Noah looked his shocked brother in the eye and fisted his chest. “Doesn’t mean I don’t feel rejection. My heart breaks too, you know.”
Zach blinked. A thin sweat was emerging on his skin. He needed to rest. Didn’t need this on him too.
Noah couldn’t muster the effort to tell him that.
Brandon left the kitchen quietly. Zach didn’t once look at him go, but the way he shifted . . . He’d been aware of him there. He was embarrassed, perhaps, at Noah calling him out like this.
Zach’s hands found Noah’s thighs and rubbed. His throat jutted. His voice came out hoarse, a whisper, “I’m sorry, Noah. I’ve been a dick. I never should have said that. It doesn’t even make sense. No, wait, lemme explain. There’s lots of different loves out there, right? But there’s a core to them. This excruciatingly beautiful trust and feeling of worth, being wanted. You showed me that first. You’ve always given me everything, even when I never deserved it. You love deepest of all.” Zach didn’t stop rubbing his legs. “Your heart must be weeping right now.”
Noah stood, pulled Zach to his feet, and wrapped him into a hug.
“I hate Luc. I’ll hate Wade too, if you want?”
Noah squeezed. “I don’t hate anyone.”
Noah’s pocket vibrated between them, three, four times. Like it had just received connection and all his messages came through at once.
(earlier)
Wade: I’m coming around.
* * *
Wade: We have to talk.
(now)
Wade: Thank you for taking care of Luc.
* * *
Wade: Mum knew when we got here.
* * *
Wade: Packing my things on Franny’s request.
Noah sucked in a sharp, angry breath. “I lied. I hate Francesca.”
“Where will you go?” Noah asked, pacing the kitchen.
Wade’s voice was distant; wind tunnelled down the line. “Probably a hotel for tonight.”
Noah barely noticed Zach slipping out and returning with Brandon, tugging his sleeve, whispering in his ear. “A hotel,” he said dumbly as the image of Wade and Luc in one bed slammed into his mind.
Brandon cleared his throat. “Your friends can stay in my town apartment. On Delaford Road. There’s a spare key in a lockbox.”
Noah stared at him, at the arm steadying his now woozy, softly smiling brother. “Wade. Brandon has a place where you both can stay. I’ll send you the address and the code for the key.”
Wade’s voice seemed clearer; Noah imagined him in the quiet of his Mustang, Luc in the passenger seat. “This is very good of Brandon.”
“Yes.” Noah glanced over at Brandon, and lingered on Zach. “He’s a very generous, kind-hearted man.”
“Thank you, Noah.”
Wade sounded so serious, so earnest. So unhappy.
Noah lost his voice to anger. Wade might have suspected Franny would react this way, but he would have hoped . . . And she couldn’t look beyond herself.
“I’ll head there now,” Wade murmured. The rumble of a car engine signalled the end of their call.
Noah gripped his phone tight. “Yes. Yes, I hope . . . Just take care.”
Their breaths drizzled down the line, and Noah knew those were the last words they’d share before Wade told him he and Luc were . . .
The call ended. Noah scrubbed his face like that would stitch him together long enough to get through this day. But . . . but . . . Franny couldn’t just get away with this. “There’s something I’ve got to do in town.” He checked the time. “Shit, I just missed the bus.”
“Use my car.”
Zach whipped his eyes to Brandon in mock outrage. “You let him use your car and not me?”
Brandon looked back at him, amusement creasing his eyes. “I trust him not to sacrifice himself for a possum.”
Mrs Ferrars opened the door, bejewelled hand on the frame, a barrier. Noah was not to pass. She eyed him up and down, grey hair greyer in the murky post-storm light.
“We’re about to go out. What do you want?”
Her hawkish eyes had Noah gritting his teeth. The entire drive over, he’d scripted what he wanted to say. Elliot had given him plenty of tips how to argue constructively. He was supposed to start by asking Franny to open a dialogue with him.
Mrs Ferrars’ distain overrode his sensible intentions. His blood simmered. “Franny!” he called into the house.
Franny appeared, freshly made-up. Lips the colour of all the blood she’d metaphorically spilled. She rolled her eyes. “Can’t a mum and daughter go to the movies without being accosted with drama?”
“Excuse me?”
“First the Steeles call and get everyone in uproar. Then Wade’s in our faces telling us he has feelings for men and always has had. That Luc starts sobbing like a girl, blabbering about his confused feelings, and suddenly we’re exposed to perverted kissing!”
Noah gave a pained start and rocked back on his heels. Kissing.
He’d known that Wade and Luc would get back together. Wade had wanted to tell him. That was why he’d come around earlier, so torn and insistent. If Luc hadn’t . . . well, Wade would have told him. Would have apologised. Again.
