Hey Bartender, Hit Me

Chapter 8

"Lu, grab a cart, will ya?" Michael asked as they got out of the limo he'd insisted they take to the store.

To the grocery store.

So unnecessary, but it made Michael happy, so Luke was happy. He was still on his quest to be the Best Boyfriend Ever, so he was trying to be supportive of what Michael wanted.

And that included quitting thinking about his boyfriend's best friend...

Luke caught back up with Michael who was walking in through the sliding doors of the Duane Reade. Luke looked back and saw Adam Parson, Michael's chauffeur, driving down the road. Since parking in New York City is practically nonexistent, Adam would leave and go to the parking garage and come back to pick them up later. Michael would text him when they were checking out and he'd be back in time.

Michael was looking at produce so Luke walked up next to him. Michael put some apples in the cart and walked off toward the lettuce.

"Could you get a spring mix?" Michael asked him. He nodded and walked over to grab a bag of lettuce.

Luke's phone buzzed in his pocket and after throwing the bag into the cart, he picked it up.

"Hey, best buddy! Ni and I miss you, when can we see you? We didn't hear back from you last time so we wanted to try again. We're free...every day this week. And next week. But we want to see you ASAP AS POSSIBLE. Want to hang out with us soon? -Calum

Luke chuckled as he read the message. Even through text, Luke could sense Calum's over-eagerness and vibrancy. He could also tell that Niall didn't proofread his message, or else he wouldn't have let him send it like that.

Luke responded quickly.

"Hey, friend! I should be free on Friday or Saturday, which works best for you?"

Luke stuffed his phone in his pocket and grinned as he practically skipped over to Michael.

"Hey, I have good news!"

"What, you have another audition?" He asked, looking at a cantaloupe.

"No, but I met those two guys at my last audition and they want to hang out with me! I told them I'm free Friday or Saturday, we don't have anything going on. Maybe I could--"

"You aren't hanging out with them." Michael glared at him and slammed the cantaloupe down in the wagon. He took it from Luke and walked to another aisle.

"What do you mean?" Luke followed him, confused. "Do we have plans?"

"No."

"Then why can't I?"

Michael didn't answer, instead moving to another aisle and picking up his favorite crackers. He dumped them into the cart and kept walking.

Luke let him have a moment to calm down, maybe, before he brought the subject up again.

"Michael, I was thinking I could have them come by the bar, then you could--"

"Luke, I said no."

"But I don't really have to ask permission, I can just--"

"You're not going!" he stepped in Luke's face and snarled. The corner of his lips were quirked up and his eyebrows were furrowed.

Luke frowned.

"Let's talk about this later." He said, realizing people were watching them.

They didn't talk for the rest of the trip, Luke just pulled things off the shelf without looking at his boyfriend.

Someone bagged their groceries and they loaded them back into the wagon and wordlessly waited for and got to the limo, still not speaking to each other.