“That’s the goal.” The grin on his face returns. He might put on a big show, but I can tell how much he cares about the event. “A big black-tie event with a special guest speaker and lots of booze is a good way to get people to open their wallets.”
“Maybe if I can get stuff put together a little bit more, I’ll be able to attend one year.”
He shakes his head at me. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I know, but it might be fun.” Plus, I’d like to see Nathan in a tux. Those muscular thighs would look spectacular in the tight dress pants. The only time I’d seen him in one before was senior prom, but he’d still been a skinny kid back then.
“If you’re serious, I can get you a ticket. That way, you can come and not worry about the plate cost. Donate whatever you can, and we’ll call it good. Moving here and getting set up can’t have been easy on your bank account.” I can feel my face burn at the gesture, and I’m glad he doesn’t push the topic further. “What about your job? You still like it?”
I chat about my job for a while, droning on about my new boss and some of my coworkers. It’s not the most exciting topic, but by the time we are done, I feel like we’ve shaken some of the awkwardness from earlier in the evening.
NATHAN
We never gotto the movie, but the hours quickly slipped away. Colt chats away, filling me in on details of his life over the last several years. At first, I bite my lips to make sure I don’t ask about his date. It would be so easy to slip it into the conversation. I swallow each awkward statement as it comes into my mouth. After a bit, it gets easier, and eventually, I’m caught up in laughing at his stories.
A yawn sneaks up on me, and I try to keep my lips stitched together so he won’t notice. “It’s getting late. I should get going,” Colt says. He stands and props up the pillows he’s been holding on his lap.
“Really?” He’s right, of course, but I don’t want him to leave. I never stay up this late, but for Colt, I’d stay up all night doing this. Talking. Of course, as I start to argue with him to stay, Iyawn again. This time, I can’t pretend it’s not happening. “We didn’t watch the movie.”
“It’s almost ten o’clock, well past your bedtime.” He picks up his empty can and starts toward the kitchen. He’s right. If we start the movie now, it’ll be after midnight when we finish. “This was fun. We should make it a regular thing. Dinner and nostalgic movies. Assuming we get to the movies.” My body tenses, and I can see when he senses I hesitate. It’s not that I don’t want to; I haven’t figured out how to manage my crush. “If you want, we could always invite your friends or?—”
“I’d love to.” I jump in. Nothing’s changed, but I’ll figure it out. “It’s nice getting to reconnect. Plus, I need to catch up on my movies. We can’t do pizza every time, though. We’re not fifteen anymore.”
“Fine, but we’re still doing beer.” I love that he thinks this is a negotiation. I might want to ensure we don’t overdo it on junk food, but I’m not a monster.
“Agreed.” I walk him to the door. The gesture feels odd. I don’t walk Tyler to the door when he comes over. He’s been here enough times that he’s more than capable of showing himself out. So why am I walking Colt to the door? It’s weirdly date-like. My entryway is small, so I’m forced to stand close to him. I can smell the lingering earthy scent of his cologne. The urge to push him up against the wall and kiss him pushes to the front of my mind.
“Thanks for tonight,” he says, turning back toward me. He pauses with his hand by the doorknob, and for a second, I wonder if the same fantasies are running through his mind. It’s ridiculous, but I can dream.
“It was my pleasure. I can’t wait to do it again.” Suddenly, Colt throws his body against mine and wraps his arms around my neck. He pulls me into a tight hug. It takes me a moment to respond. When my mind finally catches up, I wrap my armsaround him and bury my face in the crook of his neck. I bite my lip to keep from kissing his exposed skin. He holds me tight against him for a while before letting go. I want to pull him back toward me and extend the contact, but I take a deep breath and release my hands from his back.
“It’s good to have you back in my life.”
“Same. Now get out of here so I can get some rest.”
He salutes me and walks out to his car.
I shut the door behind him and let myself sink to the ground next to it. I may not have taken Tyler’s advice to have a conversation, but this feels like something. I wish I’d been clear on what that something was.
Chapter Eleven
NATHAN
“So, did you talk to Colt?”Tyler leans over the table when Matthias and Aaron get up to grab us another round of beers. It’s been three weeks since I saw Colt out on his date. Since then, we’ve made Friday movie nights a regular thing. Well, it’s as regular as twice in a row, but we plan to do it again tomorrow. Plus, we technically spent Friday together the previous week, even if it was only because of his lock-out situation. We ate lots of food, drank beer, and watched the movie last week. What we haven’t done is talk about ourselves.
“What are you talking about?” I feign ignorance and hope we can drop the conversation before the other guys return.
“I’m talking about whatever’s going on between you.”
“Nothing’s going on. Colt is an old friend, and we’re friendly.”
“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”
I toss my balled-up napkin at him, and he raises his hand to deflect it. “What makes you think something’s going on?”
“Oh, can I answer that?” Aaron slides back in next to me, and I groan. I don’t need everyone weighing in on this topic. “You’ve been busy lately.”
“I haven’t missed a single Thursday night.” These are sacred, and I wouldn’t dare even if it meant missing a chance to flirt with Colt.
