Pete had the worst luck in history. He should have known Patrick would show up before he could get Meagan to leave. He probably could have accomplished it, if the receptionist would have rung him to warn him that he had another visitor.

He was prepared for Patrick to visit. He even had his favorite whisky sitting out on the desk. And then fifteen minutes later, Meagan walked in. Again, without warning from the receptionist downstairs. Lana, Pete thought was her name. Well, whatever it was, she was fired.

Patrick looked pissed. He was hiding it well. But not well enough that Pete couldn't see it. His face was lightly flushed. His eyes were slightly narrowed. And he was clearly clenching his teeth. Pete could tell by the hard way his jaw was set.

"Patrick!" Meagan smiled broadly. She slid off of the desk. He skirt riding up slightly as she walked over to him.

"Meagan." His tone was brisk.

He visibly tensed when she pulled him into a hug. Patrick wanted to choke her.

"Do I look like a fucking idiot?" She whispered in his ear. Too low for Pete to hear.

"I don't think you want the actual answer to that."

"If you really thought I was going to go away for a few weeks, you're the idiot."

"Is that right?"

"Like I was seriously going to leave and give you all the free time in the world to fuck my husband."

"You're dumber than you look then." Patrick whispered back. Smiling towards Pete who was watching them suspiciously. "Because I'm going to fuck him whether you are or aren't in the house." He pulled out of the hug.

"Meagan was just leaving." Pete smiled tightly.

"I was!" She nodded.

She flipped her hair over shoulder and sashayed over to Pete. She bent down, pushing her lips against his. Patrick knew he should have looked away but he didn't. He watched her kiss his husband. He watched his husband kiss her back.

Meagan was the first to pull away. She ran her hands through her hair as she turned to leave. Making sure to smile at Patrick on the way out. Patrick smiled back. The only sign of his agitation was the uncontrollable bouncing of his left leg.

Patrick was staring daggers into Pete. Man, he was lucky looks couldn't kill. Pete didn't look at Patrick. He stared directly at the laptop in front of him. Patrick heard rather than saw Meagan open the door.

"Bye, honey." She cooed.

"Bye." Pete didn't look up.

"I love you." She continued.

Patrick arched an eyebrow. His hands tightened on the arms of the chair. He was non verbally challenging Pete to say it back to her with him in the same room. Warning him not to.

"I love you too." He said quickly.

Patrick choked out a laugh. Really?

"I love you more." She pushed. Just trying to get under Patrick's skin.

"No." Pete was breathing unevenly. Nervously. Good. "I-I love you more."

"No. I love you more."

"No. I do."

"You do what?" She pouted.

"Love you!" He snapped in annoyance. Yelling the words.

Meagan flinched. "Okay. Okay. I'll see you at home."

"Bye."

"Oh, and bye, Patrick." The humor was clear in her voice.

"Bye." He waited until he heard the door close. "Stupid bitch."

Pete glanced at him then. The guilty look clear on his face.

"Patrick-"

Patrick held up his right palm "Save it."

He slid the chair back and stood up. Before Pete could say anything else, he headed for the door. Pete jumped out of his chair and rushed to stop him. Pushing him against it before he could turn the knob.

Patrick counted to ten in his mind to remain calm. Pete had an arm on either side of his head. Trapping him in that spot. He knew he wasn't stronger than Pete. There was no use in fighting him. Instead he circled around so they were nose to nose.

"What did you expect me to do?"

"Nothing."

"She's my wife. I couldn't just not say it back."

"Do you love me?"

"What?" Pete frowned at the unpredicted question.

"Do. You. Love. Me?"

"What kind of stupid question is that?" He scoffed.

"Well?" Patrick wasn't budging.

"You know I love you." Pete rested his forehead on Patrick's. "Of course I love you. How could I not?"

"Then what are we doing, Pete?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why are we hiding? Why are we sleeping in separate rooms? Why can't you tell her that it's still me?"

"Patrick." He sighed. Dropping his hands to his sides and standing up straight. "It's not that simple-"

"Why not?" He grabbed Pete's face between his hands. Forcing him to look at him. "Why isn't it that simple?"

"Because things are... complicated with Meagan."

"Fine." Patrick let him go. He pushed him away from him. "I get it."

"Don't do this." Pete ran his hands through his hair. "D-Don't leave."

"I'm going to fix you. Just like Ryan said."

"You're what?" He brooded.

"But maybe I've been going about it all wrong." He continued talking as if Pete didn't speak. "Maybe I'm too close. I need to give you space. Allow you to fix yourself first."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Nothing."

He pushed off of the wall. Digging into his pocket for his phone. Patrick began walking around the office as he scrolled through some things on the screen. Pete followed behind him like a lost puppy.

Patrick stopped walking when he hit the call button on the phone. He held it to his ears and listened to it ring. Pete stood behind Patrick and wrapped his arms around his waist. Resting his chin on the smaller man's shoulder.

"Who are you calling?" He asked. Patrick ignored him. "Pat, who is that?" He asked again.

"Hello?" They finally answered.

"Hey, you!" Patrick said cheerfully.

"What do you want?"

Ouch. Someone was having a bad day.

"I wanted to apologize for before. And I want to make it up to you."

"That'd better not be him." Pete didn't even try to whisper the words.

"Really?" The voice had more life to it.

"Really." He smiled. "Are you free tonight?"

"Hang up." He squeezed him slightly.

"No. But I'll cancel with my mom."

Patrick laughed. "That's really not-"

"There's this great karaoke bar that just opened up. Let's go there."

"Um, okay. That sounds good."

"Should I text you the address or do you want me to pick you up?"

"You can text me the address."

"Great. We'll meet there at eight. I'm really happy you called."

"I'm happy you answered."

"Patrick, hang up the phone." Pete unwrapped his arms from his waist.

"I was so worried that you never wanted to see me again. And I was so upset. Not at you. But at myself because I didn't know what I did wrong. It thought I offended-"

Pete snatched the phone from his hands. Pressing the screen to end the call.

"What the hell was that?!" He nearly growled.

Patrick tapped his finger against Pete's chin. And then pressed his lips against the spot his finger was just on.

"That was step one in my plan to fix you."