“Reception?” I ask.
He pauses with the plates. “Just some people from the school and some guests. There’s like a ten-minute speech and then everyone eats little pastries and drinks wine and has awkward conversation.”
I sit all the way up, then gesture to my bruised face. “I’d insist on accompanying you, but I’m sure you don’t want this ugly mug there.”
Milo laughs. “You need to rest.”
I shrug. “Looks worse than it feels. If this is the kind of thing where you’d bring a date, maybe I can come.” I rub the back of my head as I look up at him. “I’m not good at resting when I’m hurt, in case that’s not obvious. But honestly, it sounds kind of nice.”
I’m not sure why, exactly. Maybe there’s something about how Milo should have me by his side when he needs someone. He shouldn’t be alone, that’s for damn sure. And a part of me might be insecure, like I can go and face my past, but can I really pull off this future, too?
Milo bites down on his lip, then tucks the plate into his arm as he leans forward. “If you rest all day,” he says and gently pushes my chest with one hand, smiling, “then yes, I’d love to have your black eye as my date to the boring reception.”
I grunt out a laugh. “Sounds fair to me. I’ll head downstairs to tell Billie I’m out today, but outside of that, I don’t have any plans this afternoon except for a nap.”
Milo brushes a kiss over my lips before he stands again. “Let me tidy a little before I go!”
When he leaves, I’m buzzing like I just drank a few beers. I’m sore, and I do need that nap, but Milo’s brought me his sunshine, and that makes everything else easy.
After some stretching, I toss on some clothes and head downstairs. Billie and Stone are both in, and when I walk in the shop, they do a double-take at my wounds.
“Shit, Joey, you all right man?” Stone asks, standing up straight.
“That bruise is fucking intense, man,” Billie adds. “Looks awful.” Stone shoots her a look, and she throws her hands up. “What, itdoes!”
I rub the back of my head as I walk up to them. “Yeah, I’m all right. Just going to take a few days to heal up. I was supposed to help with walk-ins, though—”
“We got you,” Billie says with a nod. “Just, are you sure you’re good?”
“Yeah,” I answer, and I think of Milo and feel a dopey kind of happy again. “Yeah, I’d rather not get into it, but I’ll be fine.”
Stone holds his hands up. “That’s cool. No pressure.”
“Hey,” Billie says, changing the subject. “Did we see Milo leaving your place again? He’s such a cutie.”
My mouth falls open. I’m not sure what to say, but then it hits me. If I’m going to stick around and make a life with Milo, that means I’m going to stick around and make a life with these two, too. As artists, sure, but maybe also as friends.
I don’t have to hide from anyone.
“Yeah, that was Milo,” I say, and when I catch Stone’s eye, he’s actually smiling. “Hey, I need my body to heal up first, but you two want to play darts next week?”
Billie nods. “Every Wednesday, you know it.”
“Glad you’re coming,” Stone says with a nod.
“Cool.” I hesitate, then nod up toward the apartment. “One other thing. I’m going to find a new apartment. Time to move out.”
There’s nothing wrong with the place, but I’d rather Adrian not have my address, just the same. I figure I can get settled somewhere bigger, and then once Milo decides he’s ready to live with me full-time, he can move on in. Without sending cash to Kris, it should be easy to afford.
When I make it back upstairs for my nap, though, I can’t sleep. I keep thinking about Milo coming home to the place later after a long day and wanting it to be special for him. I try to rest, since I promised him I would, but it’s hard.
We’re starting something together, and I want a memory other than my black eye.
Finally, when I’m lying on the couch trying to read, I realize what I have to do. It seems so obvious. I don’t know how it took me so damn long to think of it.
Milo’s going to come back tonight, and I’m going to show him exactly how I feel.
* * *
