CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
NICHOLAS
Clay is leaving.
I sweep Blossom at the end of the day, and my thoughts circle over that reality. He’s selling the building, severing the connection between us, and in just a few weeks, he’ll be gone.
Messy feelings tumble around, stirring in my gut and twisting behind my ribs, clouding my vision and thoughts.
It’s irrational, but I want him to stay. I know that’s not going to happen. I’d be asking him to give up his dream after he’s done so much to support me and Blossom. Not to mention the fact that he doesn’t want romance in his life. And there’s no reason to think that us working now necessarily means that we’d work in reality. If we tried to navigate an actual relationship, we might fall apart.
Like I told him the other night, we don’t even have experience dating in public. Whatever relationship we do have, it’s barely left this building.
The one thing I know is that I’m not going to let my confused emotions ruin the end of this time we do have. I’m going to follow through on every horny promise Clay and I have made to each other, and if that leads to a nasty emotional crash when he departs, so be it.
The point of this is to have fun, and I owe it to Clay and to myself to do that. It’s not hard to look on the bright side of this situation, and that’s weeks more of Clay all to myself, longer than I ever thought I’d get with him in the first place.
I’ll just have to guard my heart until then, and prove to myself that I am capable of this.
A knock on the door grabs my attention. People often come by after close, hoping to get some emergency flowers for a hospital visit or forgotten anniversary. But with just a glimpse of the shape through the window, the familiar shift of weight from side to side, I know it’s Clay.
When I open the door, he’s leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. In a fresh white T-shirt and jeans, he looks spruced up. He shaved yesterday, I know from the shadow of his beard, and he sports a simple silver necklace that I’ve never seen before.
Clay cocks up his head. “You busy?”
“Not until our plans later.”
“Good. Finish up what you’re doing here.” He looks toward the street, and I see his truck is parked in front of the building. “I’m taking you out.”
A rumble goes through my belly at how possessively he says that, something that I definitely shouldn’t like.
“First I’ve heard of it,” I tease, pushing back a little as I try to rein in my feelings.
Is he whisking me away for a date?
Clay steps inside. “You and I both need a break. We’re working too much. And didn’t you say the other night—you’re allowed to surprise me?” He frowns. “So get in the truck and let me surprise you.”
I grin. “Okay.”
Ten minutes later, we’re on the road, headed out of town. Clay has the windows cracked and the radio on low, and clouds drift lazily over the sun as we cruise.
“North,” I say. “Very interesting. Are you absconding with me to Canada?”
“Not quite.”
He takes an exit, pulling onto another highway, and I perk up.
“Niagara Falls?” I ask, almost yelping. “Are you taking me to honeymoon paradise?” I fake gasp. “Are you going to propose?”
“Hell no,” he answers with his eyes on the road. “Niagara Falls is only half an hour away, but I heard Kavya mention how no one from the gayborhood ever goes there because it’s all tourists. So I figured, perfect place for a night out, right?”
“A night out?”
“Can’t have you thinking I’m a halfhearted bisexual just because I never dated a man in public. And I’ve got some extra cash from all those jobs with Sue. I want to spend some of it on something fun.”
“In that case, I guess I’m something fun.”
He shoots me a quick glance. “Looks like it. We can grab dinner in town, stop off at a hotel for our hookup, and I’ll still get you back home at a decent time tonight.”
