“So, um, I’m sorry I didn’t call or text. But, Kris...” He blew out a long breath and closed his eyes, and from the other end of the line, he heard his sister make a quiet sound, like a hum.
“That’s just... that’s wonderful, Jake.” Her voice was full of love, and he felt a rush of gratitude for her and everything she’d done for him. “I’m so happy for you,” she continued. “And for Rye. You both deserve so much happiness. I’ve been hoping for months now...”
Jake huffed a quiet laugh. “You and me both,” he said, and he opened his eyes again and looked down at the beach, where the waves crested gently. He pictured Rye then, as he’d looked when Jake had left the night before—his blue eyes deep and intense, his smile soft and tentative—and a warmth spread through his chest. He sighed contentedly. “You and me both.”
Chapter Fifty
Rye
Ryehadn’tsleptmuch,and he was up early with the sun. He cooked breakfast for his mom—scrambled eggs, hash browns, and homemade biscuits with sausage gravy. And after they ate, he did the dishes and cleaned up.
When she left for work just before nine, he pulled out his books and tried to study a bit, because that was what it seemed like he should do.
He was much too distracted, though. So he packed his books back up into his suitcase and then went back into his room, cleared off his desk, and pulled out one large sheet of a special, textured origami paper and a diagram he’d downloaded online. And he got started.
By the time the knock came at his front door about two hours later, he’d only just barely made a dent in the complex design. He quickly tucked it away in a drawer in his desk to work on more after he got back from Redding, and he grabbed his cell phone and his suitcase and headed for the door.
The nervous excitement he’d been feeling all morning bubbled up in his chest as he reached for the door handle. He only paused for a moment before pulling the door open, and that nervous excitement turned into something much warmer as his eyes met Jake’s.
“Hi,” he said, his voice catching in his throat. Which was silly, right?
“Hi.” Jake’s voice sounded different too. It didn’t catch, but it was deeper maybe, like it had sounded when they’d said good night the night before.
Rye ducked his head as he remembered how they’d stood on the front porch, their fingers still intertwined, neither wanting to let go. Jake had tentatively reached up, silently asking permission, and when Rye had nodded, he’d gently cupped Rye’s cheek. And Jake’s smile...
Rye lifted his eyes, wanting to see it again, and warmth spread through his chest. It was there, just like the night before—that soft, kind smile that made him feel all sorts of new and amazing things.
“You ready?” Jake asked, and Rye nodded. “Great.”
They got his suitcase loaded up in the trunk, though Rye pulled out one of his GED study guides to keep with him in the front seat in case he wanted to study on the drive. Then, after a quick stop in town for pastries and iced mochas, they were on the road.
He didn’t end up studying at all because for most of the drive, he was much too distracted. Jake talked a lot, as he usually did when the silence needed to be filled. And for an hour or so, they listened to some podcast Jake had been meaning to listen to.
But what was really distracting was that most of the drive, they held hands, his much smaller hand resting comfortably on top of Jake’s larger one.
And it felt every bit as good as it had the night before. Maybe even better, actually, because Rye wasn’t quite as nervous this time. Plus, when Jake did that thing where he let his thumb brush across Rye’s skin, there was an incredible little jolt of... something, and it mixed with that tingling warmth he’d felt the night before. And he just closed his eyes and basked in it.
Safe. Comfortable. Protected. Not alone.
That was what Jake made him feel. It was more than that too, but Rye knew he couldn’t really put any more words to his feelings yet. He still didn’t quite understand them. He just knew he wanted to keep holding Jake’s hand for as long as possible.
They reached the hotel just after four and reluctantly let go of each other long enough to check in and find their room. Thankfully, Jake had requested a room on the first floor this time, so Rye didn’t have to suffer through any claustrophobic rides in a tiny, clunky elevator. He silently reminded himself to thank Jake for that later, when he had the chance.
Their room was nothing special, not like the huge suite they’d had in Reno, but it looked cozy and clean, and Rye managed to not flinch when the door clicked shut loudly behind them. Jake walked ahead and over toward the far bed, closer to the window, limping slightly.
“This is okay, yeah?” he asked, turning back to look at Rye as he set his duffle bag down on the bed. “If you’re not comfortable, I can see if they’ve got a separate room.”
Rye’s stomach dropped immediately, and he shook his head.
“No, no, that would be...” He trailed off, unable to get himself to say the rest of the words, to say just how awful it would be, being alone and hearing the door click closed behind him. He wondered then if Jake knew or realized, and his hand balled up into a fist. “It’s better to... not be alone. Or, I mean... it’s betterwh-when I’m with you.” And because he didn’t want things to get serious or sad, he forced a grin and added, “As long as you don’t snore too loudly, that is.”
Jake’s eyes lit up, and he shook his head. “I don’tthinkI snore. I guess you’ll have to let me know.”
Rye agreed with a nod, and then he plopped down on his back on the nearest bed, leaving his suitcase right at the foot. He closed his eyes for a count of three, then turned his head to watch his friend. Jake was sitting on the edge of his bed facing Rye, and his expression was taut as he slipped off his shoes. When one of Jake’s hands moved to his thigh and he started rubbing his leg with a grimace, Rye rolled over onto his side to face Jake, frowning.
“Your leg is hurting again?” he asked. “We got out of the car twice on the way here. I thought that was supposed to help.”
“Oh, it did.” Jake took a deep breath. “It’s just stiff. It would definitely be worse if we hadn’t stopped on the way.”
