Noah swallowed down the cocktail of emotion bubbling viciously in his chest. This was Josh and West’s baby, their happily ever after realised. “You’ve done an incredible job with the place.”
Josh dropped his arm. “Well, it’s Victorian, but close enough. Inside everything’s historically accurate. Of course,” he grimaced, eying his husband with a smile, “I’ve had to make some compromises.”
West laughed. “Like having afternoon tea on the schedule.”
West pulled Josh to his feet and Josh melted into a kiss, cut short by some drama with the wine.
Noah, gaze on the polished floor as Josh and West were drawn away, registered a new pair of stockinged legs approaching and looked up.
Without a single glance toward Noah, Robby held out a gloved hand and spoke softly, like this was comfort. Like he knew Luc’s inner turmoil. “Come. We’ll drink wine and . . . forget.”
Luc took his hand immediately and then looked down at their gloves, clearly startled by how quickly he’d taken up the offer of distraction.
Distraction. Noah would do anything for that—
Another familiar figure had him squinting through the throngs of guests. Blond hair caught in the light, and a sea of dancers parted, opening up the view.
Noah palmed the plush fabric under him, pushing to his feet. His breath made his chest feel hollow.
Did his brother know?
Sensibility
~Zach~
Maybe he should have texted Jack first.
If he had, he wouldn’t be at yet another bus stop, freezing his balls off.
But they lived for spontaneity, right? Showing up with a ticket to an Austen-themed night out was romantic.
Zach checked the bus timetable and let a nice little curse hit all those numbers. Or the lack of them, perhaps.
His phone felt heavy in his numb hand. Brandy picked up on the first ring.
“Zach, I’m just arriving now.”
That explained the echo: he was on speaker. Never would Brandy hold a phone to his ear and drive at the same time. The useless plastic timetable reflected Zach’s grin. “So actually . . . I’m not there yet.”
A pause. Zach couldn’t for the life of him imagine Brandy’s expression. And he desperately wanted to.
“Will you be here at some point?”
“Sooner if you pick me up?”
A sighing chuckle. “You and . . .”
“Just me. I’m on Boundary Road at the bus stop.”
There was a strange little silence. Perhaps he needed directions? “You go—”
“I know where it is, Isabella lives up there. I’m on my way.”
The minute Brandy pulled up, Zach dove into the car. “You’re a godsend, Brandy.”
He’d been puffing on his fingers for the last five minutes and he didn’t stop now.
Brandy turned up the heater and—oh, hell yeah. Seat warmer.
Brandy had clearly come straight from work—he was still in his suit. Zach had grumbled about Brandy’s work ethic most of the day, annoying Noah senseless. Or, well not really. Noah could never be senseless.
“You want to tell me why you’re half frozen?”
“Stupid busses don’t run up here this time of night.” He murmured lightly, like it didn’t much matter, “Jack wasn’t in. He’s the reason for the extra ticket.”
“Never would have guessed.”
“Brandy!” He shoved his arm lightly. “It’s annoying how dry you are.”
“That’s why you’re grinning, is it?”
Zach grinned harder, cheeks about to burst and everything. “Shut up.”
“Have you texted him?”
“He’s not answering. Guess he’s busy.”
“What does he do?”
“Contract work.”
“What kind?”
“Um . . .”
“Really, Zach? And you love him?”
Love him? Did he?
He wanted to.
“I know everything else. And what’s work? It doesn’t define you.”
“Can I remind you what you do for a living?”
“Okay, sometimes work can define a part of you.”
Brandy chortled. The streetlamps striped light across his profile; he looked good—he always looked good—but tired. No, exhausted. He’d pulled long hours this week, and Zach had stretched a few of his evenings into the small hours too. He just liked . . . being around him. Hearing his voice, sharing his thoughts.
“We can be a little late to this thing, right?”
“We’re not late. As long as we arrive by eight, it doesn’t matter.”
Eight . . . that was an hour off.
“Take the next left, up the hill.”
“Not the direction we need, Zach.”
“Trust me, it’s the direction we need.”
Three minutes later Brandy parked at the outlook, Port Ratapu a bunch of pretty lights below. The ocean glimmered under an almost-full moon.
“This is . . .” Blue eyes snagged his.
“Bromantic as fuck?”
“Not quite the way I’d have phrased it.”
They were quiet a moment, and Zach glanced over. “You don’t like him, do you?”
“I don’t know him, Zach. But I worry you don’t either.”
He wanted to resist Brandy’s caution, but . . . Brandy had never broken his trust. He swallowed. “I’ll ask. Find all that stuff out.”
Brandy laughed. “You do that.”
“You still look worried.”
“There’s just something about him . . .”
Brandy leaned back in his seat, all the lines of his face weary. “Never mind.”
Zach clicked open both their belts and swivelled. “Take off your shoes and socks.”
