Chapter 250: A fresh gossip session
Andrew had never been in a place like this. It was like a coffee shop, but behaved more like a restaurant. The baristas? They came to the table, got the orders, and then came back and dropped everything off. It was clear it was a perk, since booths filled the business, and it appeared that most people here were here for business. It made sense that Andrew, Maxwell, and the realtor would come here, but Andrew was certainly feeling out of his element.
It also meant he had to be on his best behaviour when it came to his pheromones.
The barista, who had taken their order only about 15 minutes ago, came back with a tray with their drinks on it, a few slices of cake, and some other savory snacks. Andrew was sure that this realtor business, and probably others, had a deal of some kind with them. Andrew and Maxwell hadn’t ordered anything, nor had the realtor, but here it all was.
Andrew wasn’t complaining. He was starving.
So while Maxwell and the realtor began to go over the documents, the likes and dislikes of the houses that they had viewed, Andrew put his head down and consumed quite a bit of the food on the table. By the time that he realised that he should be participating in what was happening before him, he had eaten about ⅔ of the food on the table.
Andrew’s whole face flushed, embarrassment causing him to halt, and Maxwell glanced over at him, concerned.
"Are you alright, Baby? You seemed to be enjoying your cake, but you suddenly stopped." Maxwell’s soft, understanding tone only made Andrew’s embarrassment worse. Maxwell had told him how nice it was to have someone take over for him, and yet here he was, letting Maxwell take over while Andrew lost himself in some baked goods.
Maxwell, as if able to sense where Andrew was spiraling, and how, placed his hand on top of Andrew’s. Their hands were in plain view of the realtor, and Maxwell gave it a squeeze.
"Baby. Stop with that train of thought. This is the boring stuff, the stuff we’ve already gone through, and you’re not yourself right now. It’s okay to take a step back." Andrew felt extra bad because Maxwell was having to soothe him in a way that was usually reserved for their private moments, but he had to do it in public. At a table with another person, no less.