Page 42 of The Shots You Take

Chapter Thirteen

Riley’s house looked like a painting. Old, but beautifully restored with cranberry-red shingles and a cheerful golden-yellow door. There was a weather vane with a whale in the center on the peak of the roof. And beyond the house there was an enormous yard that sloped toward a breathtaking view of the sea.

Adam parked his rental car behind Riley’s truck. He was immediately greeted by an excited Lucky, who danced around his legs as Adam exited the car.

“You gonna show me your house?” Adam asked him. “I’ll tell you, I’m impressed so far.”

“The view is nicer when the sun is out,” Riley said, frowning at the cloudy sky.

“I look forward to it.”

Riley turned his frown to him, which reminded Adam that he was, understandably, on probation here.

“It’s a nice spot, though,” Adam tried. “Ocean.” He gestured to the water, as if Riley didn’t know where it was. “And I saw the beach there. Pretty sweet.”

Riley frowned at him for another few seconds, then said, “We can go inside.”

Lucky was already at the door, tail wagging frantically. Adam followed Riley up the short wooden staircase to the front porch. While he waited for Riley to unlock the door, Adam touched his finger to a shingle. “These look new. Did you replace them yourself?”

“With help, yeah. Took forever.”

“Worth it.”

“Thanks.” The door opened and Lucky thundered inside. He barked once, over his shoulder, as if inviting Adam in.

Adam removed his boots in the tidy mudroom, then followed Riley deeper into the house.

“So this is the living room,” Riley said.

The word that popped into Adam’s head as he gazed around the room wasexquisite. Everything was beautiful and ornate and had clearly been thoughtfully chosen. Rich colors paired with dark wood and pops of gold. All of the furniture looked vintage, and the walls were decorated in dark blue wallpaper with a shiny copper floral print. The woodstove and the large area rug made the room look cozy and inviting. But the showstopper was the giant window that faced the sea.

“Wow,” Adam said. “This is beautiful. Did you hire a designer?”

“No. I just put together some things I like.”

Adam gazed up at the stunning chandelier above his head and thought about the apartment he used to share with Riley. Drab, white, and undecorated, with cheap furniture and Adam’s clutter everywhere. Was this what Riley had dreamed of for himself, back then?

“Pretty different from our apartment,” Adam said.

Riley huffed. “A bit.”

“Where do you even get a chandelier like that?”

“Antiques stores. I’ve got some local favorites, and I look online too.”

“You’ve got a great eye for it.”

Riley’s lips curved up on one side. “It’s my gay superpower.”

Adam laughed. “I haven’t figured mine out yet. Or do you have to be granted your power? Is there a council?”

“Yeah. There’s a lot of paperwork, though.”

“Pass.”

Riley’s smile grew. “You’re still shit at that stuff?”

The only reason Adam had ever had any important documents, like his driver’s license, up-to-date was because Riley—and later, Maggie—had always reminded him. “I’m slightly better,” Adam said. “Divorce is a lot of paperwork.”

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