another posibility

Thankfully, Oliver didn't have to go that far to work. And the bakery was quite a success. Naturally, he couldn't say it was his doing. He had a recipe to follow. It seemed  the owner had botched it up, over the years. Maybe it was bad eyes or just not enough man power to work the dough. Whatever. Everyone swore he made a difference.

Now the Red Hat Society had their Friday teas there. It was hardly a large enough establishment to make ends meet. But they were busy. People coming in to buy cookies and pies. Thankfully, they were closed on Sundays.

"What I'd really like to do is ..is just grill a really good steak." Oliver told Eric on one of their Sunday suppers. Eric had asked what he would really like to do with the shop and well, that's what he really wanted.

"So that's not on the menu?" Obviously Eric hadn't been there, but Oliver wasn't going to point that out.

"No, just you know, shepherd's pie, fish and chips." He did make it sound a bit more dreary than what it was, he guessed. People kept coming back. He guessed he was doing something right.

"Maybe you could just grill us ..steak..some time..." Eric grinned then as he went to pick up a fussy baby to tend to. "Perhaps, Ian would come." He shrugged so casually. "Is he seeing anyone? We could invite them too."

"Oh, he's got that boyfriend of his." Oliver said without a second thought.

"Boyfriend?" Eric cracked up as if Oliver was just silly.

"Uh, yes, he's seeing that Derrick fellow, these days." Oliver nodded.

"I know, his friend. He's just a friend. I wouldn't go so far to call him a boyfriend." Now Eric was laughing.

"But he is." Oliver cracked open a New Castle ale then and took a drink.

"What?" Eric stood there is disbelief. He wasn't quite laughing now. "Come on, how would you know these things?" He squinted.

"He told me." Oliver looked at him blankly. It was quiet then. Eric took the baby to its crib.