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Rich opened his eyes. Hey.
I thought you were asleep.
Nah, just thinking. Rich shook his head.
Jeremy slipped into the room and let the door close
behind him. Did you talk to Dan?
Yeah. Emotion caught Rich off guard and strangled his
voice. He cleared his throat. He s at home. Said he was
tired. Needed rest.
You should talk to him soon. Jeremy s sad brown eyes
captured Rich s gaze.
I m so sor
Don t apologize again. I ve always known how things
stood. Jeremy grinned. I m not going to pine away to
nothing over it.
Rich had to smile at the idea of his burly friend mopping
around like a lovesick teenager. I know. I feel like I ve been
using you all these years.
I ve been using you. I knew I d never get what I really
wanted out of the relationship, but I ve enjoyed the time we
spent together. So we both got something out of it, even if it
wasn t everything. Jeremy ran a hand through Rich s hair. I ll
drop you off then I m heading back to Memphis.
You just got here. You should stay
Nope. Jeremy shook his head. I heard the jealousy in
Dan s voice when he answered the phone. He wouldn t like
me hanging around and it won t help your case. Going home
is the best answer.
Rich didn t bother to protest further. Jeremy was right.
He and Dan needed to talk and soon.
* * * * *
Dan s eyelids, grainy with heavy sleep, peeled open as
the crunch of gravel announced an approaching car.
With the fireplace cold, a chill had settled in the room.
The windows revealed the weak rays of the setting sun.
Nightfall would make the old house even colder. The
crocheted afghan of his grandmother s, yanked from the
back of the couch, didn t cover him completely. His left arm
and injured hand were almost numb with cold.
The slam of a car door forced him up. Scrubbing his
good hand over his face, Dan hesitated. The only person he
wanted to see was Rich. With Jeremy here, the likelihood of
his friend showing up was slim.
Footsteps crossed the old wooden porch and a gentle
rapping sounded through the door. Dan? The barrier
muffled Rich s voice.
Dan leaped for the door. His hand on the doorknob, he
paused for a deep breath. His pride demanded he not react
to Rich s news of his move to Memphis.
Part of him wondered why Rich was on his doorstep and
not with Jeremy.
Another soft knock made him turn the knob. Arctic air
blasted past Rich and into the house. The weak late-
afternoon sun did nothing to warm the day.
Hi. Dan forced a smile.
Hi.
Dan shivered then pulled the door open wide. Come in.
He shrank back against the door as Rich walked in. A quick
look outside confirmed Jeremy wasn t here. Rich s truck sat
in the drive, not in the carport. Dan took it as a sign Rich
wasn t staying long.
He pushed the door closed then turned to face the man
who had changed his life forever.
Rich shrugged out of his coat then tossed it on the arm
of the couch. Damn, it s freezing in here. He walked to the
fireplace without looking at Dan. Kneeling next to the hearth,
he pulled the shovel from the stand and shoveled ash into a
bucket sitting nearby. Then he reached for kindling in a
wooden box nearby.
After stacking several small pieces of wood in the
middle of the fireplace, he struck a match and started the
fire. Why didn t you come back to the hospital? Rich s voice
was so low Dan almost missed the words.
You didn t need me. Jeremy was there.
Rich shook his head. His shoulders tensed as he set a
few logs over the flame. He rocked back on his heels, staring
at the fire. I ll always need you.
Doesn t matter now.
Standing, Rich whirled around to face Dan. His brown
eyes were clouded but his face neutral. Yes, it does. I love
you. I won t push it if you can t love me back. Whatever
happens, I need you in my life. Whether friend or lover or
both.
And what about Jeremy? Hope welled in Dan s heart.
He s on his way home.
Dan stumbled back to the couch. And you? When are
you leaving? He bit his lip at his slip of the tongue.
Shaking his head, Rich followed him. I m not leaving.
Why His eyes narrowed. You came back to the hospital,
didn t you? Heard Jeremy talking about Memphis. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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Rich opened his eyes. Hey.
I thought you were asleep.
Nah, just thinking. Rich shook his head.
Jeremy slipped into the room and let the door close
behind him. Did you talk to Dan?
Yeah. Emotion caught Rich off guard and strangled his
voice. He cleared his throat. He s at home. Said he was
tired. Needed rest.
You should talk to him soon. Jeremy s sad brown eyes
captured Rich s gaze.
I m so sor
Don t apologize again. I ve always known how things
stood. Jeremy grinned. I m not going to pine away to
nothing over it.
Rich had to smile at the idea of his burly friend mopping
around like a lovesick teenager. I know. I feel like I ve been
using you all these years.
I ve been using you. I knew I d never get what I really
wanted out of the relationship, but I ve enjoyed the time we
spent together. So we both got something out of it, even if it
wasn t everything. Jeremy ran a hand through Rich s hair. I ll
drop you off then I m heading back to Memphis.
You just got here. You should stay
Nope. Jeremy shook his head. I heard the jealousy in
Dan s voice when he answered the phone. He wouldn t like
me hanging around and it won t help your case. Going home
is the best answer.
Rich didn t bother to protest further. Jeremy was right.
He and Dan needed to talk and soon.
* * * * *
Dan s eyelids, grainy with heavy sleep, peeled open as
the crunch of gravel announced an approaching car.
With the fireplace cold, a chill had settled in the room.
The windows revealed the weak rays of the setting sun.
Nightfall would make the old house even colder. The
crocheted afghan of his grandmother s, yanked from the
back of the couch, didn t cover him completely. His left arm
and injured hand were almost numb with cold.
The slam of a car door forced him up. Scrubbing his
good hand over his face, Dan hesitated. The only person he
wanted to see was Rich. With Jeremy here, the likelihood of
his friend showing up was slim.
Footsteps crossed the old wooden porch and a gentle
rapping sounded through the door. Dan? The barrier
muffled Rich s voice.
Dan leaped for the door. His hand on the doorknob, he
paused for a deep breath. His pride demanded he not react
to Rich s news of his move to Memphis.
Part of him wondered why Rich was on his doorstep and
not with Jeremy.
Another soft knock made him turn the knob. Arctic air
blasted past Rich and into the house. The weak late-
afternoon sun did nothing to warm the day.
Hi. Dan forced a smile.
Hi.
Dan shivered then pulled the door open wide. Come in.
He shrank back against the door as Rich walked in. A quick
look outside confirmed Jeremy wasn t here. Rich s truck sat
in the drive, not in the carport. Dan took it as a sign Rich
wasn t staying long.
He pushed the door closed then turned to face the man
who had changed his life forever.
Rich shrugged out of his coat then tossed it on the arm
of the couch. Damn, it s freezing in here. He walked to the
fireplace without looking at Dan. Kneeling next to the hearth,
he pulled the shovel from the stand and shoveled ash into a
bucket sitting nearby. Then he reached for kindling in a
wooden box nearby.
After stacking several small pieces of wood in the
middle of the fireplace, he struck a match and started the
fire. Why didn t you come back to the hospital? Rich s voice
was so low Dan almost missed the words.
You didn t need me. Jeremy was there.
Rich shook his head. His shoulders tensed as he set a
few logs over the flame. He rocked back on his heels, staring
at the fire. I ll always need you.
Doesn t matter now.
Standing, Rich whirled around to face Dan. His brown
eyes were clouded but his face neutral. Yes, it does. I love
you. I won t push it if you can t love me back. Whatever
happens, I need you in my life. Whether friend or lover or
both.
And what about Jeremy? Hope welled in Dan s heart.
He s on his way home.
Dan stumbled back to the couch. And you? When are
you leaving? He bit his lip at his slip of the tongue.
Shaking his head, Rich followed him. I m not leaving.
Why His eyes narrowed. You came back to the hospital,
didn t you? Heard Jeremy talking about Memphis. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]