Nash didn’t get much of a chance to stand in front of Emmitt’s door and needlessly worry before bucking up and finally knocking. Harley had no qualms. He stepped forward and pounded on the door.
After spending half the night second-guessing himself, tossing and turning on the couch, it was actually a relief to get the meeting over with. He’d wavered between convincing himself this marriage was the best decision he’d ever made and nightmarish images of how his future husband and existing friends would get along…or rather, not get along with each other.
The door swung open after just a few short seconds. Emmitt, on the other hand, did not look at all like a man who’d spent a sleepless night. He seemed truly pleased—and possibly a bit relieved—to see Nash and his friends at his door, baggage and all.
Emmitt smiled broadly when he caught Nash’s eye. He stepped to the side with a sweep of his arm to usher them in. “Welcome. You must be Harley and Oliver, yes?”
“Yes,” Harley curtly replied as he pushed the two-wheeler laden with boxes through the open doorway.
Oliver stepped forward, a rolling suitcase trailing behind him, and extended a hand. “I’m Oliver. Pleased to meet you, Emmitt.”
Emmitt’s mouth opened slightly, accompanied by a slightly perplexed look in his eyes, but he quickly masked it with a polite smile. “Pleased to meet you, too, Oliver.”
They shook hands, and Emmitt added, “Just leave boxes with general stuff anywhere. Clothing you can take upstairs, or leave it down here for later…whichever you prefer.”
“Thank you,” Oliver replied.
Nash breathed a sigh of relief. Harley’s conduct wasn’t unexpected, and Nash understood his friend well enough to know that he’d come around, unless given explicit reasons not to. It was Emmitt’s true acceptance of his friends that he’d questioned.
Emmitt reached for Nash and gave him a brief hello kiss. “There are two keys and a security fob for you on the counter.” He gestured toward the island.
“Oh, thanks.” Nash’s face heated as memories of what had occurred on that same countertop flooded his thoughts. No doubt it would be some time before he’d be able to look at that space in the kitchen without blushing. He picked up the items and pulled out the keyring from his pocket.
“The larger key is for the door,” Emmitt said. “The smaller one is for the mailbox downstairs. The fob gets you into the exercise facility, pool area, and other resident-only spaces. I’ll show you where all that is later.”
Harley stacked the boxes near a grouping of cartons Emmitt still had piled along a wall. Oliver touched Harley’s arm and hitched his head, indicating he wanted Harley to follow him upstairs.
Harley’s jaw tightened, but he nodded, retrieved the suitcase Nash had carried in, and mutely followed his boyfriend—fiancé now—upstairs.
“Sorry about the name thing,” Nash whispered to Emmitt once his friends had rounded the corner to climb the stairs. “I told them your real name was Myles, but then I always referred to you as Emmitt. Want me to correct them?”
He shrugged. “I was already used to it with Grampy, and now with you. Either way is fine, I suppose.”
“Okay,” Nash said.
Emmitt’s reply had sounded more like he was trying to be accommodating, rather than he truly didn’t mind. Somehow his friends using the nickname bothered Nash, too. “Emmitt” felt more personal, like it shouldn’t be used by others. He’d take care using it in the future. But, even the name confusion and Harley’s rude behavior couldn’t dampen Nash’s mood. The more he thought about the turn his life had taken, and seeing Emmitt’s gracious reception of his friends, the more he liked the idea. And knowing he’d be sleeping comfortably on a real bed tonight was the icing on the cake.
“Do you have more to bring up?” Emmitt asked.
“Oh, yeah. And another trip. Unfortunately, Harley’s pickup is in the shop, waiting for a part to come in tomorrow. So we used mine and Oliver’s cars, and neither has much in the way of cargo space. There’s a few more boxes we couldn’t wedge in for this trip.”
“I see.”
“So, I called my parents last night.”
“I called my brothers, and told Grampy when I visited him. I’m sure you can imagine Grampy’s reaction, but I hope your conversation with your parents went better than mine with my brothers.”
“I went with allowing them to believe we’ve been dating since shortly after my engagement with Sam ended, without explicitly saying that was the case.” Nash sighed and shook his head. “Not a direct lie, but still…I don’t think they could have handled the full truth.”
“That’s pretty much how I handled things with my brothers, too. I don’t think they’re particularly happy with my recent gay revelation, but they accept that and don’t make it an issue. Even so, they think less than four months is too fast. The thing is, a year ago I’d have been making the same argument.”
“I know…right? I’m convinced we’re making a sane move, though.”
Emmitt nodded. “Fuck love.”
“Fuck love,” Nash echoed.
“Shouldn’t you be raising a couple glasses of wine with that toast?” Harley asked as he and Oliver came around the corner at the base of the stairs. His tone was a touch droll, but then Harley had always had a strange sense of humor with an appreciation for the absurd.
As they approached, Emmitt asked, “Speaking of wine, have you guys had lunch yet?” He glanced at his watch. “Probably not. It’s only eleven.”
Oliver nudged Harley.
“Uh, no. Not yet.” Harley’s tone wasn’t friendly, precisely, but at least whatever Oliver had said to him upstairs had tempered the blatant rudeness he’d shown on their arrival.
“How about I order some delivery to arrive about the time you’ll be getting back?”
Nash took Emmitt’s hand and gave it a squeeze. He hadn’t been sure how accepting Emmitt would be of his friends, and it was nice to see this positive effort to get to know them.
Oliver’s smile was sincere and friendly. Harley scowled, earned another sharp elbow to the ribs from Oliver, then neutralized his features. “Sure, that’d be great.”
Oliver refrained from giving Harley another prod, but his raised eyebrows and pointed look prompted Harley to add, “Thanks.”
It would change their plans, which had been for only Nash to make the final trip back, since he could fit the balance into his small car. But his friends didn’t have anything else scheduled for the afternoon anyway, and he really wanted them to get to know Emmitt and give him a chance. If he was honest with himself, he also wanted to see how Emmitt interacted with them for a more extended social gathering.
So an hour and a half later, it was with cheery anticipation that he placed the last box in the rear of Oliver’s Jeep Wrangler and slid into the back seat behind Harley.
“Thank you for all your help,” Nash said. “And for agreeing to come back.”
“Yeah, well…” Harley eyeballed Oliver. “I suppose it’s for the best. Give the guy a chance and all since this is happening whether I like it or not.”
“I appreciate it. You’re the one I’ve been most worried about.”
“Not Angela?” Oliver asked as he merged into traffic.
Nash groaned. “Might be a tie, I guess. I did call her and say I wanted to come see her tomorrow morning to tell her something. It’s just not something I could do over the phone with her, but I don’t want to risk her finding out through hospital gossip after I go in and give notice tomorrow.”
“She working tomorrow?” Harley asked.
“Yeah, she’s Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday this week. I’ll meet her for her morning break.”
“I still wish I could be a fly on the wall.”
“Heh. I wish I could be anywhere but within a hundred-mile radius.”
Oliver laughed. “Aw, come on. Even Harley’s starting to lighten up.”
“I really think you guys will like him,” Nash said. “He was always pretty stiff and formal at the hospital, but that’s a different environment, you know? He’s the one ultimately responsible for people’s recovery and well-being. It’s a lot of pressure.”
“Yeah, he’s a little starched, but seems okay to me,” Oliver said.
“Well, you’ll be living in some pretty sweet digs, I’ll give him that,” Harley admitted. “I’d kill to live in a building like that, and with its own private gym…wow.”
“Not to mention the layout of the condo,” Oliver added.
“Sweet view, too,” Harley said.
Nash smiled and closed his eyes as Oliver accelerated onto the I-5 Express. Oliver had the top off his Jeep, and Nash rested back his head and savored the feel of the wind rushing through his hair.
Freedom. It felt like freedom, which mirrored his life. He was free.
In a mere five minutes they’d be there, and he’d start his new life. The life he’d dreamed of, with a good man whom he liked and respected. Fuck love. He was better off without that part of the dream. Emmitt offered a mind-blowing, regular sex life, and good companionship.
He smiled to himself and lifted his arms to catch the wind as it rushed by. The force pushing against his open palms was exhilarating and awe-inspiring. It was strange how powerful the seemingly emptiness of air could be. How many molecules were whistling past his hands? Millions? Billions? Trill—
“Look at that bird!” Harley shouted.
Nash’s world exploded. Or at least his left arm felt like it did, with a forceful bonus ricochet thump to his head. He screamed in agony.
The excruciating, throbbing pain radiating from below his elbow felt like his forearm had been torn off, and the blood spurting everywhere didn’t change that impression. His arms dropped, and the left arm lay limp in his lap with the forearm bending in ways it shouldn’t. At least it was still there, but he was pretty sure he saw bone sticking out, and was that a severed gull’s head embedded in his arm?
Reflexively, he placed his right hand above the blood source and pushed his fingers into the radial artery. Oliver was going to be so pissed at him for the mess on his precious leather seats.
Was that Harley screaming or himself? At least the noise faded with the pain as he slumped to the side and everything went black.
* * * *