Dev bites his tongue to refrain from saying anything about where Josh Han can shove his professionalism. Charlie’s sweating too profusely for humor. “You’re coming with me, right? I… I can’t do this alone.”
“I said I would come,” Dev calmly reassures him.
Charlie nods frantically. “I need you there, to coach me. To stop me from saying the wrong thing.”
Dev pulls Charlie in close by the knot on his tie. “You never say the wrong thing, love.”
Of course, Josh Han is dressed like every Silicon Valley tech bro Dev has ever met when they get to the restaurant twenty minutes later. He’s wearing hiking sandals and a Patagonia vest over his moisture-wicking shirt. Josh probably spent a lot of money to look like he doesn’t give a shit, and Le Délicieux is definitely not in Dev’s dining budget. It’s hard to remember that this is Charlie’s normal life—ties with Windsor knots and business brunches at overpriced restaurants in downtown San Francisco. They’ve only ever known each other within the incubator of Ever After, but Josh Han and the waitstaff at Le Délicieux—who all seem to take issue with Dev’s choice in cargo shorts, based on their stares—are good reminders Dev wouldn’t belong in Charlie’s real life, no matter what Dev tries to imagine otherwise.
“Chaz!” Josh shouts when he sees Charlie. “Bro, it’s been too long!”
Josh hugs Charlie. Charlie tenses.
“Still weird about touching, huh?” Josh chuckles and gives Charlie’s arm the most patronizing pat. “That’s my Chaz.”
There is no version of Charlie Winshaw that would willingly consent to a nickname like Chaz, and Dev is pissed about this whole thing before he even sits down.
“And who’s this?”
Charlie turns awkwardly to Dev, his brow a jumbled mess of anxiety. “This is my… producer. Dev.”
My producer.
Josh looks momentarily confused as to why Charlie brought his producer to a business meeting, but he eventually shrugs, as if to say only Charlie. They sit down, and Josh has already ordered a round of Bloody Marys to get them started. Dev ignores his.
Josh begins talking about second-quarter earnings and Nasdaq and some summit in Tokyo while Charlie nervously sweats all over his linen napkin. Dev studies the man who humiliated his boyfriend and iced him out of an entire industry.
Sorry. His talent.
Josh Han is as handsome in person as he always is in product launch videos. His thick dark hair is perfectly styled, and he has a gorgeous jaw Dev would like to stroke before he punches it.
Except Dev can’t punch Josh Han, because this is Charlie’s chance to get everything he wants.
“Honestly, I couldn’t believe it when I heard you agreed to do that show,” Josh is saying, stirring his celery around his empty glass. “But the hype for the season is insane. It’s all anyone is talking about.”
“Oh, well, I… um…” It’s like someone flipped a switch to turn him back into that version of Charlie who fell out of the town car on night one.
Under the table, Dev puts a hand on Charlie’s knee to calm him. “We are so lucky to have Charlie as our star. He’s honestly been one of the best princes we’ve ever had. I think the season will be fantastic.”
Josh laughs, and it’s clearly at someone’s expense. “You should’ve seen him in college. Girls used to follow him around campus, but he was totally oblivious,” he says, speaking about Charlie like he isn’t right here. “I don’t even think he kissed anyone until— What was her name? Senior year? Remember, I had to arrange it for you, and you still managed to fuck it up.”
Josh laughs again, and Charlie becomes smaller, shrinking in his gray suit.