows. “Weren’t balls deep?”

Cal winced. “Weren’t on the clock.”

Harry stopped chewing and just glared across the counter. All the fun had left his voice when he quietly asked, “If I told you to stop seeing this guy, would you do it?”

Cal didn’t answer. He couldn’t think of one thing to say other than, no.

Harry nodded slowly. “Guess it’s a good thing I got ice cream in that case.”

Cal smiled up at him, grateful that he wasn’t going to push it. “Thanks, Harry.”

Harry scoffed. “It’s not for you, bitch. I’m going to need the calories I can get to sustain me while you try to fuck up your life again.”