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For a big man, Barrett moved fast. He was soon dragging Ambrose through the club, dodging the crowds and the drunks and shoving a bill into the bouncer’s hand. The world spun on its axis a little - too much vodka - but the night was cool on his skin as they waited for a cab to pull up. Barrett kept him close, their bodies touching at the shoulder and chest and hip, and when the cab arrived, he helped Ambrose in and gave the driver directions.
“Behave now,” Barrett said in his ear, making Ambrose shiver. “We’re not too far.” So Ambrose tucked his face into Barrett’s neck and closed his eyes.
His phone buzzed just as the cabbie dropped them off in the middle of their shared driveway.
From: PrestonI’m so sorry. I know you deserve more and I don’t expect an answer. But you have something better now, something real. I’ve seen it. It’s my fault, all of it. The cheating, our breakup, your pain, your mom. All of it’s mine. I’m not looking for your sympathy. I deserve you hating me. But I see it now, and I know. And I wanted to apologize one more time. I told her you were gone. That there was a new you and it wasn’t interested in us, and that if that changed, you’d come to us. But I know now. I’m glad you’re happy, I’m glad you have him. And she won’t bother you again, hopefully. I’ll do what I can to stop her.
Ambrose silently passed his phone over to Barrett and then tipped his head up to suck in a lungful of cold air.
“Sometimes things fall apart for a reason,” Barrett said softly. He handed the phone back and then let Ambrose burrow close. “I think he means it.”
“I think he does, too.” When he looked up at Barrett, he saw nothing but trust and love. That expression took his longing, his heated, aching desire, and turned it softer, sweeter. Ambrose moved in just as Barrett did and their kiss was full of a meaning neither had words for.
The next morning they planned to see Raf off with plenty of hugs and teasing. Barrett hadn’t felt so strongly about a person in a long time, outside of his attraction to Ambrose. Raf made being friendly - and becoming friends - so easy. He was casual with his touches, but not invasive. He teased but didn’t cajole or insult. And he seemed utterly oblivious to his looks or money, but not in an obnoxious “I’m like everyone else” kind of way.
It made complete sense that Raphael Lutz was Ambrose’s best friend. They were, on some level, two sides of the same coin. And it helped that Raf was endearingly genuine and funny.
“So there he is, stumbling around in the bottom half of a horse costume, asking where his head went.” Raf could barely hold in his laughter. “Oh, I haven’t been able to tell this story in so long.”
“Great. Yay,” Ambrose deadpanned but despite the fierce blush on his face, he was smiling.
“So did you find your head?” Barrett asked, poking Ambrose in the side while Raf grinned over his coffee cup.
“Turns out, yes he did.” Raf’s face was a picture of delight. “Because I stole it and put it in the backseat of the car, so when we dumped his rather drunken butt in there, the scream he let out got the cops called on us.”
Barrett lost it, picturing a twenty-something Ambrose, eyes crossed from drink, stumbling around in the dark only to land in the backseat of a rustbucket car where Raf had stashed the head part of his horse costume. He and Raf were howling with laughter while Ambrose grumbled and half-heartedly slapped at Raf’s shoulder when the ride they’d called pulled into the drive.
“Oh, my dear darling friends, it has been a complete and utter delight.” Raf hugged Ambrose long and hard, his eyes fluttering shut. The sight made Barrett’s eyes prickle. “And you! Wonderful man you are.” Despite their size difference, Raf was strong and Barrett let him yank all three of them into a hug that nearly crushed the air from his lungs. “You are amazing. I couldn’t ask for a better partner for Ambrose.”
“Jesus. If you’re trying to make me cry…” Barrett sniffed and looked away.
“Not at all. But sometimes the truth hurts in a good kind of way.” Raf kissed Barrett’s cheek. “And you will never get anything but the truth from me.” He bent down as Dandi pranced over. “And you, sweetheart! I will miss you. Be good.”
“You hear that, Dandi? He said be good.” Barrett grinned down at Raf and the dog. “I doubt she’ll listen, though.”
“I think she will.”
They broke apart slowly, mindful of the car idling behind them. “Text me when you get home,” Ambrose said as he wiped his eyes on the back of his hand.
“I will.” Raf hefted his bags over his shoulder, waved, and got into the car. They watched it leave, disappearing around the corner and into the trees.
“I wish he lived closer,” Ambrose said quietly, his breath a cloud of mist in the air. Despite the warmer days, the mornings were still sometimes chilly. “Maybe one day.”
“Think he’d be up for cabin life?”
Ambrose snorted. “Not unless he gets hit on the head and loses his memory.”
“I’ll take that as a no.”
“Sadly.”
Barrett led them back into his house, whistling for Dandi to follow. There was an air of ease around them once more. He and Ambrose were creatures of habit and, despite Raf’s very welcome visit, things had been too hectic to get back to what they enjoyed. The peace and the quiet and now, the slow entrance of their lives into each other’s. Barrett doubted they’d be bothered by Preston or Ambrose’s mother again. When the shock of Preston’s message had worn off, he and Ambrose had sat on the couch and stared at it for a good, long while before acknowledging its’ finality. A chapter closed permanently. The ability to move on, move forward.
Jacques had called that morning to let him know that they were actively on the lookout for Marvin Gilbert. The man was, as expected, in the wind. If he turned up, he’d be handled. Jacques was sure of that. It had taken Barrett a near physical effort to contradict his boss. That gut feeling was back and he could just tell that drama wasn’t over yet. But he didn’t want to scare Ambrose, didn’t want him to feel unsafe. Because they weren’t in any danger, as far as he could tell, but Ambrose felteverythingand Barrett didn’t want to burden him.
“You’re thinking very loudly.”
Barrett grinned at Ambrose and shut the front door. “I’m always thinking. I’ll try not to be so noisy.”
