Page 59 of The Princess

Nash tried not to bristle at the question because he knew Colby was trying to come to terms with everything. He just wanted to understand what his best friend and his brother were getting into.

“Just two. Damon and Taylor.”

“What about the guy he’s been keeping in my dad’s basement?” Colby scrunched his face. “That sounded very serial killer-esque.”

“That’s just a guy he knew in school who has fallen on hard times. He doesn’t even know what happened to the guy, but he clearly needs help.”

Colby nodded. “And Taylor is exactly the type to do that kind of thing.” Colby cleared his throat and cut his gaze away. “And he’s okay, though?”

“He’s okay. I think he misses his brother, and I think if said brother tracked him down, it would be safe to apologize in person.”

Colby blew out a deep breath and wiped his hand down his face. “Okay. I can live with that.”

He shot Nash a look that had a glimmer of the old Colby in it, like he was trying to be happy and bright like he always was.

Nash stepped closer and pulled him into a hug. “He’ll come around.”

Colby returned Nash’s embrace for all of ten seconds before he took a long, shuddering breath and then playfully shoved Nash off of him.

“Get off me, you sap.” Colby let out a watery laugh.

Nash retaliated by grabbing Colby in a headlock and knocking his hat off. He clenched his fist and scrubbed it into the top of Colby’s head.

“Don’t noogie me, you fucker.” Colby laughed and pushed out of Nash’s hold. He snatched his hat off the floor and tugged it back on his head. “You’re going to pay for that in perspiration and tears. By the time you leave today, you’re going to be nothing but sweat and regret.”

“Promises, promises.” Nash rolled his eyes.

Making things right with Colby lifted a weight off of Nash that he hadn’t been aware was there to begin with. He’d been so focused on making sure Taylor was okay that he’d all but ignored the fact that he himself wasn’t.

“For the record, Colby. I fucking hated fighting with you. Let’s not do that again, okay?”

“Agreed. Having everyone mad at me sucked, by the way. It wasn’t just you and Taylor and Damon. Even Jonah read me the riot act after you two left. And I could tell Dad wasn’t impressed, but thankfully he stayed out of it. Except for the fact that he sent my favorite cake home with you two.”

Nash burst out laughing. “Well, you’ll be happy to know that it was consumed and appreciated.” He didn’t tell Colby that he and Damon had eaten a slice of it off his little brother’s chest. Among other things. That wasn’t knowledge he wanted to share with his best friend. The things he did with Damon and Taylor were sacred to him. Important. Probably the most important relationship of his entire life.

“Fuckers.” Colby scowled, but he was having trouble holding the unhappy expression. “I hope you’re ready to work it off, because we’re about to start.”

Colby motioned to the group of people milling around waiting for his CrossFit class to start.

“Tell me again why I come here?”

“Because you woke up one day and realized that you like it when I torture you?”

“That’s not it.”

“Because you have a secret pain fetish?”

Nash snorted. “That’s definitely not it.”

“Because you told me you’d turn into an actual potato if all you did was sit at home and write.”

“That does sound like something I’d say.”

“Come on, I have to get this shit show on the road.” Colby slung an arm around Nash and escorted him over to where the rest of the group stood waiting. Upon seeing the two of them arrive together, someone let out an audible sigh of relief.

“Thank God you’re here today, Nash. Colby was an absolute bear the other day. He was all mopey and mean. I don’t think I’ve worked so hard in my entire life. My legs are still shaking.”

The group laughed and agreed with the assessment of Colby’s previous performance. For a few minutes, they shared stories of how much of a hard-ass he was, but each person got a little more ridiculous, clearly adding embellishments. Colby stood there and took it, laughing along until he finally put a stop to it.

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