Page 22 of Feels Like Home
We finish eating, pay at the counter, and bundle up in jackets, gloves, and scarves before stepping out into the cold.
"All right. Well, I guess I'll see you later," I say to Court.
He frowns. "Where are you going?"
"Back to mine with Howie to make sure he's taken all his shit and left the bedroom in a decent state before you move in."
"The bedroom is perfectly decent," Howie says, opening the door of his SUV. "I was a respectful house guest and only jerked off in the shower. Mornin'," he says to a clearly horrified Mrs. Cunningham, who yanks at her necktie with a huff and storms past us down the sidewalk. Howie calls out, loud enough for her to hear, "Yep, Ichecked offthe shower to make sure that leak was fixed. And good news, it was!"
"Too late. She hates you," Court says, grinning.
Howie chuckles then gets into his car.
"I'll see you later?" I say to Courtland.
"Yeah. I'll be over around three."
"Perfect." We hug, and I jump into Howie's SUV.
It's only after we take off that I realize what I've done.
"Turn the car around," I order, my voice laced with panic.
"What?"
"I said turn the car around."
Howie ignores me and keeps driving. "What are you talking about?"
"Court and Zane. I left them alone. Together."
"So?"
"So?So?That's like saying Putin's dropping by for a chat. It's not a safe situation for either one of them."
"Dude, chill. If they've got issues, keep your nose out of it, and let them sort it out. They're grown adults."
"Have you met Courtland?"
Howie chuckles. "Why does he have it in for Zane? Dude seems pretty cool if you ask me."
"I don't know. It's some weird jealousy thing."
"Ah. So same as always then."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Court is overly protective of you," he replies, not taking his eyes off the road. "Always has been. Used to think it was because you guys were besties, but…"
"But what?"
Howie parks along the curb in front of my single-story apartment and turns off the engine. "Don't know how to break it to you, Buzz, but I think your husband may be in love with you."
I scoff. "Yeah, right."
"What, yeah, right? It's obvious. So obvious even I can see it. And you know how clueless I am when it comes to these things."
"You are pretty clueless," I concede, still unsure if he's just giving me shit as usual or if he's, god forbid, actually being serious. I hedge it's the former and say, "You're so clueless that you're completely wrong."
