Page 89 of The Shots You Take

Adam was beautiful when he laughed, especially now, in the sunshine, in Riley’s garden. “Well,” Adam said, “wherever that asshole is, I doubt he’s got a view like this.”

Riley’s gaze stayed on Adam’s face. “Probably not.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

“We’re going to miss the Toronto game tonight. Are you okay with that?” Riley asked as he stepped out of his bedroom.

Adam poked his head out of the bathroom. “I don’t think they need my help anymore. I’ll just check the score lat—wow. You look…wow.”

Riley was wearing his best outfit, and it was because he wanted Adam to look at him exactly as he was now. Riley had splurged at an upscale menswear store in Halifax on the impeccably tailored aubergine trousers, the shiny black leather belt, and the flattering black jacket made from a sleek cotton sateen. Under it, he wore a simple black T-shirt that he knew showed off his broad chest.

“Thanks,” Riley said. He was excited about tonight, and it felt good to be excited about something. He wanted Adam to meet his friends. He wanted his friends to like Adam. And after…well, Riley couldn’t be sure, but the air between them seemed to buzz with the promise of something thrilling and sexy, the same way it had when they’d been younger. Riley wanted so badly to let it happen, even if it was a bad idea. Even if the timing was all wrong. He wanted to lose himself in Adamand deal with the consequences later. It felt inevitable, that they would end this day by giving in to what they both wanted.

“I’ll just be a minute,” Adam said.

“Okay. I’ll be downstairs.”

For a moment, they both smiled at each other.He must feel it too, Riley thought.He has to.

* * *

“Do they live nearby?” Adam asked as they pulled out of Riley’s driveway.

“No. They live in West Avery. It’s about twenty minutes away.”

“WestAvery? Where’s that?”

Riley didn’t look away from the road, but Adam could tell that teasing smile was there. “West of here.”

“This Avery guy really got his name around.”

“Yep. Avery River, Avery Harbour, Avery Mountain, West Avery, Avery Point, Avery Point South…”

“Jesus.”

“May as well have been, yeah.”

“Give me the rundown. Who all is going to be there?”

“Bea and Nell, who you met. They also live in West Avery, and they’ve been married for longer than I’ve known them. Bea’s from New Glasgow, and I think Nell’s from around Truro. I forget. They met in Truro for sure, at the agricultural college.”

“And Darren’s husband is…Tom?”

“Right. Really sweet guy. An enormous teddy bear, really. Darren met him when he was living in Halifax. Tom was a big shot at one of the major hotel chains, originally from Ontario somewhere. Darren worked at the bar across the street from one of the hotels Tom was in charge of. Tom started crossing the street as much as possible, always sitting at the bar so hecould flirt with the cute bartender. Then Darren asked him out, and the rest is history.”

“And now they make maple syrup?”

Riley laughed a bit. “And now they make maple syrup. I guess they both dreamed of a more rural life, and the farm was for sale, so here they are.”

“That’s a big change.”

“It is,” Riley agreed. “But they’ve made it work.”

Adam could imagine a future, maybe when the kids were grown, when he might live here with Riley. Helping at the shop and in the garden. He was, again, getting way ahead of himself, but the vision was nice. “Who else is going to be there?” he asked, trying to stay in the present.

“Jackson—he’s an artist, and a professor at the art university in Halifax. And his husband is Marcel, who does something related to IT. I never really understood it.”

“I’m sure I won’t either.” Lucky poked his head over Adam’s shoulder from the back seat. “Shit, I forgot you were there, Lucky.”

---