"What about me?I think we've established I wouldn't make a good basketball player."
"Was Declan tall?Chance?"
Frode scrunched his nose."Chance and I were the same size.We wore each other's clothes, shoes, everything.It was neat if you missed doing your laundry."
A strange feeling awoke in Nikolai's chest.He wouldn't call it jealousy, but the idea of Frode wearing another man's clothes made him want to...snarl or something equally stupid.
Frode chuckled."He's preppier than me.Button-down shirts to my T-shirts, chinos to my jeans, but it worked."He nodded, a faraway look in his eyes."It was good."
Preppy?Nikolai looked down at his worn jeans and AC/DC T-shirt.Not preppy.
"And Declan?"
"Ugh, Declan."
The reluctance to talk about Declan should make Nikolai stop poking, but it only made him more curious."Preppy?"Nikolai pictured a spoiled brat, pouting because his boyfriend had problems of his own and wasn't a mind reader.
"No.Worn jeans and band T-shirts."
Oh...Nikolai looked down his body again.Fuck.
"A couple of inches taller than me."He waved a hand, looking annoyed."Fucking gorgeous, the bastard."
Oookay."Is he still in town?"
Frode shrugged and pushed away from Nikolai to sit upright.Not what he wanted at all."I'm not sure.I haven't seen or spoken to him for a couple of years now."Frode twisted his head to the side, making his neck pop."It's getting late.Maybe we should call it a day."
Nikolai didn't want to end the evening with images of Declan in Frode's mind, but it was getting late, and he didn't think pushing was the right way to go about things if he wanted to get closer to Frode.
"You're right.Thanks for the food and the company."
Frode got up."Sure.Next time, make sure there is a decent game on."
Next time.Nikolai grinned."I'll do my best."He wanted to kiss him, but...no.A hug?Frode grabbed their dirty plates and carried them into the kitchen, so no.
Nikolai put his shoes on and lingered on the doormat until Frode came to see him off.He didn't enter the hallway, opting for leaning against the door frame instead.Nikolai nodded."Sleep tight, honey."
Frode huffed, and Nikolai walked out the door with a smile dancing on his lips.
* * * *
Chapter 16
Frode was staring at the guy.Ice filled his veins, and he couldn't move.He was sure it was the man.The murderer.
Their eyes met, and Frode stood frozen between the dairy section and the freezer section.His feet refused to move.
The man looked away and focused on the contents in the freezer.
Frode was almost out of groceries because the last few times he'd shopped; he'd only picked up what he needed right then and there.He hated shopping, but no matter how often he tried talking himself into grabbing a shopping cart and filling it to the brink, so he wouldn't have to go in every other day or so, he never did.
When he'd driven into town, he'd been about to drive to the store he usually frequented, but then he'd remembered Saylor finding him there, and on a whim, he'd gone to the store by the southern exit, near the roundabout.
He hadn't spared the killer a thought.
Someone bumped into him, and he yanked his gaze away from the man rummaging around the frozen veggies and looked down at a girl who looked to be about three."Sorry."He didn't know why he apologized.
"Frode?"
