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“Oh yeah?” Matty beamed, eyes spilling over with fondness. “Thanks, babe.”
“Hey man,” Austin tipped his head at Ethan, who was slowly recovering from his near-death experience. “You like steak?”
“Am I from Texas?” Ethan’s voice came out wheezy.
“Good man,” Austin chuckled as he adjusted the grocery bags in his arms. “Dinner’s in one hour.” He nodded at Matty. “Sweetheart, you wanna get the grill started?”
Sweetheart.It was still kinda strange hearing his best friend being referred to assweetheartby this giant of a Maine lobsterman. But somehow it seemed right. It seemed like it couldn’t be any other way.“You’re the light, Eth.”Avery’s sleepy voice slammed into him out of nowhere, images from that night in the bar coursing through him like an old movie.
“Eth?” Matty looked at him questioningly.
“Sorry, what?” He shook his head, the images of Avery dissolving into the corners of his mind.
“You okay, Eth?” Matty scrunched his nose.
“Yeah, I’m good. What’s up?”
“Wanna see the backyard? Made it myself,” Matty asked, his voice tinted with pride.
“Sure, Matty. I’d love to. Lead the way.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Matty – Now
“ARE YOU ALWAYSout this early?” Ethan rubbed at his eyes that were no more than two slits in his still sleepy face. Freckles had exploded all over the ridge of his nose and his cheeks under the summer sun and he still looked like the young kid from back home.
“Yeah, usually,” Austin grinned, his gray eyes competing with the grayish blue of the waves for attention. He easily won that competition—Austin was, hands down, Matty’s favorite view, and he drew him in like moths to a flame with his rough, natural beauty. “Wanna watch the sunrise, right sweetheart?” He winked at Matty, and he couldn’t help blushing. They were usually up by 4 a.m. in time for watching the sun rise on the horizon and enjoying their first cup of coffee—the best cup of the day as Will always said—from Austin’s olive-green thermos.
Ethan nodded, looking out at the open sea. He was probably just as awestruck as Matty had been the first couple of times he’d been out on the boat. The vastness of the ocean and the blue of the never-ending sky. To a boy from the dry climate of West Texas, the ocean was something else, alright. Massive to the point of overwhelming. Ethan had been silent all morning, though, as if he was trying to wrap his head around everything. To take in the fact that Matty had made an entirely new life for himself in Maine. Will and Millie who were basically Matty’s parents now and then Austin. His boyfriend. His partner.
“So, how many lobsters do you catch in a day?” Ethan looked at Matty, his now longish hair ruffled from the wind that had picked up a little since they’d left the harbor.
“It depends,” Matty came and stood next to Ethan, who was leaning against the railing. “Some days are great, and we can pull in around 1,500 pounds. Other days are shit,” Matty gazed at Austin who was pulling a damaged buoy out of the water, the worn fabric of his navy coveralls stretching across his tight ass, “and we only pull in around 200 pounds.” Matty shrugged, tugging at his lower lip with his front teeth. Ethan nodded.
“So, do you sell the lobster locally or how does it work?” Matty felt a warm feeling settle in his core. It made him proud that Ethan was this invested in his work—it was fucking hard work being a lobsterman in Maine—many of the older guys struggled with back problems, aching knees, and arthritis in their hands. So the fact that Ethan showed so much interest, made him so unbelievably happy. Then again, Ethan had always supported his dream of becoming a fisherman even though that was a crazy-ass dream to have growing up in West Texas.
“Yeah, we sell some to the local restaurant owners. Especially during the tourist season, lobster is in high demand. The rest are transported to larger cities in the area for further processing.” Matty stretched his arms above his head, before clasping his hands together. “Here we go, Eth. Turn around.”
They both turned around as the dull morning sky was suddenly transforming in front of them. Pinks and oranges emerged from the surface of the ocean and bleed into the sky like watercolors on a piece of paper. A gasp escaped Ethan, his sleepy eyes glistening, awe painted across his face.
“Fuck, man,” he turned facing Matty, a broad grin on his face. “That’s sick!” He punched Matty’s shoulder and once again Matty felt joy and excitement course through his body, settling in his chest.Perfect. This moment was perfect. It didn’t get any better than this. His best friend standing next to him, Austin smiling at him from the front of the boat, and the wooden deck ofStellabeneath his feet.
“It is,” he whispered, meeting Ethan’s bright eyes. “It is truly spectacular. Ain’t nothing like it, Eth.” He felt a presence next to him and then two muscular arms wrap around him from behind. Austin’s chin settled on his right shoulder as he pressed a soft kiss against Matty’s neck.
“Nothin’ like it,” Austin mumbled against his skin and goosebumps spread all over Matty’s back, from the top of his neck to the base of his spine. “Best view in town,” his boyfriend teased before he smacked Matty’s right butt cheek. “Coffee time!”
“Jesus, you guys,” Ethan blurted. “Try to keep it PG, okay?” He winked at Matty, who in return blushed furiously, the bright pink of his cheeks travelling down his neck.
“Awww,” Austin cooed, winking at Ethan, “you wouldn’t have to run around sporting a pair of blue balls if you’d brought your man.”
“Babe… please…” Matty groaned. “Don’t talk about Ethan’s balls, please…” He buried his face in his hands, shaking his head furiously trying to erase the image of his best friend’s private parts from his mind.
Ethan mumbled something next to him, eyes downcast.
“What?” Matty asked.
“He’s not my man,” Ethan repeated, his green eyes turning a shade darker, his mouth a narrow line.
