“That’snot your fault.” Ash sat on the other side of the bed, kicking his shoes off.“If he wanted to get in touch, he clearly knew where you lived.”
“Ornot, and it took so long to find out because his lawyers had to hunt me down.” Declanshrugged. “I dunno. I guess I just feel like… this is a huge thing to leave apractical stranger, y’know? I thought this kinda thing only happened inmovies.”
“Life’sstrange,” Ash said, standing to take his pants off.
Partof Declan felt he should look away, but it wasn’t as though Ash had anything hehadn’t seen before, and it would have been weirder to look away than to actlike it wasn’t a big deal.
Declanwasn’t entirely sure why it suddenlyfeltlike a big deal.
Probablybecause, while he’d had Ash crash next to him before, he’d never reallyundressed to do it. He’d always fallen asleep mostly-dressed.
Thathad to be it.
“Oh,you’ll be thrilled to know that the receptionist wished me and myhusbanda pleasant stay. You’ve been promoted.”
“Nice.”Ash grinned. “We could totally be an old married couple. We could be antiquingor something.”
“Antiqueis not a verb,” Declan objected. “We can’t be antiquing.”
Ashrolled his eyes. “If you had a gay card, I’d have to revoke it for that. Ofcourse we could be antiquing. And looking for charming little bakeries andwhatever it is that old married couples do.”
“We’renot that old.”
Ashsnorted. “You’re extremely not gay. I’m practically over the hill.”
Declanraised an eyebrow. Ash was a couple of months younger than he was. “Really?”
“Really,”Ash said. “Which I guess is why breaking up with Troy kinda stung. I didn’teven really like him, but… I’m going to be alone forever.”
“You’renot gonna be alone forever,” Declan said. “If nothing else… you’ll have me.”
Ashsnorted. “Until you get married, you mean.”
“Ithink we both know that’s not happening anytime soon,” Declan said. “I guesshalf a bookstore might sweeten the deal, but… you will always have me. Even ifI’m married and I’ve got six kids and two dogs, I’ll always have time for you.I know I’ve sucked at that lately, but… I’m trying to make up for it now.”
Hewanted to keep Ash. Ash had gotten him through some of the hardest times of hislife, including the last eighteen months, when things had really started goingwrong at his job. Ash wouldalwaysbe important to him.
“Youcan be sweet when you want to,” Ash said, smiling a small, wry smile.
“Yeah,well… don’t tell anyone, or they’ll all start expecting it.” Declan kicked offhis own shoes, more than ready to sleep. It was earlier than he’d normally goto bed, but the drive had exhausted him, and tomorrow felt like a loomingshadow over him right now.
Sleepsounded like a good escape from that.
“Youknow…” Ash said. “If it’s just a matter of getting married, and you haven’t gotany plans… I’m available. If you wanted to get around the requirements of thewill, I mean.”
Declanturned to look at him, surprised.
Hehadn’t even considered that he could just marryanyone. Anyone who’dcooperate, anyway.
“Idon’t even want half, or anything. You’re my friend. We could get divorced oncethe papers are signed over. And then you could do whatever you wanted with theplace. Sell it, or whatever.”
“Idunno, man,” Declan said, unsure what else hecouldsay.
“Forgetit,” Ash said. “It was just an idle thought. Probably a stupid one.”
Declandidn’t exactly think it wasstupid.If anything, it was smarter thananything he’d come up with.
Hejust didn’t want to drag Ash though a marriageanda divorce for thesake of his inheritance. An inheritance he didn’t really need.
