“But a degree is good to have. Bond can wait. And I missed you buggers. I’m sorry for the radio silence. Filming a movie is exhausting. It’s long days, seven days a week. I barely had time to check my email. No wonder celebrities check into the hospital for exhaustion.” Nathan smiled at Eamonn, but it was completely one-sided. Rafe gave a silent cheer. “We only have one more year together. Let’s put all the shit of the past behind us and just fucking enjoy it,right?”
His eyes shifted to Rafe and held him in place. “So tell me about yourself, Rafe. All I know about you is how loud you canmoan.”
Oh, hell no.Rafe felt all feeling drain from hisface.
“Shut it, Nathan,” Eamonn said in a low growl, which Nathan seemed toenjoy.
“Rafe is great.” Louisa turned around and tugged on his sleeve. “He’s here untilDecember.”
“Smashing. I’ll get my old room back byJanuary.”
Hearing that put Rafe’s adventure in stark lighting. It had a finite end date. His days with everyone were numbered. EspeciallyEamonn.
“I’m staying up in Jones with the most annoying Americans. No offense, mate.”Actually, I do take offense. And I’m not your mate!“But it’s nowhere near as nice as these flats. We don’t have lifts.” He turns to Rafe again. “Thatmeans—”
“Elevators. Iknow.”
Nathan held up his hands in defense. “Excuse me, then. He knows what liftsare.”
Rafe managed a smile, and he wondered if Nathan the great actor could see through it. Nathan shot him a smile back that was anything butfriendly.
“The gang’s all back together.” Nathan squeezed Louisa’shand.
Yes they were. And I don’t belonghere.
Eamonn
Nathan is back. Holy fucking shite.Eamonn was finally moving on. He didn’t know what exactly he and Rafe were, but it was somethingdynamic.
And then there he was. His past, smiling at him at the kitchentable.
The whole day felt like a surreal dream. He remembered the tight group dynamic they all had. It was a little nice to reminisce and remember the good times. But he didn’t forget about the bad times, the nights where Nathan got so smashed he spewed venom at Heath and Louisa, or when he stomped all over Eamonn’s heart. Eamonn hadn’t told Heath and Louisa about his race to the airport to save their relationship. He tried to respect the friendships they had with Nathan and not completely sully them. He didn’t think he’d ever see Nathanagain.
That night, they all went to Apothecary. This time, Eamonn pulled up a fifth chair and sat at the end of the booth. He wasn’t going to let Nathan have Apothecary and his friends while he sat home stewing. And a part of him was curious to see Nathan. He wasn’t proud of this part, but it was classic Eamonn. He couldn’t completely cut someone out of his life. Connections were hard tobreak.
Rafe sat next to him, and Eamonn held his hand under the table. He could tell Rafe was uneasy about Nathan being there, but also agreed that Nathan shouldn’t scare them away from living theirlives.
“It’s great being back here, with real people. Apothecary has really cleaned itself up,” Nathan said. “I remember this place used to be adump.”
“The bathrooms were disgusting,” Heathsaid.
Eamonn caught Nathan looking at his arm next to Rafe’s, as if he had X-ray vision to see under thetable.
“They weren’t too dirty for us. Isn’t that right, Eamonn?” Nathan askedhim.
Shut up,Nathan.
“What are you talking about?” Louisaasked.
“Nothing,” Eamonn said through clenchedteeth.
“Oh, come on, E. You never toldthem?”
Rafe looked at him with such innocent eyes. “What is he talkingabout?”
“Nothing. It’s in the past.” Eamonn needed another pint, another fivepints.
“Ow.” Rafe jolted his hand away, and Eamonn saw he’d been squeezing ithard.
