His friend Danny sidled up to him and ordered a martini. “Extra dirty,” he purred to the bartender. While he waited, he turned to Grayson and said, “I saw you dancing with that dark-haired guy.Smokinghot. You get his number?”
“No.”
“Really? Why? Does he have bad breath?”
Grayson laughed. “No. It’s just…. I’ve been kind of seeing someone?”
“Yeah? That’s awesome. You should have brought him!”
Grayson could not picture Nolan in a club like this. He’d probably complain about how loud it was. “Oh, no. This is not really his scene.”
“Are you going monogamous on me?”
Grayson was reluctant to explain what was going on with Nolan, because it still felt fragile. He figured Nolan wouldn’t mind if he told his friends about the relationship, but there was also something comforting about keeping it just between the two of them, as if they existed in their own little bubble. “Not… exactly,” he said. “We haven’t had a conversation about exclusivity yet. We’ve only been seeing each other for a few weeks.” Althoughseeing each otherfelt inaccurate. They’d been working and fucking and eating the occasional meal out. It didn’t feel like dating so much as falling into a pattern, and they hadn’t had a serious conversation about what it was or where it was going.
Grayson wanted that to change. He cared about Nolan and enjoyed the time they spent together. He’d tried to give up on his expectations and see Nolan for the man he was and not who Grayson wanted him to be. Grayson had practically worshipped at the altar of Nolan Hamlin before they’d met in person. Grayson felt like hehadgotten to know the real Nolan, at least a little.
Nolan had some deep wounds that needed to heal. Grayson was not so delusional as to think he could make Nolan all better, but he thought he could help, and he wanted to. Nolan had hidden himself away from the world for a year, and Grayson wanted to show him how to live again. And, well, he’d started fantasizing about them hosting the show as a couple instead of two random designers the Restoration Channel had put together. It would be like that new show,Domestic Do-Over, the one that their contractor Travis was on. Travis and his boyfriend Brandon flipped houses together. Nolan and Grayson could run their show like that.
Grayson had some wounds, too. He wasn’t ready to talk about them with Nolan, but if they were a couple, he’d probably have to explain why he didn’t talk to his family anymore. His loss hadn’t been permanent the way Nolan’s had—they were all still living beige lives in Lowell, as far as Grayson knew—but he’d lost something important just the same. He also put a lot of energy into not thinking about his family—ever—and maybe that was a bigger part of his personality than he’d realized. He strove to seem confident and competent in public, but he was anything but. Maybe TV was turning him into a successful actor, after all.
That thought grossed Grayson out. And anyway, it was too soon to be making any decisions. Grayson didn’t want to rush Nolan.
“Do youwantto see this guy exclusively?” Danny asked.
“Yes.” Not even a question. “That’s why I kind of freaked out there. That guy was super hot.” Grayson hooked his thumb back toward the dance floor. “But when he tried to kiss me, it felt like I was cheating.”
“Interesting,” said Danny, taking a sip of the martini that had appeared on the bar in front of him.
“What is?”
“You must really like this guy.”
“I do.”
Danny looked like he was going to ask a question, but he was stopped by Aiden, who rambled over and crashed their conversation. Danny, Aiden, and Grayson had been a trio since college. Aiden was straight but loved dancing. Danny was gay, but he and Grayson had never been interested in each other. So here they were, at a club in the Village that was known for being open to whoever wanted to dance with anyone, drinking and dancing the night away.
“I’m not here,” Aiden said.
Grayson poked at him. “Uh, you seem to be here.”
“I’m just getting a cosmo for the redhead by that pillar over there.” Aiden gestured with his head. “Her name is Janelle. She’s a retired gymnast!”
“It’s fine. Grayson has gone and fallen in love, and thus is no fun,” said Danny.
“In love? With that guy you were dancing with?”
“No,” said Grayson. “I’m seeing someone. I was just telling Danny that it felt like cheating when that guy tried to make out with me.”
“Hmm. Do you think the guy you’re seeing would mind?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t been seeing each other very long. We haven’t talked about it. I’m notactuallyin love, I just really like this guy.”
“Obviously we have to meet him,” said Aiden. He slid the bartender a ten-dollar bill and picked up the cosmo. “I’d love to stay and chat, but this girl is agymnast.”
Danny laughed and watched him go. “You want to stay?”
“I’m having fun dancing.” Grayson couldn’t keep the smile off his face. These guys, Danny and Aiden, they were his real family. They were the people who loved and accepted him just as he was. He loved them back so much, he didn’t want the night to end.
