“I’m sorry,” Andy said, tugging the beanie down closer to his eyebrows. His hair had gotten long and it splayed out from above his ears. It was mess and he needed to cut it. He knew. But he hadn’t much motivation to do anything since he’d gotten back from Europe.
“I know,” Theo said, turning off the car and pocketing the keys. “I get it, though. It’s fine.”
“It wasn’t my place.”
“I know that too. But it’s fine. I love your brother and he loves me, and your attitude isn’t going to change that one way or the other.”
Theo shoved the driver’s side door open and closed it, leaving Andy alone. The words he’d said were biting, but they were true. If Andy’s opinion had been enough to change either of their feelings, then they shouldn’t be together.
He got out of the car and hit the lock button before closing the door, and he trudged up the gravel parking lot to the lobby. He pulled the door open and with it, all of the air was vacuumed out of the room, out of his lungs. There was a man standing at the front desk, and Kyle, working reception, was making heart eyes at him because a person couldn’t look at a man like that andnotmake heart eyes.
The door closed behind him and the guest turned, a familiar, deep gaze lighting up before shuttering and flickering down toward the floor. Andy’s knees threatened to buckle, but he forced himself to stay upright.
“Leonidas,” he rasped, about to repeat a question he didn’t think he’d ever ask the man again. “What are you doing here?”
18
Leonidas
“I’ve never been to America,”he answered, staring at the way the grains of the wood floor looped and weaved around a particularly large knot in front of his feet. Seeing Andy for the first time in weeks had sucked the actual breath out of his lungs. Maybe his mama and Aeliana had been right.
Maybe it was love.
“You’re in America.”
“Yeah.” Leonidas looked up. “Judging by the people at the airport, Atlanta is tragic.”
Andy made a choking sound in the back of his throat. “You’re here,” he repeated.
“Yes.”
Andy looked down now, unable to meet Leonidas’s stare, and Leonidas ached to go to him, to touch him, but also to flee. He was terrified at the way the hole in his chest felt filled just by sharing the same air as the man in front of him.
“Why?” Andy frowned, his eyes darting up and across Leonidas’s face before angling to a point on the wall beside him.
“I heard this place was beautiful.”
“How long are you here for?” Andy’s lashes fluttered.
“Until I’m not.”
Andy inhaled deeply and turned his face to Leonidas. He looked tired, and his hair was a disaster, tucked beneath the brim of the beanie Leonidas had lost in France. He looked like there were a thousand things he wanted to say, but his face fell, he let out a breath, then turned on his heel and walked out.
“Did you still want a room?” the overly helpful employee, asked from behind him.
“Hold on.” Leonidas pushed his bag toward the front desk. “Can you watch this for me?”
And he took off at a jog after Andy, not waiting for an answer.
He made it out of the lobby in time to see Andy disappear around a corner. He followed, reaching out and grabbing Andy by the back of his arm and pulling him to a halt. Andy yanked his arm away and turned sharply, his eyes full of anger.
“Why are you here?” Andy snapped. He held his hands up and took a step backward toward the wall.
“Because you’re here.”
“That’s…” Andy frowned. “That’s not the reason.”
Leonidas took a step closer. Andy’s shoulders hit the wall.
