Colin pressed his lips together and gave Joshua a sideways glance. “Like you, I studied ‘Drift One and Two in college’. But I do want to meet the guys for dinner.” He set up and scrubbed his fingers through his hair.
“You’ve been so quiet all day, and I can see how sad you’re feeling.” He leaned his head against Colin’s shoulder. “It breaks my heart.”
Colin gave him a small smile and then kissed his hair. “Well, I don’t wantthat.”
Joshua’s mouth twisted and he peered at Colin beneath a furrowed brow.
“Well,that’sa gloomy face!” Colin said, then flipped Joshua’s nose with his index finger. “I’m OK, bud. It’ll take me a day or so to get past it, but I will.” He leaned closer and nuzzled against Joshua’s cheek. “ButI’m intrigued by your suggestion that we find somethingelseto do.” He waggled his eyebrows and grinned. “Afterdinner, maybe?”
“I get to be your dessert?”
“Probably myseconddessert.” He nudged Joshua’s arm. “Baby, would you call the front desk and schedule a wake-up call for eight a.m.? Just to be sure we’re up in time?”
“God, tomorrow is going tosuck!” Joshua moaned, reaching for the phone.
* * *
Their flight leftDublin at eleven a.m. Dublin time and landed in Atlanta at almost three that afternoon after a nearly nine-hour flight. Colin slept for most of the journey while Joshua alternated between reading on his Kindle and playing card games with Nate. They were all overjoyed when the plane touched down in Atlanta, eager to be free of the airplane seats and stretch their legs, but exhausted and not looking forward to their six-hour-and-twenty-minute layover.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
HOME
The plane out of Atlanta carried them on the final leg of their long journey, and by the time it deposited them at the Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport, it was nearly eleven o’clock that night. They gathered their luggage and stumbled to David’s car, barely conscious of where they were.
“Jesus,” Colin muttered, helping David stuff luggage into every nook and cranny available. “Are we actually inVirginia? I feel as though we should be rushing to another plane, or car, or van, or taxi, or...” His voice trailed off.
“We’re inVirginia,” David assured him, shoving his carry-on into the back seat beside Joshua. “And you’ll be in your own house in forty-five minutes.”
“ThankChrist!” Colin sighed, climbing into the car beside his husband.
“Oh my god,” Joshua breathed, pressing his face against Colin’s shoulder. “It just now occurred to me: we’ll sleep in ourown bedtonight!”
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Colin grumbled.
It was nearly an hour before David pulled his car into Colin and Joshua’s driveway. While David, Colin, and Nate pawed through luggage to identify Colin and Joshua’s belongings in the darkened car, Joshua stood on the lawn and stared at the house.
The wide, welcoming porch with its glider and comfortable lounge chairs, the octagon-shaped dining room windows with Joshua’s transparent curtains clearly visible, and even the garage that held their two vehicles all seemed inexpressibly dear. “Home,” Joshua whispered. “We’re home.”
He turned to embrace David and Nate. “My god, we’re going to miss you two.”
“We’ll call you tomorrow,” Nate told him. “Maybe do dinner this weekend.”
David moved toward the porch with two suitcases in his hands. “Let me help you get this stuff in the house before we go.”
“Going to be hard not having you around,” Colin told Nate as they followed David, each lugging part of Colin and Joshua’s luggage.
“I figured you’d be sick of me by now,” Nate replied, following Colin up the porch steps.
Colin laughed softly, then pulled out his keys and unlocked the door. “Not yet.” He winked at Nate. “Soon, though.”
The four men embraced, and then David and Nate returned to their car. They turned and gave Colin and Josh a final wave, then climbed into their car and pulled onto the gravel road, heading for home. Colin and Joshua watched from the porch, feeling a swell of sadness. “Wow,” Joshua breathed out, then turned to follow Colin as he opened their door and stepped inside. “Seeing them go makes me feel…”
“Sad?” Colin offered, and Joshua nodded.
They dropped their luggage just inside, and while Colin locked the door, Joshua moved to the center of the living area. “This feels like a dream,” he whispered as he turned in a slow circle, taking in the sight of their living room, dining room, and the wide stairs that led to the upper floor.
Colin took his arm and led him toward the stairs. “C’mon, bud. It’s nearly one a.m. I’m ready for anactualdream. We can adjust to being home in the morning.”
