Love Hurts (boyxboy)

Chapter 5: Out of hours

"It's like we're on a date."

☆

Josh turns and sits bolt upright on the chair opposite Neil's desk. A very different stance to Neil's leg resting on his knee, elbows relaxed on the arms of his leather chair, fingers laced together. He swivels his chair from left to right, just gazing at Josh, as if he were on the cusp of saying something, finally breaking the silence. "So, how was your first day yesterday?"

"It was very good, thank you, sir." Josh replies, trying to match the confidence of the other male but failing miserably. 

"Neil, please call me Neil." He replies as he pushes his fingers through his black hair and causing Josh to lose sight of reality once again. 

"Neil… Got it.  You can call me Josh, by the way."  

He chuckles at Josh's reply. "Josh." He repeats. His voice, so deep that Josh swears if he says his name too many times, It might take him to another place entirely. 

"You went to Murry High, didn't you?" Neil suddenly asks. 

"Yes... I did." The question catching him off guard. Could it be that he knows? Does he know he used to like him? 

"I read it on your application."... He read it in Josh's application. Of course he did. "I went there too, I would have been two years above you."

"I know." Josh says eagerly without thinking.

"You know?" Neil raises his eyebrow at him, smirking. 

Josh feels his cheeks beginning to burn. "Um...yes. I recognise you."

"Right." He nods, not taking that grin from his face."Ok, Josh, that's it for now. You can get back to work." 

Josh gets up off of the chair and heads to the door so fast he just about avoids falling through it. On his way out, he can see a photo hanging on the wall. It's of Neil, a woman and a baby. Josh can feel his heart plummet. He could crush on him all he wanted. It would get him nowhere. He's got a partner and a child. 

He heads back to his desk, taking a sip of coffee from the horse mug once again, and puts on his headset for work. He reminds himself that this is what he's here for....to work. Nothing else. 

***

"Trisha's birthday meal. Are you coming tonight?" Josh looks up at Maria, who has a hopeful expression in her eyes. 

It had been a month now in his new job, and he had completely forgotten that the team are supposed to be going out for Trisha's 35th. "Who's going again?"

"Everyone except Simon." She says. Josh's mind turns to his boss, whom he'd tried his hardest not to think about since he found out the woman in the photo was actually Jenny, his wife. But...it would be nice to see him out of work, even if he just admired him from afar. 

"Yeah, I'm going." He replies. 

"Ah, that's good, I don't want to be saddled with that prick all night." Maria side glances to Rich, who was busy advising a customer about how to set up their new PC software. 

"Oh, right." He nods, hoping that didn't mean he would have to contend with Maria all evening.

***

He wanted to look good tonight. Even if it was for some out of work meal. He pulls out shirts galore from his closet, trying to figure out what to wear to impress a guy who would never be his...only in his dreams,  eventually deciding on some dark jeans, turned up slightly, an oversized t-shirt and a jacket, topped off with his brown boots.

He decides to wear his contacts and styles his hair a little differently. Josh stares in the full-length mirror one last time before heading out to catch the bus.

As the bus slows down at his stop, Josh exits onto the busying street and begins to head for the Italian restaurant they were meeting at. He checks his phone for the time when he hears his name being called. "Hey....hey Josh." He turns to see Maria just a few paces behind him. Her hair was down, light brown curls bouncing and cascading over her shoulders, partially covered her red jumpsuit. 

Josh gives a half wave back, feeling a little guilty for making her catch up with him in her rather high heels. 

"You look very dashing tonight, Josh." She looks him up and down as she subconsciously flicks a curl from her shoulder, as if expecting a complement in return. 

"Thanks, you look pretty too." He replies, knowing his words were fuelling her pointless fire as he decides to quickly change the subject. "Shall we go in?" He gestures for Maria to go before him. 

"It's like we're on a date." She says with a nervousness in her voice. 

"But we're not." Josh replies as if it's a reflex action and instantly feels bad for it when he hears her laughing it off to probably mask her true feelings. They walk in and are shown to the reserved table. Everyone is here, except for Neil. Josh gives Trisha a birthday hug and some chocolates he'd picked up from the corner shop on the way.

"You know me well, Josh." She happily takes the chocolates from him. 

"No, I just read your mug." Josh replied, laughing, earning him a playful slap on the arm from Trisha.

He looks at the table, trying to work out where the best place is to sit, with Trisha at the top of the table with it being her birthday and Janet to her right. Rich sat to her left. He decides on sitting next to Rich being the best option with Maria's dislike for the guy, and as predicted, Maria pulls the chair next to Josh. He had avoided her eating habits since the 'croissant' incident, so tonight he knew was going to be a challenge. He just hoped the faint sound of music floating in the restaurant air would drown it out.  Josh removes his jacket and takes a seat. He notices there are still two empty spaces at the table. He turns to Trisha. "Why are there two spaces? Are we not just waiting for Neil?" 

Trisha shakes her head as she replie,  "Neil's bringing his wife."