“He worked for my dad,” Florian said quickly, before Kade could add anything. “So yes.”
“Ohh,” Nadia said, and she looked back at Florian to wink at him. “So he works for you now?”
Florian paused, bewildered. He supposed itwastechnically true, and he shared a heated look with Kade for an instant. He shrugged.
“Yes,” Kade said, tone as flat as ever; but Florian burst out laughing.
“I mean, I guess so,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s one way to put it.”
“Well, I’m just glad you’re seeing someone with a job this time,” she teased, nudging Florian in the ribs, and he groaned in response.
“We actually ran into Cameron at the store like an hour ago,” he said, and she squealed with laughter. “Right? I think he was jealous.”
“Oh, I hope so! God, I would havepaidto see that,” she laughed.
They sat together for a little while longer, talking as if it were an average weekend. Kade was quiet, listening more than speaking; but Florian knew that was how he was most comfortable. Nadia was clearly still suspicious about what he had been doing the past month, and he was sure she didn’t really believe him, but to her credit she didn’t bring it up again. Otherwise, she was acting pretty normal, all things considered. He would take what he could get.
Eventually, though, Nadia stood and brushed sand off her legs, looking out across the street. The sun had set, and the street lights were turning on.
“I better get going,” she sighed, leaning down to hug Florian again. “Flor, I’m glad you’re okay, but please don’t go another month without talking to me, alright? I was really worried about you.”
“I know,” Florian said, hugging her back. Guilt panged in him as he said it. They had no idea how long they would be in the Veil next time. “I won’t.”
“And it was nice to meet you,” Nadia said, stepping closer to Kade. He stood as she approached, and Florian had to stifle a chuckle.
“You too,” he said, and Nadia held her hand out to him. He looked at her hand blankly for a moment, then gave a start as if remembering what he had to do, taking her hand and giving it a slight shake.
“Be good to him, okay?” she said, and Florian groaned. “You probably already know he’s kind of a baby. He’s a lot softer than he looks.”
“Nadia,” Florian hissed, flushing.
“Okay,” Kade agreed, nodding once with a serious expression.
She giggled as she looked back at Florian. “I think I like this one,” she teased.
Kade sat back down next to Florian as they watched her go. When she had crossed the street and turned the corner, disappearing from their view behind one of the many beachfront shops and buildings, he finally turned back to Florian.
“Flor,” he repeated softly, a grin spreading across his face, and in an instant all the tension drained out of Florian as he laughed.
“I guess you can call me that,” he sighed, shaking his head. “I didn’t take you for much of a nickname kind of guy, though.” His laugh trailed off, as Kade wrapped an arm around him, hugging him much more gently than Nadia had. Florian sighed, leaning into the touch and pressing his face into Kade’s shoulder, warm and strong and comforting.
“Softer than you look,” Kade murmured, his voice a low rumble like distant thunder; and Florian smiled in spite of himself.
“I’m not soft,” he grumbled, wrapping his own arms around Kade as he said it. “This is nice, though.”
“Definitely soft,” Kade said. “And brave.”
“I don’t know about that,” Florian laughed, shaking his head against Kade’s shoulder. “I don’t think she believed me at all. Who knows what she thinks?”
“You still told her,” Kade replied, shrugging. “That’s the important part. You did it. That’s brave.”
“Maybe I should have just lied,” Florian sighed. Kade made a soft, noncommittal noise, but moved his thumbs in slow circles along Florian’s shoulders.
“I think you did the right thing,” he finally said after a moment of consideration. “I’m proud of you.”
It seemed a silly thing to be proud of, but it still made Florian smile anyway. He took in a deep, slow breath, savoring the moment and the herbal, warm scent of Kade’s skin. It was easy to forget the rest of the world for a moment, as they held each other and looked out at the ocean. The sky was a deep purple and seemed to go on and on. It wouldn’t last forever, but it was nice.
“Ready to go back?” he asked after a few minutes, barely above a whisper. He felt Kade breathe in deeply, then released him as he nodded. Florian took him by the hand, and they left the beach.
