Doesn’t surprise me. “The house?”
“I kind of want to keep it. It was the first thing I bought myself… means something to me.” Nolah sighs loudly and rolls his eyes. “Plus, I assume sometimes we’ll have to go to LA for meetings with the label. Even just to have it out there for us, is nice.”
“Good with me.”
“But a house here is what I want… Harper said Beau’s family has some spare land that butts up to the river that they’ll sell us for cheap. We could wake up every morning with a view of the water. But Harper also said that means maybe gators… I don’t know.”
“Whatever you want, Nolan. We’ll do whatever makes you happy.”
Nolan turns in the seat to face me fully, eyes calculating and hard. “I want what you want too. What do you want?”
I shrug as I pull off the expressway heading toward downtown. “I’m a simple guy. I want you, a bed, a roof over my head, and a fucking golden retriever that you name something stupid like Izzy or Slash.”
“Slash is a shepherd name, how dare you.”
“Izzy?”
He considers it for a moment before nodding. “Could work.”
“So house first? Then dog?”
“Dog first,” Nolan admits quietly, sounding awfully shy. “I think a dog would be good for me.”
“I think so too. I mean, I’m basically a dog and I’m great for you.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“You love me.”
Nolan swallows loudly and looks away before quietly murmuring, “God help me, but I do.”
“I think I’m going to go to culinary school,” I say without looking over at Nolan.
It’s silent for a little while before Nolan reaches over to tangle his fingers with mine. “Good, I think that would be great for you. Is Beau going to put you to work at the farm?”
I snort. “Obviously.”
“I’m proud of you, Benji. You tell me what you need, and I’ll do my best to give it to you, okay? This works both ways.”
I stay quiet as I park in the parking garage downtown, only speaking once we’ve stopped.
“I love you.”
Nolan smiles gently. “I know. I love you too.”
“Everything’s going to be alright, no matter what Chris says. Okay?”
Nolan’s eye twitches at the corner, but he nods in agreement. If I say it enough, maybe he’ll believe it.
Nolan keeps his head ducked down as we pass by strangers on the street. I curl my arm around his shoulders, splaying my palm over his racing heart. Every time he leans against me, accepting my strength, it feels like the biggest win in the book.
The restaurant is quiet, with wood accents, and steampunk lights along the ceiling. Chris is already seated in a private booth in the back, and the hostess leads us to him, all while sneaking surreptitious glances at Nolan. This is why I love Clay Springs, because no one there blinks twice at Nolan, not like in the cities.
Chris stands to hug Nolan, and I shake his hand with a grateful smile.
Once we’re all seated, Chris smiles across the table and curls one hand around his ice water that’s dripping with condensation.
“Good news or bad news first?”
