It had been an easy transition going from beingColton, the single nephew of Hankto beingColton and Henry, the couple.It didn’t really seem to have surprised anyone when they uneventfully came out that day at Tilly’s a few weeks ago when Colton had walked through the door of the buzzing diner, holding Henry’s hand firmly in his. He wondered if somehow people in the small town already knew about them. Or if they just didn’t care that much that two of their townsmen had become romantically involved.
As soon as she saw the two of them, Tilly stormed towards them from behind the counter, eyes beaming, cheeks rosy as always from working alongside Vernon in the kitchen.
“There you are! Long time no see,” she scolded them fondly, as she attempted to hug both Henry and Colton at the same time. “So, I guess I don’t have to ask where the two of you have been hiding,” she winked knowingly. “Ah yes, to be young and in love again...” she trailed off longingly.
“Aww, c’mon now, Tilly. You and Vernon are probably just as in love now as the day you met, I’m sure.” Colton smiled, his cheeks prickling from the hours of being outside.
Colton no longer found it as difficult to interact with the folks in town as he’d done when he’d first arrived. He felt like a part of the community now. People greeted him around town and stopped him at the grocery store asking about a weird noise coming from their car engine or where he and Henry were spending Christmas. There was a nice familiarity to the way that people acted around him.
After finishing their pie, they headed back to Henry’s place where they placed the tree outside against the back of the house and hurried inside. The snow was beginning to really come down now, and their boots left prints in the virgin snow on the steps behind them. Once inside, Henry immediately headed for the bathroom to start the shower, while Colton went to see if Iris needed help with anything in the kitchen. Finding it empty, Colton saw a note on the wooden table written in Iris’ neat handwriting.I went next door to Eliza’s. Dinner’s in the fridge. Re-heat it for twenty minutes. Have fun! Love you boys, Gran.
Running up the stairs, Colton followed a trail of Henry’s clothes leading him to the bathroom like breadcrumbs. He couldn’t help smiling at his messy boyfriend. If it wasn’t clothes that lay scattered about Henry’s room, it was piles of sci-fi books or veterinarian magazines covering every surface.
They’d both felt like popsicles when they came back but Colton was slowly beginning to warm up as they stood under the shower head together. Drops of water came cascading down Henry’s pale chest, passing the odd freckle or birthmark on their way. Colton tracked the water’s route with his index finger suddenly feeling a lump in the back of his throat at the intimacy.
“What if we’d never met?” he suddenly blurted, the words taking him by surprise as they slipped from his lips.
“What do you mean?” Henry smiled questioningly as he massaged a generous dollop of shampoo into Colton’s hair.
“I mean, do you think that you’d be with someone else by now?” Insecurity coursed through Colton’s body. The thought of Henry being with someone else settled like a heavy stone in his stomach.
“I don’t know,” Henry whispered as he continued to soothingly massage Colton’s scalp with the tips of his fingers. “Maybe. Why are you asking, baby?” The endearment spilling from Henry’s lips still surprised Colton at times, a warm sensation spreading through his body, travelling into his limbs, comforting him, blasting the stone in his stomach in to a million little pieces.
“I don’t know… just… I was just thinking about it this afternoon. When we were looking for a tree.” He reached out and drew Henry closer to him, burying his face in Henry’s neck.
“Don’t do that,” Henry said. “Don’t hide from me.” Henry placed his hands on Colton’s scruffy cheeks and looked into his eyes. “Tell me. Why are you asking?”
Looking at the pale-yellow shower curtain, Colton exhaled deeply before answering. “I’ve just never had anyone in my life that I’ve loved and not lost. I guess I’m just afraid that I’ll lose you too if I relax for just a second and put my guard down.”
Henry nodded, a serious frown between his dark-blond brows, drops of water clinging to them.
“I get that, baby. I do. But I’m not going anywhere. I’m here with you now. Exactly where I want to be, okay? And we did meet. Nothing else matters. I get that you’re scared. I get scared too sometimes. But you’re not getting rid of me that easily, Mr. Dietrich. I’m in this for the long haul, okay?”
“Okay,” a relieved smile spread across Colton’s face as he leaned in and brushed his wet lips briefly against Henry’s before pulling away and nodding slowly.
“This thing between us,” Henry pointed his index finger between the two of them. “The way I see it, this is a forever kinda thing. When you know, you just know. And believe me, I know, baby. This is the real thing, you and I.”
“This is real,” Colton whispered, the words hanging in the humid air between them. “This is real,” he repeated, trailing the tips of his wet fingers along the small scar permanently engraved across Henry’s left eyebrow. “Maybe it’s time,” he murmured, looking into the deep blue of his lover’s eyes.
“What is?” Henry replied, brushing his lips faintly against Colton’s lips.
“That I spoke to someone. You know, about everything. Not just the nightmares but also about my father…” He swallowed deeply, the last word nothing but a whisper. “Yeah, I think it’s time.”
“I’ll go with you if you want.” How had he gotten this lucky, Colton thought to himself, while he drew Henry closer against him.
“Yeah, I’d like that, sweetheart. Very much.” He nodded, swallowing deeply. “Thank you.”
“Maybe after the holidays? I can call the clinic if you don’t feel like doing it yourself.” Henry’s eyes reflected nothing but affection as he tilted his head and looked into Colton’s eyes.
Colton nodded. After the holidays. Yeah, he could do that. With Henry by his side, he could do that.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Henry
THEY BOLTED THROUGHthe door to Hank’s place, fat grins painted across their faces, still high from this morning’s hike in the woods. As soon as they were inside, Colton kicked the door shut behind them and grabbed on to Henry’s face with both hands. He pushed Henry’s back against the door and kissed him good and thoroughly, and Henry tasted the smile on his lips. When they finally broke off the kiss, Colton laughed, eyes crinkling, dimples popping. It was the deep, hearty laugh which Henry had come to love so much during their short time together.
“So,” Henry smiled while he followed Colton into the kitchen. “How does it feel to be a gay mechanic in small town Nebraska one week away from celebrating Christmas with his gorgeous boyfriend?”
