Nolan Reynolds leapt up when Diego walked into the apartment and threw his arms around him. His gray eyes twinkled, shoulder-length curls tucked neatly in a beanie. “Hey you! I just came for the last of my clothes. It was super cold this morning, and I needed my puffy jacket.”
“No one needs a puffy jacket.” Diego’s face wrinkled in disgust. “That jacket’s a crime against fashion.”
Nolan's eyes narrowed. “How dare you.” But all of this was said with humor and love. Nolan was a genuinely fun guy and a great roommate. “Where's the new roomie? I wanted to meet the famous—or infamous—Ash Anders.”
Diego shrugged as he dropped into one of the kitchen chairs. “I’ve been gone all day. He usually sleeps during the day and is up and out all night, so we don’t see each other very often.”
“Is he as wild as Chance said he was?” Nolan asked, seating himself next to Diego.
“Hmmm.” Diego tried to come up with a respectful way to describe his new roommate, but Ash himself didn’t hold by those sorts of conventions. “He’s nice enough, I guess. He talks about sex a lot. In detail.Graphic detail,” Diego added with a laugh. “He’s just one of those kids that came out young and doesn’t have any of those hang-ups that being gay or queer—Ash prefers the word ‘queer’—that some of the rest of us have.”
“When did we get so old?” Nolan ran his hand over his chin and frowned. “Nadine hired a new girl at the salon to help out at the front desk and tidy around the place. Nineteen and thinks she knowseverything. Expert on clothes, music, sex—and hairstyles.” Nolan wrinkled his nose in distaste. “I know I wasn’t that bad when I was that age. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t,” he added.
“You were probably worse.” Diego groaned at Nolan’s light shoulder punch. “But it does feel like a page has turned. Everyone’s settling down in a relationship. Javier’s a dad now.” Diego shook his head. “And you, a homeowner. Driving a fucking BMW. What’s the world coming to?”
“That was a birthday present—and well earned, if you know what I mean.” Nolan’s face flushed bright pink. “Harry’s got the money in our relationship; that’s no secret. But I want to contribute as much as I can. That’s part of why we found a smaller house, so I feel better about paying my share of the bills. And it’s just us and the dogs. Why do we need a house with a lot of space? And speaking of, when are you coming to see the new place?”
The front door banged opened before Diego could answer. “Hey ladies!” A young man in a faded concert t-shirt and ripped jeans walked into the room, breathless, his pastel pink hair half hidden underneath a slouchy wool cap. “I was almost downtown when I realized I forgot the poppers!” Ash jogged into the smaller bedroom that used to belong to Diego, then emerged a few moments later shaking a small plastic bag. “I’m seeing Simeon tonight and there’s no way he’s going near me with that monster between his legs without these.” Ash shook the bag. “I showed you, right?” he asked Diego with a wicked grin.
“Oh yes,” Diego answered and nodded. It had been quite the eye-opener, Ash holding up a screenshot of a thick ten-inch uncut dick with cum dripping from the slit. “Ash, you remember Nolan?”
“Yessss, the twin with the rich daddy.” Ash’s green eyes brightened. “If you find another one, be sure to let me know.”
“—yeah, I’ll do that. Be careful tonight with those.” Nolan pointed at the bag.
“Aren’t youprecious?” Ash gestured towards Nolan with a sing-song voice. “But don’t worry about Miss Ash. She’s PrEPed up and ready to ride the monster until her legs don’t work anymore. I’ll see you girls tomorrow!” With a flourishy wave, he left the apartment.
“Don’t forget your—” Diego started, but Ash was gone. “—jacket.” He shook his head.
Nolan snorted. “I have never felt so old. No—I take that back. Last time we went to Delirium, I felt even more out of place. Lots of kids like that overran our favorite hang-out.” Nolan nodded at the door where Ash had just exited. “Listen to me, calling them kids. They’re adults…sort of.”
Diego laughed, but he understood. Everything was changing. “It’ll be interested living with him. At least until—”
Nolan’s brow quirked. “Troy still badgering you to move?”
Diego nodded. Nolan was one of a few people that knew about the band’s potential move, both because of his close friendship with Diego, and because he was in a committed romantic relationship with Harrison Crawford, Troy’s father. “I’m the only one who hasn’t agreed to go to Nashville and meet Trevor’s team over there. They’re all just waiting for me.”
“Oh shit. Are you going?” Nolan asked.
Diego lifted his shoulders in indifference. “I mean, I should do it, right? I can’t be the reason that three people lose out on a chance to make their dreams come true. If all of them want to try, and I don’t have any reason to say no—” Diego shrugged, his shoulders dropping. “Then I owe it to them.”
“You don’t owe anyone anything, Diego.” Nolan slid close and wrapped his arm about Diego’s shoulder. “Take it from me. You’re a great friend and I don’t know anyone with a bigger heart. Don’t get bullied into moving if you want to stay here.”
Later, after Nolan left, Diego sat in his new bedroom, the one that used to be Nolan’s before he moved out and stared out the window overlooking the parking lot and the buildings across the street.
Why was he still in Houston? Yes, his sister Diana was here. Work was good; he could make his own hours at the tattoo parlor that his cousin Felipe owned and managed. Felipe’s family had taken him and Diana in when they’d had to leave Cielo Springs after they deported their parents. They even put up with Diego’s run-in with the law after he fucked up and broke into that elementary school and vandalized the place.
They were good people, but he wasn’t close to his aunt and uncle. All he had was Diana and his friends.
But his friends were moving on, too. Nolan, Chance, and even Noah, his three closest friends outside of the band—they had all found someone special this past year and started to settle down. Grown-up relationships, grown-up jobs. Nolan was right—they weren’t kids anymore and yet Diego could see them leaving him behind.
His bandmates were ready to take the leap of faith.
After what Diego had done to fuck up his family, didn’t he owe it to them to do his best to make the band a success? Yes, he had a good life here—more than he deserved after what he’d done. He should be grateful that he had the chance to move to Nashville. Only a fool would drag his feet at this opportunity.
It wasn’t like he deserved better.
Chapter Three
