2016

"Move out." Eliza said by way of greeting, which had Ezra frowning up from his book.

"I beg pardon?" He asked, glancing around the living room of the flat, not seeing anything out of sort that might prompt his sister to make such a declaration.

Adam was doing a puzzle on the floor, but that was the only toy out. There was soup on the stove, simmering, and while he wouldn't touch her laundry for anything, he had been courteous enough to wash Adam's.

Eliza dropped her messenger bag by the sofa, her need to state those two words having been so great she hadn't even removed her winter gear. There was still snow in her hair as she plopped down on the sofa next to him.

"Your boyfriend-"

"Boyfriend?" Ezra interrupted, though she ignored him.

"Cornered me at the market to ask if you'd mentioned maybe taking him up on that offer of a weekend at his place. Or, perhaps, if you thought of maybe going away on February break. Or perhaps Easter, because he would like to make sure he has the week off so you can go together."

Ezra cringed.

He'd already had a second discussion with Gabriel over how the night in the hotel wasn't meant to be anything more than just that: a night. He explained, a few different times now, that he really didn't want anything more than a friendship with him, and that there wouldn't be any repeats. He wasn't entirely sure he meant that, which might be why Gabriel still peppered in the occasional hints or offers for more.

He'd moved into the house he'd bought mid-October, and in the three months that followed he tried to get Ezra to do something with him every weekend. He'd gone so far once (and thankfully only once) as to "happen" by Ezra with Adam on a meet up with Oscar and Richard in London. It was Richard complaining how stalking was so unbecoming that had made Gabriel realize that maybe he'd crossed a line there somewhere.

Cornering Eliza was something new, and frankly just as embarrassing.

"Exactly how good are you in bed?" Eliza asked with a frown, and Ezra's jaw dropped, his cheeks burning. "It's a legitimate question, given that one night and he's following you around. Are you a secret Casanova?"

"Do you even know what that means?" He asked her with a touch of condescension.

"I didn't mean in the exact, literal sense." She scowled. "But I do have to wonder."

"I can't believe I'm talking to you about this, but no. To my knowledge I'm a fairly average lover. Gabriel is just a bit persistent in his want for more than I'm willing to give him." He sighed. "But if it's affecting your life, and you would like me to move out-"

"No," Eliza huffed, shedding her coat so it pooled around her on the sofa cushion. "Frankly, I'm loath to give up free childcare."

"You make it sound like I don't work." He smirked.

"Well, you know what I mean." She waved him off.

"I do," Ezra conceded. "But… maybe it's time."

"Not yet," Eliza said, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. "I don't want you to leave yet, please? Especially if you're only going to go to that knob's."

"I have no intention of ever living with Gabriel Haven." Ezra said with conviction. "If there was a way I could go back in time and prevent myself from taking him to bed, I would."

"No bed, no tired." Adam said without looking up from the puzzle.

Eliza's mouth contorted as she tried not to laugh, Ezra blushing once again. That, unfortunately, had her breaking any control she had on her laughter, and it spilled out in peels.

"Ez," She said when she got control of herself. "We've all made a questionable decision like that. It just happens yours is a bit too in love with you to simply let it be. That said, don't beat yourself up over it, alright? If he wants to make a commitment out of a fling, let him. He's only hurting himself in the long run." She smiled. "But don't think I won't let it go anytime soon. The amount you've needled me over the years, this is my one and only time to get back at you with the same sort of teasing."

"But you can't do it in front of anyone else." Ezra warned. "The less people to ever know, the better. Bad enough you gossiped to Marjorie."

"Yes, well, Marjorie is too excellent of a gossip to not be rewarded with an excellent tidbit in return. That and I had hoped she may put the wanker off." Eliza confessed before getting up, collecting her jacket. "What's for tea, anyway? Smells marvelous."

And Ezra watched her go with a fond smile, and a touch of heartache.

Maybe she didn't want him to leave today, or tomorrow. And maybe he wasn't ready to give up this strange sort of family life, but he would have to eventually.

~C~

Crowley scowled at the numbers, looked away, then scowled at them again.

Something was wrong. Somewhere along the way he'd forgotten something, he had to have. Even if his accountant assured him that, no, he hadn't. Everything was accounted for, he should really stop worrying and start being much, much happier. Most businesses didn't turn this kind of a profit in a year and a half. And it had turned a profit. A fucking fantastic one, if he did say so himself. Wedding bookings were getting out of hand, really, and people were flocking to him from out of town because they didn't want to worry about the delivery, even though it was offered through the website, and not at an unreasonable cost either. He was developing a reputation, even if he hadn't intended to.

"I wanted them to be wrong, Lock, what does that say about your crazy ol' dad?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder at the smiling toddler in the corralled off area of his office.

"Cwazy dada." He repeated with a giggle that had Crowley beaming.

"Oh, what to do, what to do." He lamented, putting a hand in his hair, ruffling and pulling it.

He needed a second, bigger location. That's what it came down to. They were running out of space to properly house what Crowley wanted to sell, what he wanted to provide or play about with. He had the profit, he'd looked so often at the projections, the current standings, the profit over last year, and they were well above where they were expected.

The biggest issue was he couldn't afford the sort of space he would need in London.

Which meant going out of town, though that wasn't a bad thing. But he didn't know where, and that's why he was hoping the report was wrong, so he wouldn't feel he needed to make this decision. If there had been a thing they didn't record, something that would have brought the profits and what not down, then he could just shrug and say "maybe next year".

He toyed with the idea of maybe going back to his hometown. Tony and Chrissy were there, as were Neil and Terry for the time being. He liked the idea of being able to pop in and see them. But there were also all the people he used to know. He'd managed to run into Freddie twice more already, thought he saw Oscar once (and ran the other way), not to mention all the idiots he'd gone to school with.

He hated that the one person, or maybe the people, he'd have loved to have run into he never crossed paths with.

That left him with nearly every other major spot in England for him to contemplate, and it was a bit overwhelming.

"Are you still staring at that shit?" Bea asked as they plopped down in the other seat, practically throwing Crowley's coffee at him. They were much nicer in handing Warlock a cookie, something he dropped his toy truck to the floor for. It gave a nice, loud clang as it promptly became ignored.

"Yes," He half snapped, wincing at the toy's collision with the floor, and thankful it didn't seem to be broken.

"Just pick a place, you idiot. You're making this harder than it needs to be."

"Easy for you to say." Crowley grumbled, setting that report aside and pulling up another one. "According to this, the places that we ship to the most outside London is Nottingham, Tadfield, Swindon, and oddly Cardiff."

"Open a store in Wales-" Bea began to threaten, but Crowley cut them off with a wave.

"I'm not opening a spot in Wales." He grumbled. Looking now to the map on his phone. "I just… I don't want to go far, so Nottingham is out. Tadfield and Swindon are so damn close to one another. I just… I don't know."

"Might help if you look at property first." Bea grumbled.

"What are you doing back here, anyway?" He asked.

Bea shrugged. "On break."

"Right," Crowley said, checking his watch for the time despite his phone and computer being right in front of him. "Lunch. Should probably… feed my child."

"I already did that." Bea retorted, tilting their head toward where Warlock was currently finishing off his treat.

"I meant proper food, but that'll hold him over at least. What do you think, honestly?"

"Honestly, I think you're an idiot." Bea retorted. "Look, unless you want to build from the ground up, you need to have a place to buy. And even if you do want to start from scratch, you're going to need property. If there isn't any for sale in either place, you're fucked anyway. So stop being an idiot, and stop making it seem like you need to decide this right now."

He sighed. "You're right."

"Of course I am," Bea countered. "And I need you to get out there and work on some bloody corsages."

"Right." Crowley said, glancing at Warlock. "I'm going to start needing child minding, I think."

"Just starting to think? How have you survived." Bea smirked before getting up and leaving the office.

"Bea's a bit of a 'B' aren't they, Lock?" Crowley grumbled.

"B!" Warlock repeated happily around a mouth full of cookie, and Crowley might have giggled childishly.

~A~

Ezra had been to Gabriel's home exactly twice since he moved in about nine months ago. Once to help him move things in, because it's what friends did for one another, and once a couple months back because it was pointed out that he hadn't returned since that first time.

He was walking up the drive after work to enter the house for a third time, just as nervous as he was the other two times. Because despite how much he wanted everything between him and Gabriel to return the way it was, the incident still lingered in the air between them like the scent of previously cooked food. Not something necessarily terrible, but something you also wished wouldn't linger.

Gabriel, at least, had not really attempted to re-initiate the events that occurred in the hotel room when they were alone together. There was no need to keep a great distance between them when they spent time together, and he hadn't needed to stop any advances from the man. Though Gabriel didn't exactly go back to keeping his feelings close to his chest.

Ezra wasn't blind nor oblivious to the way Gabriel would look at him from across a table, or in the light of a museum. He may have been before, at least to some extent, but now that he knew what it looked like up close he saw it every time they were together. And he could tell on numerous occasions that Gabriel had wanted to kiss him, and was seriously considering making the move to do so. He never did, though, which Ezra was grateful for.

But this time might be different, as the circumstances were set up in such a way that any moment between them could possibly be viewed as "special." He almost declined, but considering Gabriel wasn't exactly invited to join him the following day, Ezra thought this was the best way to at least keep the peace, if not one of his very few remaining friends.

Plus, he'd brought wine. It wasn't like alcohol had been part of the poor decision making back in the hotel room. And, Ezra had noted, it was the one form of alcohol that Gabriel indulged in the least, and usually limiting himself to a few sips from a glass.

It was also, perhaps, a small bit of fun to talk about the vintage when he knew Gabriel didn't have a clue what he was talking about.

Ezra rang the bell, not feeling comfortable enough to just walk in like Gabriel insisted he could, and waited.

A woman opened the door.

"Oh," Ezra frowned, looking up at the house, down in the drive at the car he certain was Gabriel's, then back at the woman. "Ummm."

"You must be Ezra." She replied in an American accent.

"I must." He replied, then shook his head to clear it. "I mean, yes, I am. Ezra Fell, and you might be?" He asked as he offered the woman his hand.

She giggled. "Oh, such a gent." She said the word with a put-on air that made Ezra nearly physically cringe. "Gabby said you were exactly like one would picture an Englishman, but still."

Ezra pursed his lips, then licked them while doing his damnedest not to smile. "Gabby?" He repeated as the woman stepped aside and waved him in.

"Yes, he's just been going on about you for years. So glad we finally get to meet ya. Oh, where are my manners. I'm Gabby's mom, Deena." She turned around, and surprised Ezra with a hug that thankfully only lasted a few moments. "Harry, it's Ezra!" She said as she let go of Ezra and led him into the sitting room.

There was yet another stranger there, and beside him a slightly wide-eyed Gabriel.

"Hello," Ezra said, looking first to Gabriel and then to who he would wager was Harry.

"Ezra," The man said as he stood, his voice as deep as Gabriel's, perhaps even a touch more. "Heard a lotta 'bout ya."

"Oh," He said, glancing at Gabriel. "I had no idea. I was also quite unaware that you were going to be visiting."

"We surprised him." Deena said with a grin. "Just got in today, and we came right here from that airport in London in a cab. Knew where the key would be because it was the same place we always kept it back home, and we came right in. Surprised him when he came through the door. Oh, I do hope we didn't spoil any plans."

"Actually, mother-" Gabriel started, but Ezra waved him off.

"None at all, I assure you." Ezra beamed, looking between the two parents. "I believe it was merely dinner on the agenda this evening. Perhaps a glass of wine and a rousing discussion of some variety, probably relating to literature or theater."

Deena grinned, clasping her hands together under her chin. "So glad to hear it. You'd swear the way Gabby acted that we were crashing some sorta date. Not your anniversary or anything, is it?"

"An anniversary would imply we're partners." Ezra said, doing his damnedest to mask his annoyance in front of the parents. He glanced at Gabriel, hoping to relay just how not pleased he was, but found him staring up at the ceiling as if asking for some benevolent god to save him.

Deena dropped her hands, her smile falling as well, giving way to confusion. "You're not? I swear Gabby said that you two'd been serious for quite some time."

"Thought we were gonna have to talk him into makin' a… well, suppose it wouldn't be an honest man, would it? You offended by that? The idea of Gab makin' an honest man outta you?" Harry asked with a deep frown.

Perhaps a bit , Ezra thought to himself.

Gabriel had said they were partners? For how long? How long has he been telling his family that he and Ezra were a thing? He hoped it had only been in the last year, though that just meant they had to have yet another discussion on how Ezra was more than happy for Gabriel to see other people.

Gabriel, at least, was blushing so badly he was almost glistening. This was punishment enough for now, Ezra would wager.

"I wouldn't be offended, no." Ezra assured Harry kindly, putting his annoyance at Gabriel on hold. "But I'm afraid we're just friends, he and I. We have been for… goodness, how long has it been?"

"Twelve years." Gabriel supplied automatically.

"Twelve years?" He repeated, an edge of regret in his surprise.

Twelve years meant that… well it was a bit of a reminder of how seven years had gone by without….

The curling smoke of sadness and guilt that came over him every May was trying hard to make the comeback now, a month past when it was allowed to. But Ezra didn't let it take hold, he barely allowed it to come around the month before. Time was marching on, and while he wasn't ready to let go, he was well past allowing his mistakes to haunt him. .

"My, how the time flies," Ezra said with as much of a smile as he could manage.

"So," Deena said, amping up the cheer as if to chase away all the heaviness the moment had brought. "Wasn't a date night, sadly, but was there a special occasion? Seemed like it might have been when we got in."

"It's Ezra's birthday tomorrow." Gabriel said, "So-"

"Oh, really? Well, happy birthday! How old if it isn't too rude?" Deena asked, cutting off anything Gabriel might have added.

"It will be my thirtieth." Ezra replied as he allowed Deena to lead him back into the kitchen. "I'll be going out of town for the day, so I won't be around for a proper celebration."

"So you two decided to celebrate your birthday together tonight. Oh, that's so sweet." Deena said, smiling at Gabriel.

"Yes," he said, "So, if you'd like, I can point out some great restaurants around town."

"Oh, Gabby, don't be silly." Ezra interrupted, smirking when Gabriel couldn't seem to decide whether he should scowl or smile at being referred to by the nickname. "Your parents flew all the way here to see you." Then, he turned to Deena, taking her hand and surprising her. "Parents are something to cherish. I lost my father quite young, and my mother only passed less than a year ago. I would hate to get in the way of this valuable time together."

Deena pouted sympathetically, patting Ezra's hand. "You're not in the way, dear. You stay, we'll have dinner together like Gabby planned. Well, maybe not quite like he planned if the candles that were on the table when we arrived had much to do with it. And there's flowers, somewhere. But no, if you want us to stay, we will, otherwise-"

"I would be delighted to have you around." Ezra smiled, glancing at Gabriel once again who now appeared both hopeful and defeated. "And maybe you can tell me all about what Gabby was like growing up."

"They call him 'Gabby'?" Oscar said between bouts of laughter, Richard still wheezing.

They were probably making a bit of a scene for the sort of restaurant they were in. Upscale, to be certain, but they were also likely not the loudest either.

Ezra had had a workshop that morning, one awfully late in the year, but nothing he couldn't apply to his course when school resumed in September. And with Gabriel's parents in town, he was able to decline the lift into the city, opting to take the train so he could read his book in peace on the way there.

Oscar and Richard insisted they take him out for dinner while he was in the city, and he was more than willing to oblige them. Eliza had promised there would be cake upon his return to Tadfield, and encouraged him ("For the love of God, Ezra, get a life.") to stay in the city as long as he wanted so as not to feel rushed.

"Eliza didn't stop giggling for about thirty minutes when I told her," Ezra said, snickering behind his champagne flute. "I swear she'll be calling him that every time she sees him now. Which will go a long way in assisting in him, perhaps, keeping some distance between us for a while. That, and I think he's hoping the photo of him with unflattering glasses and neon jumper will fade from my memory if he doesn't pester too much."

"Did he really plan a romantic dinner at his house?" Oscar asked as he reached for his own drink.

"He had." Ezra replied, glancing at movement the next table over. "He even told me as much when I was leaving. That he wanted to make it up to me, and I had to tell him again that I'm just not interested in him like that. Frankly, I went so far as to say I wasn't interested in seeing anyone."

"You're joking." Richard asked kindly.

"Afraid not," Ezra said as he set down his flute. He twirled the stem between his fingers, watching it move. "The incident back in September made me realize that I am simply not in the proper head space for any of that. I clearly am not reading signals like I should be. Otherwise I would have known that Gabriel had wanted far more than I could give him. What he clearly expected."

"I just don't understand why you didn't call David." Oscar said simply.

"Well it's hardly like I planned to be intimate with someone." Ezra rolled his eyes. "I was just a bit adrift. He'd kissed me, and I … I went with it. And in the moment, it felt right. It was the aftermath that made me regret the whole thing. And even if I had known that a physical encounter was what I had wanted, David was out of town." Then, after biting his lip, he confessed. "I very nearly called Anthony."

"You what?" Oscar asked while Richard frowned.

"Not-not for that. Again, I had no idea that it's what I had wanted. But I had his number cued up, and was working up the nerve to just touch the call button. But then Gabriel-"

"I genuinely don't know if I'm thankful for the interruption, or bitter that it may have been the lesser of two evils." Oscar interrupted before taking a drink of his champagne.

"Anthony's the one you lost touch with, right?" Richard asked, trying to keep up.

"Yes," Ezra nodded. "And frankly, Oscar, I'm of the same accord to a certain degree. I genuinely don't know what might have been worse. For all I know, Anthony could have simply rang off and then I would have been far more a wreck." And then to change the subject, "How is David these days. I haven't heard much from him."

Here, Richard beamed. "He met someone." He said happily. "A wonderful bloke who moved to France from… I think he said Canada. I'm not sure, really, but he's exactly what David needs. He's actually looking to see if he can find a school to teach over in France, like an English immersion sort of deal."

"Oh, I am glad to hear." Ezra said, feeling his heart ache a bit at the news.

He was happy for David, of course he was. But that part of him that had wanted to love him still mourned what will never be.

"You're next." Richard said with certainty. "You'll see, your Mr Right is coming for you. Might take him a bit, but he's on his way."

Ezra smiled sadly. "It's alright if he doesn't. I know thirty isn't old, but there is a part of me that's already accepted I may just be a confirmed bachelor of a modern persuasion."

"Be patient." Richard said as he reached across the table and took Ezra's hand. "Your man is coming, I know it."

~C~

Crowley looked at the empty lot, a smile growing on his face the longer he lingered.

In the last couple months, he'd waffled. Swindon had a building ready to go, practically perfect for what he wanted. But something about the area didn't sit right. He couldn't put his finger on why, and so he thought maybe it was a good idea to go with his gut. Tadfield had land, but no building, which would mean a good chance he wouldn't be open in time for the holidays if he decided to go that route.

A couple weeks back, he'd decided to take a drive and check out the smaller city, having never been before.

From the moment he entered the boundaries, everything felt right.

Crowley could just feel it in his gut, in his soul, that this was where he had to set up a second shop. This was where he would have the most success. And a stop at one of the local Realtors gave him three options for where to build, one next to a Hendricks, which was wonderfully convenient. He may have jumped the gun and hired an architect to design the building, and he may have jumped the gun again by getting in touch with a contractor in the area. But it worked out in the end.

He was leaning against his car, looking at the empty lot, the deed of ownership in his hand, signed not two hours ago. He pictured the store front, the wide glass and white brick. He imagined the plants one would see through the window, and how it would feel being in the greenhouse bit in the back on a warm, sunny day. There was even the space for an outdoor nursery in the summer, or a tree lot in the winter should he decide to have one.

This place here was where his vision for the future would really come to be.

Crowley didn't want to leave. He just wanted to stay in this much quieter city, where the air seemed a little cleaner, and the sun a little brighter. It felt strangely like coming home after being away for far too long and he just couldn't bring himself to move.

His phone rang, and without looking at it, he answered, "Crowley."

"Did you get lost?" Bea asked.

"No." Crowley frowned in voice alone, far too pleased with life to scowl physically. "Why do you ask?"

"Wasn't your appointment to sign the papers three hours ago?" They retorted.

"Mighta been." He countered. "It's in my hands, Bea. It's mine, I can … I can do this."

"Bonus that you aren't sleeping with anyone this time that you can knock up."

"Talked to the construction bloke," Crowley said, ignoring that last comment. "And they can break ground the week after next. Bit later than I would've liked, but hell, it's a start."

"Are you quite done?" Bea asked. When Crowley remained silent for a moment, they continued. "Drinks are at seven. Dagon and I will meet you at the pub, do not be late, she has a guy for you to meet. You probably won't like him, don't think you'd fit, but it's worth a shot because you can't keep third wheeling with us."

"Right, seven. Gotcha." He with a click.

Bea groaned. "And no shop talk." They warned.

"Got it, thanks." Crowley said before ringing off, thinking maybe instead of a boyfriend, he could probably find himself some new friends, full stop.

He pocketed his phone, and almost pushed off the car when he felt compelled to stop and stare at the empty lot one more time.

Something was changing, something good was going to come of this, he could feel it in his bones.

"Happy bloody birthday to me," He said with a wide, toothy grin to the wind, then got in his car and drove back to London.

He went to Tadfield about once a week, twice if his sitter could squeeze him in, and over saw what he could. Construction hats did nothing for his hair, so it was more flat these days, but if he wanted to be anywhere near anything he had to wear one. It actually became quite beneficial in some ways, being at the center of it all when he could. It was actually surprising how many little things came up that the architect would have been consulted on, and then him in turn.

It was also beneficial, he found, that he was able to sneak into a coffee shop each time he came up and order a massive round of drinks and snacks for the men and women at work. It seemed to make him a much more likable client, or at least he hoped it did.

In the last couple months since construction began, Crowley went to the same spot, and each time he was there, there was a woman a few years younger than him, sitting in a corner, reading a book. Book girl, he called her in his mind.

She was bloody beautiful.

Book girl had long dark hair, either up in a bun, a half up in a bun, or tumbled down around her shoulders like it was today. She was always in a sort of witch-like outfit, skirts and blouses or dresses that gave off that sort of aesthetic without being obnoxious. It just fit her. And book girl had these round glasses that were always perched on her nose, which softened the extreme beauty to make her more adorable, almost approachable.

Almost.

He looked away before she could look up from her book and see the creepy ginger man turned toward her while wearing sunglasses. He'd forgotten his contacts that morning, Warlock having a particularly clingy day and he'd run out of time trying to put them in when trying to peel his son off his leg so he could get other things done.

Crowley placed his long order with the barista, made sure to tip well, and then headed down the counter to the bar to wait. He kept his back turned to the beautiful woman so he wouldn't be tempted to stare, and found himself instead looking at a beautiful man who was working the coffee machines and Crowley had never seen before.

"This is a sorta hell," He mumbled to himself, looking down at his hands as he gently rapped his knuckles on the counter top.

"Is it?" A lilting voice with a pleasant accent said beside him, startling him to realize he'd been overheard.

Of course, it was book girl.

She smiled at him, seeming to know what he was thinking, then turned to bloke and pointed. "He's been checking you out since you walked in, and when you came down this way his posture has become much stiffer than it has been all morning. And his aura is light red."

"His… aura." Crowley managed to say.

"Mmmhmmm," book girl hummed sincerely, narrowing her eyes at a spot above his head. "You're all over the place, but I can tell you're equally attracted to both him and me, which, really, I'm flattered but I'm seeing someone."

"Right." He said, feeling a bit like he was flailing.

"I'm Anathema, by the way."

"AJ," He introduced himself, offering his hand.

Anathema took it with a smile, giving it a friendly shake in return.

"Hello, AJ." She said with a smile. "So, are you going to ask him for his number, or are you just-"

Crowley held up his hand, silencing Anathema and barely containing a nervous laugh. "I don't know you." He started. "And while I like this whole encouraging bit you have going, I don't know him either. And I'm not intending on knowing him, or anyone, in that nature."

He glanced over when he heard a grumble, watching the bloke pour a coffee into a new cup and throw out the other one which, apparently, had a lot more black ink on it than just the name of the order.

"Why?" Anathema asked, getting Crowley's attention again.

"You're very nosy for a stranger, you know that?" He said, as equally put off by it as he was intrigued.

She simply smiled and shrugged. "I like to think I can get a good read on someone, whether they're worth being nosy with."

"I'm worthy? I'm honored." He said with only a little sarcasm.

"You should be. So, why no dating?"

The next tray was set on the counter, leaving only the food to be brought over.

"I don't really have time to answer that," He said with a grin that Anathema smirked at.

"Well," She said. "Next time you're here getting coffee, if you feel like a chat, I could use a friend. You probably could, too."

"Oi, book girl!" Crowley called, much to Bea's and Dagon's displeasure. Shouting out for someone was something they didn't normally do, going so far as sneering at those who did. But the pub was full and rowdy, and Crowley could see Anathema was lost upon entering, not able to spot them easily through the lot of people.

She beamed when she spotted Crowley waving, making her way through the crowd to the table, sitting in the chair next to Crowley's and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Bea's eyebrows nearly hit their hairline.

"Bea, Dag, this is Anathema. I hired her for the Tadfield shop. Anathema, Bea, Dagon."

"A pleasure," Anathema replied warmly.

Bea ignored her. "You hired someone for a shop that's not even built yet." They asked Crowley.

He shrugged. "She wants a job to keep her busy, I'm gonna have jobs."

"You realize that sleeping with your employees is actually something that causes problems." Bea said, tilting their head as to look at Crowley from beneath their brow.

"Oh, I'm not sleeping with him. He's not my type. Too flash," Anathema said smoothly before waving down a waitress and ordering a beer.

Bea continued to stare at her, sizing her up. "You know where Tadfield is, don't you?" They asked.

Anathema arched one perfectly shaped brow. "Considering that's where I live, I would say so. I got the train in when AJ asked me to join you for drinks. Get to know you."

Bea let the silence linger before giving a single nod, and continuing what they were talking about before.

"I like them," Anathema leaned in and whispered when Bea and Dagon got caught in a discussion. "We're going to end up teaming up on you a lot. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah," Crowley agreed with a grin. Frankly, he couldn't wait.