“I think they’ve seen enough,” I said, right as my phone went off.
Astrid:you two are a hit! I told you this would work
Astrid:you’ll be rolling in offers by this time next week
“Good news?” Ward asked as he stepped into the elevator beside me.
“Astrid says we’re a hit and I’ll be, quote,rolling in offers,” I said, showing him the messages.
Ward’s smile looked a little strained, but he must have been exhausted by now, so that wasn’t much of a surprise.
“That’s great, right? That’s what you wanted.”
“Yeah,” I said, tucking my phone back in my pocket. “It’s great.”
12
Ward
So,there really had been a photographer last night—three, actually, and I’d seen them all jump to attention as soon as I got out of the cab—but…
I wasn’t sure that was why I’d kissed Ryder.
No, that was a lie.
Iwassure thatwasn’twhy I’d kissed Ryder.
I’d kissed him because Iwantedto, because he’d been tired and hurt and vulnerable and I was a coward who couldn’t admit to his real feelings.
And then I’d jerked off in the shower this morning thinking about it, thinking about the taste of rain in Ryder’s mouth and the scent of his aftershave, thinking about admitting how I felt and having Ryder smile up at me like he’d been waiting to hear that all his life. Thinking about him taking my hand and leading me upstairs and dragging me to bed and—
“Cream and two sugars,” Ryder said, startling me out of reliving that fantasy all over again and passing me a takeout cup of coffee.
The coffee smelled caffeinated enough to push away all the thoughts I wasn’t supposed to be having about Ryder, and my first sip woke me up enough to shake the last of the haze off.
Even Portland seemed sleepy and peaceful compared to LA. I couldn’t wait to get back to Otter Bay and bask in the silence.
Ryder looked as exhausted as I felt, hair sticking up weird from sleeping on the flight, dark circles under his eyes.
I leaned back against my truck, still parked—miraculously, I thought—where I left it in the airport parking lot.
Ryder leaned back beside me, sipping his own coffee and making the happiest little noise at the first mouthful, closing his eyes and turning his face up to the sun.
I could’ve looked at him for hours. Even with weird hair and dark circles.
He was still my Ryder. Still the best friend I’d missed every second he was gone.
Rolling in offers, Astrid had said.
That meant my time with him was running out. He’d be back in LA within a couple of weeks, maybe less, and then he’d just be… gone, again. We’d promise to keep in touch like we had last time, but then both of our lives would get busy and we’d be so far apart and thinking about him would hurt so much that I’d just… stop.
I’d stop until I saw a new movie come out with his name on it and then I’d sit and watch it even knowing it’d hurt because it felt good to see Ryder out there living his dream.
“Have we reached the point on the gay marriage slippery slope where I can marry this cup of coffee?” Ryder asked, surprising a laugh out of me.
“If we head over to the county courthouse together, do you think they’ll give us some kind of two-for-one deal? Because I feel the same way about mine.”
Ryder chuckled. “We absolutely cannot be seen within a mile of the county courthouse or there’ll be rumors that we’re getting secretly hitched and then Astrid’s gonna bully you into marrying me.”
