Page 135 of The Build-a-Boyfriend Project

He can wait a few more days.

Besides, he has bigger things on his mind. Like how this dinner with Peter is going to go. Maybe he should’ve given Peter a heads-up, told him that he wanted to have a serious conversation about where they’re at, how things will be moving forward.

Because this doesn’t feel fake anymore.

At least, not from Eli’s perspective.

And Peter deserves to know that, just as he deserves to decide for himself. Whether or not he still wants Eli to be a part of his life knowing . . . knowing that Eli loves him. Eli pulls his phone out of his desk drawer, checking the last messages he sent to Peter the night before.

Eli had tried to stay up as late as he could, just to keep Peter company.

But he can see the moment he fell asleep, just as Peter was explaining his late-night dinner of peanut butter and Ritz crackers.

He stares at his phone, unable to help the smile that creeps up on him. It’s so hard to believe that things finally feel . . . whole?

Maybe he’s putting all his eggs in a single basket, something his mother always warned him about. But he can’t stop the way his heart leaps in his chest.

Eli tries hard not to think about the fact that Michael’s been missing all morning. But after several hours of fielding Michael’s calls and telling his coworkers that he doesn’t know where Michael is, he has to take a look around.

Michael’s things are here, so he’s been in the office. Eli checks the bathrooms and the meeting rooms, the private offices, and the lounge area.

And there’s no Michael to be found.

He nearly goes to Keith to ask him if he knows anything, being the brownnoser he is. But Keith isn’t in his office either.

“Gwen?” Eli calls for her just as she’s passing his desk on her way to the elevators. “Have you seen Michael or Keith?”

“I think I saw them heading up to the cafeteria?” She looks at her watch. “That was first thing this morning, I’m not sure where—”

“Hey, Eli!” Owen, the hire who stole Eli’s staff spot, decides to insert himself into the conversation, rapping his knuckles on Eli’s desk.

“Oh, hey, Owen . . . Looking for Michael?”

“Oh no, no, I just wanted to give you my congratulations!”

Eli freezes. “Congratulations for what?”

“For the article? What a hilarious read.”

Hilarious? Eli can think of a few jokes peppered throughout the Lavender Country article, but he wouldn’t go so far as to describe it as hilarious. “Wait . . . does Michael have you editing it?”

“Editing?” Owen stares, stealing a piece of candy from the dish on Eli’s desk. “No, it’s on the site.”

“It was posted?”

“Yeah, like half an hour ago, I think?” Owen opens the candy carefully, the wrapper crinkling in his hand. Gwen gives Eli a confused look. “What a ride, I couldn’t stop reading. That disaster date, I don’t think I would’ve given someone like that another chance. You’re better than me for sure.”

Eli’s stomach sinks.

“What are you talking about?” His words come out slowly, careful, almost as if they aren’t his own.

Owen just looks confused, because why wouldn’t he be?

“What article are you talking about?” Eli asks him.

“The one about dating? That guy you fixed. What else could I be talking about?”

“Michael accepted a piece you wrote?” Gwen asks. “That’s great, Eli!”