Ryan had just finished his shift at the restaurant when he walked out through the employee entrance and found Marcus waiting for him.
Marcus was leaning against his car, dressed casually in dark jeans and a sweater, his hands in his pockets. When he saw Ryan, his face lit up with that smile that always made Ryan's chest feel warm.
"Hey," Marcus said, pushing off from the car and walking toward him.
"Hi," Ryan replied, unable to stop his own smile from forming.
Marcus pulled him into a hug without hesitation, wrapping his arms around Ryan like he'd been waiting all day to do exactly that. Ryan let himself sink into it, breathing in Marcus's familiar scent, feeling the tension from his shift start to ease.
When they pulled apart, Marcus opened the passenger door for him. "Ready?"
"Yeah."
Ryan got in, settling into the comfortable leather seat. Marcus closed the door and walked around to the driver's side, sliding in and starting the engine.
