This is my friend, Deedra

This morning B and I went to breakfast - to a special place - a place where he had breakfast on the regular with his grandfather.

We walk in, get a table, sit down:

B:     "My CEO is in here."

Me:   "OK"

B:     "No, my CEO is. in. here."

Me:   "OK"

Guy walks up to the table, pleasantries exchanged:

B:     "This is my friend, Deedra."

*shake hands*

Conversation about work stuff ensues, ends, CEO walks off.

No big deal, right?

I get a text later saying that B appreciates my being understanding at breakfast, that it's not how it should be, etc.

How do I tell him that I know sometimes we have to be just two friends having breakfast and it's ok? 

I hate the word "secret."  It implies something wrong.  I don't want to think of my relationship with B as being wrong, even though I get that a lot of people would think so.  I also get that, for the most part, he has to keep his relationship with me hidden - not out of being ashamed or anything, just out of necessity.  His life is much different than mine.  He has a wife, children, colleagues, family, etc.  He's constructed his life to be a certain way and he has to keep that up, you know? 

I know he hates having to keep secrets from people.  I know he laments having to hide part of his life.  I know this.  And for right now, just knowing that is enough for me to be ok with it.  Of course, I can't say that I'll always be ok with it, but for right now it's ok and something I've learned is that we have to live in the present, so it's hard to look beyond right now.

All I know to do is love him to the best of my ability - and that's what I'm trying to do.