David breathed out a frustrated sigh. “No, not really. I…” He stopped, shaking his head in self-disgust. “My concerns are a bit more…” He grimaced and paused. “OK. I’m just going to blurt this out.” He sighed, then forced himself to meet Nate’s eyes. “That damned director came on to you pretty hard during that Zoom meeting, and he’s young and goddamned good-looking, and it made me nervous about you spending a ton of time with him.” He hissed a disgusted breath. “There! I said it! I’m embarrassed as fuck about it. But I said it!”
For a moment, Nate stared at him in silence. Then he shook his head in wonder. “Well, if that doesn’t beat all.” He turned his head, gazing first at Colin, then at his husband. “First off, even if this play succeeded, I would not stay in New York City. I would not abandon a career I love, a marriage I cherish, step-daughters I adore, friends who mean the world to me, and a husband I love.” He glared first at Colin, then at David. “And I’m a little pissed off that you’d think I could!”
Then, after blowing out a disgusted sigh, he leaned toward David and covered his husband’s hand with his. “And as far as Ross Tanner goes, you havegotto be kidding me! The guy’s straight as an arrow, and I’m not interested even if he wasn’t!” He grimaced, staring into David’s eyes. “What the hell is wrong with you? How could you possibly think that I…” He shook himself and broke off, leaning away from his husband, shaking his head in dismay. “Jesus Christ, Davy!”
“I’m sorry, Nate!” David blurted out. “But after the way he was practically licking the fucking screen during your Zoom meeting, I got a little nervous. He didn’t seem straight as an arrow to ME! He seemed goddamned interested!”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, David!”
“Well, you won’t get an ‘I’m sorry’ out of me,” Colin interrupted. “I reserve the right to take a wait-and-see attitude toward this whole goddamned thing.”
“Some faith you have in me!” Nate snapped, glaring at the big Irishman.
Colin leaned toward him. “Success and money can change people. Not saying it will! I’m saying it CAN!”
“I already have success and money,” Nate told him. “If you bothered to look around, you’d see quite a few awards hanging on the walls from plays I’ve written and produced at UVA. All from national drama societies! And as far as money goes, my salary from UVA isn’t exactly peanuts! I’m a tenured professor at one of the biggest universities in the country!” He jerked a thumb toward David, who was now smothering a smile. “And, in case you haven’t noticed, you fecking eejet, my husband isloaded!”
Colin cringed at the Irish insult, then shrugged his disinterest. “Be that as it may…”
Nate coughed out an offended breath and turned to Joshua. “How the hell do you stand him?”
“He has redeeming qualities,” Joshua said with a small smile.
Colin leaned toward Nate. “I’ll tell you what, playwright. You complete the run of the play with Autumn’s Pride, and it’s a huge success,andyou end up back here in Charlottesville, happily ensconced in your UVA classroom, THEN you’ll get an apology out of me.” He leaned back in his chair. “And not before.”
Nate spat an annoyed breath and waved dismissively at Colin before returning to his husband. “And we are NOT done discussing your casual acceptance of the notion that I’d cheat on you!”
Colin snorted out a laugh as David grimaced in pain. “Oh, goodie.”
* * *
When Colinand Joshua were leaving that night, Colin hugged Nate tight against his chest. “Hope you’re not mad at me, rabble-rouser.”
“For not wanting to lose me?” Nate said in a choked voice. “No, Colin. I’m not mad. And honest to god, Irish, I don’t want you to lose me either.” He hugged Colin tighter and pressed his lips to his friend’s ear. “Please take care of Davy while I’m gone.”
“Count on it,” Colin muttered in his ear. “He’ll be at our house for dinner tomorrow night.” He leaned back and met his friend’s tear-filled eyes. “Now go to New York and kick fucking ass!”
CHAPTERFOUR
THE BIG APPLE
When they arrived home, Colin moved into the kitchen, and as Joshua sat his shoes next to Colin’s, he heard Colin checking the back door.
“Want a beer, babe?” Colin called.
“Sure!” Joshua called, then moved to the couch and fell onto it.
With a beer in each hand, Colin wandered through the dining room and into the living room. He collapsed onto the couch and offered Joshua’s beer while staring straight into the unlit fireplace.
“You see something in there?” Joshua asked, taking the bottle from Colin’s hand.
Colin’s jaw clenched, and his eyes darted to Joshua’s face, then away. He twisted the top off his beer with a quick wrist snap and tossed it to the coffee table before lifting the bottle to his lips.
“Honey…” Joshua began, but Colin lifted a hand, his palm facing Joshua, then he took another long swallow.
Joshua fell back against the couch and coughed out a noisy breath before sampling his beer. “Fine. Have it your way.”
“Josh, I just don’t want to get into a big discussion about it.” He gestured to the clock on the mantle. “It’s nearly midnight.”
