Evan looked away.
“Evan?”
Evan shook his head, slowly at first but it became more frantic.
“You didn’t have to come. You don’t work for me and I’m not going to pay you anymore, so why—”
“All right, all right,” Evan cried out, leaping off his chair. Brian shushed him, grasping his arm, pulling him gently to sit back down. The kid was making a scene. That wasn’t good. Evan sat down grudgingly.
“I want you, okay? The fact that I don’t work for you makes it even better. I was sad reading the little note releasing me from my duties, but then I felt happy. You were talking about an equal relationship, Brian, so this is it. I’m not a paid boy now. Perhaps I can be…your boyfriend. But…”
“But?”
“But you lied to me. I was so happy when I went to your house last night but then I met Ben, who’s
