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“Never thought I’d see you so happy about electronics and unpacking,” I said playfully as I sipped my own drink.
“We’re finally home. All of us.” He reached up and squeezed my hand. “Nothing can get me down.”
Well, as long as he was so upbeat…. “Did you ask Charlie what the deal is with Daniel?”
“You mean if he’s going to camp out here?” Adan said.
I nodded.
He shook his head. “Nope. The last thing I wanted was to rile him up now that we’re here. You know how defensive he is about his depressed friend.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” I sighed. “The house is plenty big and he’s a nice enough guy, but it’s weird, right? Who shows up out of nowhere for no reason and doesn’t leave?”
“Yeah, it’s weird. I’m sure there’s some reason, but from what Charlie told us, the guy hasn’t even told him what happened, so I doubt we’ll ever get the scoop.”
I took a deep breath. “Well, he’s bound to leave eventually, right?”
“Right,” Adan said as he dipped his chin. “Give me a kiss and then go deliver those drinks.” He tilted his head toward the tray I was holding. “Charlie’s unpacking the kids’ rooms. He said he wants them all put together by the time they get home from school so they don’t feel displaced.”
I chuckled fondly and said, “He’ll probably have their beds made and their names stenciled on the walls too.”
“He’s a good dad,” Adan agreed.
“So are you,” I whispered before squatting down and bussing my lips over Adan’s. “I’ll go give Charlie and Daniel their drinks and then—” I cleared my throat and used my best Arnold Schwarzenegger voice as I said, “I’ll be back.”
Whether it was because I was walking quietly, or because the noise from the boxes Charlie and Daniel were ripping open was loud, or because they were so engrossed in their conversation that they weren’t paying attention to anything else, I don’t know, but for whatever reason, they didn’t hear me approach. I, on the other hand, heard them talking, and even though listening in to someone else’s conversation is wrong and rude, I’m nosy, so I did it anyway.
“Are you sure you don’t need me to stay and help you unpack?” Daniel asked.
“I’m sure.” Charlie paused. “You said you’re going back to him. Did you change your mind again?”
“I don’t know,” Daniel whispered.
“You can’t run forever, Daniel. We talked about this.”
“I know,” he answered. “But I wasn’t running this time! It wasn’t my fault.”
I heard Charlie sigh deeply. “Look, you won’t tell me what Asher did, but based on the short time I spent with that guy, I’d be willing to bet good money that whatever happened was his fault.”
“See? You don’t even like him. Why should I go back there?”
“Because I’m not the one who has to live with him, and for whatever reason, you’re in love with the guy, Daniel. We both know he’s called you a million times. Don’t think I haven’t seen you listen to his messages over and over again.”
“I miss him,” Daniel said brokenly.
“Yes, I know. You miss him. He misses you. So get your ass out of my house and on a plane back to San Francisco so you can make up with that hot but personality-challenged asshole.”
Neither of them said anything for so long that I thought they were done talking, but just as I was about to walk in, Daniel said, “What if I go back and he… does what he did again?”
“Well, if that happens, you kick him in the nuts or hem his pants.”
I swallowed down my laughter.
“Hem his pants?” Daniel asked in confusion.
“Never mind, that’s something Scotty said to me one time. Look, does he love you? Whatever else happened, do you believe he loves you?”
“Yes,” Daniel said without hesitation. Then he paused and answered again, “Yes.”
“Then go home. Set his couch on fire, put a laxative in his brownies, draw on his face in permanent marker when he’s sleeping, punish him in whatever way you want, but for fuck’s sake, stop running.”
My jaw dropped.
“Thanks, Chase. I’ll call you later and tell you how it goes.”
I was still frozen in shocked horror when Daniel sauntered out of the bedroom. “I wouldn’t mess with him if I were you,” he said to me as he took his drink from the tray I was holding. “It was nice getting to know you, Scott. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”
He walked down the hallway and then I heard him running down the stairs.
“Are you done eavesdropping?” Charlie called out. “Because I could use some help putting this dollhouse back together.”
I shook my head to clear my mind and stumbled into the room. “How long did you know I was out there?”
“Long enough.”
I bobbed my head. “So that’s why you said that stuff about the laxative and the fire? You were screwing around, right? I mean, it’s not like you’d ever actually do any of that.”
