Joshua turned to him, his expression thoughtful. “I don’t think he expected you guys to find us as fast as you did, if atall.”
“And wewouldn’thave if you hadn’t been smart enough to bury your phone in that inside jacket pocket. We neverdidget a response from Page’s phone even though it wason.But Donnie finally managed to ping yours!”
“It was turned off!”
“Didn’t matter. It was the remote area and the weather that kept us from getting the signal at first. But Donnie finally got one through on your phone. And thank god, that was enough.”
“And I wasn’t smart about my phone. I shoved it into that pocket when I grabbed Nate’s jacket and my briefcase.” He wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “I put no thought into it whatsoever.” He lifted his phone and stared at it then turned to Colin. “He tried to find it. He patted me down twice when he put me in the trunk, but he missed it.”
“Lucky boy,” Colin said, then leaned close and kissed him. “Now let’s talk about something else.” As Joshua talked, Colin had seen his hands begin to tremble and his face growing pale beneath a furrowed brow. “Lay down and put your head in my lap, sweetie,” he murmured, easing Joshua around until he lay sprawled on the glider with his head in Colin’s lap.
“Looks like your hair is growing back,” Nate said, leaning to stroke Joshua’s dark curls.
“It is...” Joshua murmured, his voice drowsy.
Nate’s tear-filled eyes lifted to meet Colin’s.
“Nate,” Colin bit off, his voice edgy with warning.
Nate nodded. He rose and stumbled into the cabin followed by David. “We’ll start dinner,” David said, patting Colin’s shoulder as he passed.
“Smells so good here,” Joshua murmured.
“That’smeyou’re smelling,” Colin teased, rocking them in the glider.
A half-hour later, Nate popped his head through the door. “You hungry, Colin? Is Josh? We’ve got sandwiches and salad ready.” He stepped through the door and bent to peek at Joshua. “Is he asleep?”
Colin nodded. “He sleeps a lot.”
“Let me get a blanket. It’s getting chilly out here. I worry it’ll be too cold for him.”
“Wait,” Colin murmured. “Hang on, Nate.” Without waking him, Colin inched out from under Joshua’s body then bent and gathered him into his arms. “Get the door for me, would you?”
Nate held the door and watched as Colin carried Joshua into the cabin. His body language in this moment, his protective stance as he cradled his wounded husband in his arms embodied the essence of love itself. It would be clear to anyone watching that Colin held his most priceless treasure in his arms. He pressed a kiss to Joshua’s forehead, then knelt and eased him onto the couch. As Nate watched, Joshua lifted his hand to caress his husband’s face, and Nate lowered his head, blinded by tears.
On the couch, Joshua caressed Colin’s sandy curls. “You didn’t have to carry me,” he whispered.
“Yes, I did,” Colin murmured, then nuzzled against his cheek and kissed him. “You hungry, darling? Our hosts made sandwiches and salad.”
“Maybe later,” Joshua murmured, then reached to embrace him, drawing Colin’s head to his chest. “Get something to eat.”
“I don’t want to leave you,” Colin whispered, his lips pressed to Joshua’s throat.
For a long moment Joshua said nothing, then he drew in a trembling breath. “Youcan’tleave me, Colin,” he whispered, his voice choked with tears. “You’repartof me.”
Colin’s arms tightened and for a long time he knelt at Joshua’s side, his face buried against his neck. “Now go get something to eat,” Joshua whispered finally and felt Colin nod and rise to his feet.
“Be right back, my love,” he murmured, then he kissed Joshua again and moved toward the dining area.
* * *
When Colin wandered backto the couch a few minutes later Joshua was dozing again. Colin stood watching him, chewing on his sandwich.
David moved up behind him carrying his own food. “Colin, is he losing weight?” he asked, his voice deliberately low.
“A bit,” Colin said. “I try to encourage him to eat,” he sighed. “But he’s been depressed, and that makes eating difficult. And if I push him too hard, he gets cranky and rebellious.”
“A bit like raising a teenager, huh Colin?” Nate teased, linking his arm through Colin’s as they stood near the couch.
