Page 8 of Doors & Windows
They pulled their food from the paper bag and spread the feast between them.
“This might be a first as far as food pairings go,” Liam said, eyes scanning from the rainbow roll to the carton of chocolate covered strawberries.
“This is a first for me in general,” Jonah said, pointing to Liam’s chosen dish.
Liam’s mouth popped open. “Wait, what? You’ve never hadsushi? Like, ever?”
“My family wasn’t known for their worldliness.” His self-deprecating smile just barely took the edge off the casual mention of his family—a subject he rarely brought up since leaving them behind in the house that nearly suffocated him. Liam didn’t let himself linger on it.
“We must rectify this immediately,” he said seriously, ripping the paper packaging off a pair of chopsticks and handing them over.
Jonah fumbled gracelessly with them. It was impossibly endearing, watching the clumsy way his fingers struggled to hold them in place. Twice, when he tried to use them to pick up a piece of the salmon roll, one of the sticks clattered to the blanket. Liam, shamelessly eager for any excuse to touch Jonah’s hand, offered his assistance.
The sight of their fingers overlayed—pale against bronze, long and thin curled around knobbed and callused—sent his stomach tumbling. He could have gladly sat there all night, touching Jonah’s skin under the guise of instruction, but then he got a better idea.
“Open up?” Liam said, picking up a piece of sushi with his own chopsticks. Immediately, his brain fired off with red-faced regret at his own suggestive word choice, but Jonah only raised a brow.
“Are you going to make airplane noises with it, too?”
“If you want,” Liam said. Then, in a sing-song voice,“Here comes the plane.”
Jonah’s mouth opened on a laugh, and Liam placed the food gingerly on his tongue. He watched Jonah’s reaction, eager for him to like this thing he was sharing with him. When he finally swallowed, he tilted his head.
“Cold fish is a new sensation,” he said. “But I see the vision. Going to need another piece to confirm.”
Liam smiled.
By the time they reduced their picnic to scraps, the sun had begun its slow retreat toward the horizon, painting watercolor clouds behind the Manhattan skyline. Jonah indulged him when Liam asked to take a photo, stretching out a long arm to capture as much of the view behind them as possible. He stared at it for a few long seconds and realized it was the only photo they’d ever taken together. He made a mental note to change that. Thoroughly.
When the daylight had all but faded, they folded the blanket back into a neat bundle and slipped on their shoes for a walk along the river.
Liam was the one to reach out a hand first that time, holding his breath until Jonah took the offer.
“I believe you were going to tell me something,” Liam prodded as they wandered, river water sloshing noisily against the side of the walkway.
Jonah smirked. “I don’t know. Do you think I’ve waited long enough yet?”
“Jonah Michael Prince.”
He snorted (a sound that Liam filed away inside his brain to replay later). “Okay. Fine. You know that house in Long Island my crew has been working on? They’re looking for a painter, and I gave them your name.”
“Oh.” Liam blinked. “I mean… physical labor has never been my strong suit, but a job is a job. I can roll up my sleeves and get to work.”
Jonah’s smile twitched like he was holding back another laugh. “Well, that’s good to know. But I think we’re talking about two different kinds of painting here.”
Liam’s steps slowed beneath him, and Jonah followed suit, coming to a stop along the chrome railing that separated them from the water.
“They want someone to paint a mural for their nursery,” Jonah explained. “It’s not just throwing paint on a wall. It’s a commission for your art.”
Liam was momentarily speechless. When he did manage to speak, it was only a breathless“What?”that made it past his lips.
“It’s not a sure thing yet,” Jonah went on. “Ultimately it’s up to the homeowners, and I didn’t want to share any of your work samples without your permission, but they already said they would look atthem. I guess the mom is a Fordham alumnus, so she has a soft spot for you already.”
“That’s like…” Liam shook his head, grasping for words. “Jonah, that is a huge deal. That feels way above my paygrade.”
“It’s not,” Jonah said immediately. “Well, I don’t know how much they’re paying. Maybe a decent amount? These people are incredibly rich.”
“Oh my god—”
