But what if that money ran out before he found something else?
Rory hesitated. If his rent money ran out, then buried in his trunk was another lifeline from Arthur—the maintenance key to his apartment. And the note,you are welcome here.
Except—what if Arthur came back and found he had to support Rory, that Rory had become his burden? He already let Rory keep his magic in his aura—was Rory really planning to ask Arthur to keep him in his house too?
Baker was sneering at him, certain that Rory had no other options but to take his abuse.
Rory swallowed down his arguments. He’d figure out where to sleep when he got off work. With a deep breath, he turned away and went into the kitchen, where dishes were stacked in teetering piles next to the sink. He let out his breath in a long sigh and got to work.
He’d been washing dishes for more than an hour, lower back aching, sweaty from the heat and steam, when the air in front of him flickered.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Rory nearly dropped the sudsy, slippery plate.
Zhang’s glowing astral projection was in the sink, his torso rising out of the soapy water to eye level. “What are youdoing?” he said again.
Rory blinked hard. “You’re back!” Wincing at how loud his voice was, he glanced over his shoulder, but the kitchen was empty and everything silent. Well, silent except for the glowing man in his sink, and Zhang was the most welcome thing Rory’d seen in weeks. “Aw geez, it’s so good to see you,” Rory told him. “And if you’re back, is Arthur—”
“Oh, Arthur’s back. And a mess.”
Rory’s heart plummeted. “What? Why?”
“Because he couldn’t find you at your boarding house, so he went to the antiques shop and found it up for lease. Then he went to Mrs. Brodigan’s apartment and found she moved out of her flat today. So he called Jade and me, frantic, and now I’ve found you dead on your feet but still being worked, and guess how well that’s going over?”
Oh, Rory’s mouth formed.
“He’s on his way from Hell’s Kitchen,” Zhang said tensely.
Rory leaned on the sink, exhausted, happy relief coursing through him. “You’re really all back?” he said hopefully.
Zhang huffed, his expression softening. “Just let Arthur bring you here, okay?”
“Where’shere?”
But Zhang had faded from view.
Rory hastily put as many dishes as he could to soak in the sink. He’d be the first one here in the morning anyway; he’d finish up then. He tossed his apron into the laundry chute and got his hat, money, and lock from the locker, heading out through the staff hallway that kept the workers unseen by the hotel guests in the lobby.
He’d just reached the sidewalk when the red Cadillac pulled up along the curb. And Rory didn’t care how angry Arthur was, he just wanted to see his face in person.
He was stumbling forward as Arthur leapt out of the car, leaving it idling as he scrambled around to the sidewalk. Travel rumpled, in only his shirtsleeves and vest with no hat, with more than a day’s worth of stubble on his face—Arthur was still always going to be the best-looking man Rory’d ever seen.
They were on a Fifth Avenue sidewalk in the middle of Midtown, and even at ten thirty on a cool April night there were taxis driving past and people loitering. They stopped short of each other, maybe a foot of space between their bodies. “I missed you—” Rory breathed, just as Arthur said, “You shit, I was so worried—”
They stared at each other, and Rory thought he might explode from not being able to hug, to touch.
Arthur took a deep breath through his nose. “Car,” he bit out, and there was no mistaking the tension in his voice. He opened the passenger door and held it open for Rory.
Rory stuck his hands in his trouser pockets. “Probably not the time to make fun of you for acting like a gentleman even though I’m not a doll.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes.
Rory ducked his head and slunk into the car.
A moment later, Arthur got in the driver’s seat, and then he reached past the stick shift to grab Rory’s hand tightly, low, where no passersby would see.
Even the small touch was electric, sending pleasure and a kind of familiar affection through Rory. He tightened his fingers around Arthur’s. “I missed you so much.”
