Still,he intended to make the most of it while it lasted.
ChapterNine
“Youknow, I was too nervous to sleep much last night, but now I’m really glad we’redoing this,” Declan said, helping Ash with one of the boxes he had packed tomove out of his apartment. “And that we didn’t have to wait the entire thirtydays before moving in.”
“Ithink your uncle’s lawyer wants you running the place. It probably makes herjob easier if she doesn’t have to oversee a trust.”
Thatsounded reasonable, and it did explain a lot. With the conditions of the willfulfilled, Sue could file it away and never worry about it again.
Thatwas probably why she’d wanted Declan to come out and see the place, too. Whocould resist a chocolate-box bookstore in a picturesque small town?
Declan’sresearch had confirmed what he already knew—Hope Springs was a gay tourismdestination, with thousands of people coming for every year for pride week andcamping out on a few farms and ranches that only charged a gold coin donationfor the privilege.
Thewhole thing sounded like fun, actually. If Declan had been five years youngerand gay, he could’ve gotten into something like that.
Atleast Ash was guaranteed to have a good time. And Declan…
Well,he was getting a fresh start. With Ash.
Whowas really the only person he cared about in Denver, so… that was that. He wastaking everything he needed with him.
“Yeah,well,” Declan said as headed out to the car. It was lucky he owned a mid-sizedsedan and neither of them were taking any furniture, or they would have neededremovalists for this. “I think we’re making the right decision, anyway. That’smy point.”
“IfI didn’t think we were making the right decision, we wouldn’t have come thisfar,” Ash said.
“Soit doesn’t sound stupid anymore?” Declan asked.
“Thisis still not the smartest thing we’ve ever done.” Ash set down his box to openthe trunk. “In the traditional sense, anyway. Smart people get themselves nice,stable jobs that they don’t completely hate and settle down with a nicepartner, or a cat, and just… live their lives. But that’sboring.”
Declanhad always thought of himself as pretty boring. He liked pizza, and beer, andwatching TV with his best friend.
WhatAsh was describing was a different kind of boring. “This is your dream, huh? Abookstore, I mean.”
“Asecond-hand bookstore,” Ash corrected. “And yeah, it is. I’m not going topretend I’m not thrilled.”
“Puttingup with me all these years worked out, huh?” Declan shoved a box aside to fitthe one he was carrying in, and Ash set his own, smaller one down beside it.
“I’venever beenputting up withyou. If anything, you’ve been putting up withme. How many times have you found me in your apartment eating ice creamstraight out of the tub?”
Declandidn’t know the answer to that. He’d lost count after three?
“Sure,but how many times have you sat with me while I stayed up all night finishing aproposal?”
Thatwas a lot more than three. At one point, Ash had stayed over most weekends tokeep Declan company while he swore and sometimes cried his way through workother people should have been doing.
Ashwas a good friend. Declan had been leaning hard on him the last few years.
Heabsolutely deserved the benefit of Declan’s windfall.
“That’swhat friends are for,” Ash said. “I wouldn’t do this with anyone but you.”
“I’lltake that as a compliment,” Declan said, blushing. “How many more boxes?”
“Justthe one. I’ll grab it and then drop my keys in the mailbox,” Ash said,scrubbing a hand through his hair. “I’m so tired.”
“Metoo,” Declan said. “We can still make this trip over two days, if you want. Stophalfway there.”
Ashshook his head. “No. This is the first day of the rest of our lives. But I willsplit the driving with you this time, if you can handle that.”
