Page 9 of Covington Acres

“Fuck off,” Colby said, but there was a hidden chuckle in his voice. He tried to stand, but like he’d done earlier in the kitchen, Vince grabbed his wrist.

“Babe…I would rock your fucking world and love it. I have no doubt you’re a good fuck, but as far as I can see, you’re straight…and my friend…and my roommate.” No-strings-attached sex didn’t bother Vince. He’d had a lot of it, but again, he had questions about Colby.

“I’m an idiot.” Colby dropped his head against the back of the couch. “I have no idea why I said that.”

“Eh. I say confusing shit all the time.” He threaded his fingers through Colby’s, holding his hand while they sat on the couch. His friend stiffened for a moment, but then Vince felt the tension release from his body. “You know I’m always here if you need to talk, right? I think you have a lot going on in that pretty head of yours that you don’t let out.”

“I’m fine,” Colby replied. “I’m going to take a shower, and then we’ll figure out what we’re going to do before dinner…unless you make other plans, of course. That’s fine too.”

“I’m not going to make other plans,” Vince told him, then watched as Colby got up and walked away.

CHAPTER THREE

Colby

Colby kept tossingglances Vince’s way as he drove them to Covington Acres. He couldn’t help wondering if he’d ruined Vince’s afternoon. Clearly, he’d wanted to go out and get laid. That’s why he’d been looking at the app, of course, but then after their conversation, he’d stayed. Vince probably hadn’t wanted to hurt his feelings. He’d made it obvious by saying he was there for Colby, that he thought something was wrong, and Vince was the kind of guy who wouldn’t take off on someone if he thought they weren’t okay. Colby should have been the one to cancel their plans for the day. Hell, all they’d ended up doing was some yardwork—and not even the trees; just mowing, pulling weeds, and shit like that.

“You could have gone out today,” Colby couldn’t stop himself from saying.

Vince chuckled. “I know.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

“Because I didn’t want to.” Vince looked his way.

“But you did want to because you were on the app.”

“I was just looking.”

Colby huffed, then sighed. “I don’t want to ever hold you back. I don’t want any decision you make to feel like it’s because of me and not what you want. Even small ones like when to go fuck or not. Your life is your own even if we’re now attached at the hip.” He threw in the last line hoping Vince would laugh, which he did. Colby was serious, though. The situation was different, of course, but he often made decisions because of thepeople he cared about, even if he wasn’t sure it was whathewanted, and he didn’t ever want to do that with Vince.

“We are, aren’t we?” Vince said, a fondness in his deep voice. “Attached at the hip, I mean.”

“We are.” Colby loved that there was never any pressure when he was with Vince.

“Then you should know by now that I don’t do anything I don’t want to do. If I stayed with you, it’s because that’s where I wanted to be. I kinda like you,” he tacked on with a grin.

“I kinda like you too,” Colby added just as he turned down the gravel driveway that led to Covington Acres.

“So…usually people do this when they’re kids, but we can make one of those pacts. If neither of us is married by the time I’m fifty, we can marry each other.”

Colby could hear the playfulness in Vince’s words. “You don’t want to get married.”

Vince shrugged. “But I mean, it would be an adventure, right? Something fun. We get along well enough.”

“You don’t marry someone for something fun and because you get along well enough. Plus, I don’t want to get married either.”

He waited for Vince to make some kind of comment. He’d never actually said those words to anyone before. He’d hinted, or played it off like he hadn’t found the right person but that it was in the cards for him. How could he be a Covington and not want marriage and kids?

But Vince didn’t look or act surprised. He didn’t give Colby a hard time about it or try to change his mind. He just said, “Good point. Maybe we can go skydiving instead.”

Colby barked out a laugh. “You just went from us getting married to jumping out of a plane?” He knew Vince was joking, but he liked the thought of Vince still being in Harmony insix years. Liked thinking of them still being friends, and Vince wanting to plan something with him so far in the future.

“I’m a fickle man, what can I say?” Vince got out of the truck, and Colby did too.

When they met behind it, Colby wrapped an arm around Vince’s shoulders. “No, you’re not. You’re about as steady as they come.” Not for the first time, he silently acknowledged how thankful he was to have Vince in his life. How glad he was that Vince had moved to Briar County and Colby had asked the man to live with him. Everything was better and felt more fun with Vince around.

Another vehicle came down the driveway, and he turned just as the Jeep parked.

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