Shaw took a bite. Chewed. Closed his eyes.
"Well?" Hudson said.
"It’s good."
"Come on. I saw you close your eyes. It’s insane."
"Like I said. It’s good."
Hudson snorted. "You're being difficult on purpose."
Shaw grinned and took another bite immediately, totally giving himself away.
They ate without talking much. A jogger zoomed past them, pulled along by a dog clearly in charge. Two kidsargued over a boogie board while their dad stood nearby, pretending not to hear.
“You want to walk?” Hudson asked when they had finished their chowder.
They ditched their trash in the nearest garbage can and walked down to the waterline, shoes off, the sand cold and damp underfoot. Shaw rolled up his jeans with precision and Hudson had to bite the inside of his cheek not to joke about it.
As they walked, the waves came in and pulled back in a calming rhythm. A pelican cruised low over the water and Shaw tracked it for a minute before apparently deciding it wasn’t a threat.
“Reed texted me last week,” Hudson said. “Sarah’s pregnant.”
“I know. He told me.”
“You think he’s going to be a good dad?”
Shaw seemed to consider it for a second. “Yes, annoyingly good.”
“He’s already unbearable. Sent me a photo of a camouflage onesie.”
“Imagine working with him then. He brought a color palette to work a few weeks back. Asked what I thought about buttercup yellow. Apparently being gay makes me a decor expert."
Hudson laughed. “Okay, you win. I only had to assess the font.”
“The font?”
“Yeah, of the text on the onesie. He made a poll.”
“Jesus. This is going to be a long pregnancy.”
Hudson shook his head. “Reed’s going to be a dad. Absolutely unhinged.”
Up ahead, a toddler made a break for the water on unsteady legs while his mother sprinted after him. Whenshe caught him in her arms and swung him up, he shrieked with laughter.
Hudson couldn’t help but smile at the sound. “You want that someday?”
Shaw glanced at him. “Kids?”
“Yeah.”
He picked up a shell and brushed off the sand. “I haven’t really let myself think about it.” His gaze was fixed on the shell, jaw tight with tension that indicated the answer was more complicated than that.
“I do,” Hudson said. “Someday. House, dog, kids, the whole thing.”
“Very ambitious.”
“It’s not ambitious, it’s—” He gestured vaguely. “Normal.”
