Page 26 of The Quarterback
“Thanks.” He smiled at Nick.
Nick didn’t even look up. “It’s true. You are.”
His smile faded.
Better you than me, Colton.This time, Justin sent the laughing emoji.I’ll take the hospital, thanks. Say no to spreadsheets.
What about the ranch?From Wes.
“Oh, God, are they going to have a conversation in front of us while they’re in the same place?” He groaned as Nick laughed.
I’ll take the ranch, Justin texted,as long as it comes with you. Heart emoji.
Wes sent a single heart. Colton sent a vomit emoji. Justin sent a glare emoji.
I’m glad you’re doing great.Nick, being the adult, being the peacemaker.I was thinking about you both all day. Thank you for the photos.
Justin hearted Nick’s message and then sentI need my beauty sleep. Talk to you guys tomorrow!He sent a blowing kiss emoji. Colton thumbs-upped, Wes said nothing, and Nick sent backGood night. Sweet dreams.
“Another glass of wine?” Nick asked, setting his phone facedown on the table.
“Sure.”
Nick gathered their plates and took everything inside, then came back out with the half-empty wine bottle. He poured more for them both and sat back down. The sun had set while they ate, not as spectacular as Wes and Justin’s sunset had been, but enough to turn the sky periwinkle and pink and for a dusting of stars to glitter overhead.
“I didn’t know when I got this place if it was really my style,” Nick said with a sigh, settling back against the patio chair. “But I could get used to this.”
So could I.Colton sipped his wine and tipped his head back.So could I.
Chapter Nine
Every day seemedto move faster, and his mind filled up with accounts and client names and Nick’s sales pipeline. He still studied the tech, too, and he peppered Nick in the afternoons with question after question on how it all worked.
Dinner the first night together turned into dinner the second night… and the third… and then never stopped.
The fourth day, Colton swallowed his heart and packed his PlayStation and a half dozen games, along with his one-handed controller and the controller Nick had been using every time he came to the jock house, into his duffel bag. He didn’t say anything at the office or while they were walking to Nick’s condo, and he kept his mouth shut as he sipped the sauvignon blanc Nick had poured while Nick seared shrimp on skewers on the grill. After, though, he finally, sheepishly pulled open the duffel and showed Nick what he’d brought.
Nick laughed, his head tipped all the way back, Adam’s apple bobbing. Colton held his breath, biting down on the inside of his lip.Nick is a grown-ass man. He doesn’t want to sit around and play video games all night. He wants to drink wine and sit on his balcony, you dumbass.
He’d been so happy playing with Nick, though. Video games were a simple, easy way to share time and space with someone. He’d become attuned to all of Nick’s movements, his twitches and squirms and the way he frowned when he was trying to concentrate. How he’d slide Colton a small, triumphant smile when he beat one of the bad guys.
“What games did you bring?” Nick finally asked, twisting on the couch until he was facing Colton with one knee crossed over the other. He propped his head up on one hand, his elbow slung over the back of the sofa. In his other hand, he spun his glass of wine on the leather cushion between them.
“Halo, obviously.” Colton pulled out the game boxes one by one. “Madden,Destiny. I’ve been in the mood to playRed Deadagain, and I blame the cowboys for that.” He grinned. Justin and Wes had become “the cowboys.” Every day, they sent photos from the ranch, and every day, they looked like two cowboys plucked out of a hardscrabble western movie. Despite Colton’s fears for Justin, Justin seemed to thrive in the bitter West Texas landscape. His smiles were always huge and the light in his eyes always bright, no matter the dust or the heat or the filth he was covered in. He was obviously, deliriously happy.
Having the love of his life by his side every day probably made life pretty perfect, no matter where he was.
“Let me see that one.” Nick held out his hand, and Colton passed overRed Dead Redemption II. It was a story game set in the American Old West, the player taking over the life story of an outlaw cowboy. There was riding, roping, fishing, hunting, and both cowboy and outlaw missions to complete. The fictional world was dotted with Old West towns straight out of Texas, and it was everything an air-conditioning-loving Texas boy could dream of.
“I’ve heard a lot about this one.” Nick’s eyes traced the box, reading the game blurb and the reviews on the back. “Is this two-player or one-player?”
“One.”
“That’s not something we could play together, then.” Nick tried to pass it back.
“I’ve played it before. It’s great. If you want to start your own game, I don’t mind watching. I love this game. I’d watch you— I’d watch anyone play.”
Nick considered, pursing his lips as he tapped the game box against the sofa cushion. “You sure? Seems rude to take over your PlayStation when you brought it all this way.”
