Yours, always,
Colin
Joshua rested his hand on Colin’s chest, his eyes filling with tears as he read and then reread Colin’s message. “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice choked.
“You’ve had a hectic week,” Colin said, rocking him in his arms. “And I’m not sure how much help I’ve been.”
“You help by beingyou,” Joshua told him. “You help by beinghere.” He touched Colin’s cheek and kissed him, then held the note up before his eyes. “You help withthis.”
“We having carrots for dinner?” Colin asked, gesturing to the pile of carrots on the counter.
“We are. Along with mushroom gravy chicken and garlic mashed potatoes.”
“Fancy!” Colin pressed a kiss to his cheek and moved toward the hall closet.
“Speaking of fancy, how’s your fraud case going?”
He heard Colin scoff. “That damned case is anythingbutfancy. But it’s going OK. I’ve got voir dire on Monday, and then we’re off to the races.”
Joshua followed Colin to where he stood by the hall closet. “This is one of the biggest cases you’ve prosecuted, isn’t it.”
“I think so, yeah.”
“Did you know Esther and Norm were going to dump it in your lap? Did they give you any warning?”
“Nope,” Colin said, sliding his wool overcoat onto a hanger. “It was lying on my desk when I came in. I carried the folder toNorm’s office, waved it in front of his face, and asked if someone had left it there by mistake.”
Joshua breathed out a soft laugh. “And he said …”
“He said, ‘It had betternotbe a mistake’!” Colin hung his coat, then closed the closet door and moved to Joshua’s side. “Then he said, ‘Grab Jason as your second and get the interns to start looking up precedents’.” He wrapped an arm around Joshua’s shoulders and guided him back to the kitchen. “And that’s it.”
“They trust you,” Joshua said, returning to the carrots.
“I’ve earned it,” his husband replied, falling into a kitchen chair.
“I know you have, my darling,” Joshua told him. “You’re the best attorney in Charlottesville.”
Colin huffed out a laugh and shook his head in denial. “Riiight.” He watched Joshua chop the carrots into small pieces and toss them into the air fryer.
“OK!” Joshua said, dusting his hands together. “That’s that! Dinner in about twenty minutes.”
“Have you heard from the love birds?”
“Now, honey, don’t tease them. They’re on a second honeymoon over there. They’re so lovey-dovey, they makeuslook like slackers.”
“Are they actuallygoingon a honeymoon?”
“Jeff said they’re taking a long weekend after the wedding. Going to Virginia Beach for a few days.”
“Nice.”
Joshua paused, staring out the kitchen window in silence, then he turned to Colin. “I think maybe you were wrong. I don’t think AdamwasJeff’s…Colin.”
Colin gave him a soft, loving smile. “As rare as it is for me to admit to being umm—mistaken. I think this time I have no choice. You’re right. He’s not.”
Joshua drew in a long breath. “David called me today. He wants his cooking class to make berry parfaits served up in mason jars for the wedding reception. They sounded delicious and rustic enough to be fitting for an outdoor wedding. Also, Nate is suggesting that his writing class contribute a few words to the wedding ceremony.”
“Oh,thatshould be interesting!”
