“What did he say?”

Kellus rolled his eyes and took a bite. “Like you don’t know.”

Arik chuckled while chewing his food. Once he swallowed, he reached for the water bottle. “I’d like to hear anyway.”

“Your dad wants to send a crew out tomorrow, forgo insurance, and get the studio and house back together.”

“That’s a great idea.”

“Because it was your idea.” Kellus lifted his brows and gave Arik a knowing smile.

“No, not technically. He did that all on his own.” Arik took a long drink, lifting a finger when Kellus started to rebuff that statement. “After he made fun of me for how long it was taking me to get you to move in.”

“I told him no, thank you,” Kellus said, and Arik nodded, confirming he’d suspected that response.

“I did tell him you’d say that,” Arik mumbled.

“But at his suggestion, we got the agent on the line. His adjustor came out yesterday afternoon so we can start repairs. Layne’s an approved vendor.”

“Good. They’ll be quick because you’re family. You won’t have to be in this freezing house for long.”

“It is cold. Want me to shut some windows?” Kellus asked, starting to rise.

“No, I’m fine. You have them open for ventilation, right?”

“Yeah, I was just closing the kitchen window when you showed up.” Kellus ate his food like a man who’d never eaten before. He finished it off quickly and wished he had more.

“Have you spoken with your family?” Arik asked, watching him closely.

“I did. It’s good. Like we hadn’t spent the last year not speaking,” Kellus said, picking at the crumbs on his plate. “My sister wanted to know if you had any brothers. I told her they were all married. She was disappointed.”

Arik busted out a laugh at that one.

“When are you going to the hospital?” Arik took a bite of his sandwich as Kellus closed his empty containers. A small bite of turkey dropped from Arik’s sandwich and the five-second rule didn’t even need to apply. Kellus speared it with his fork, and placed it in his mouth in record time.

“I thought I’d get there about four thirty. That’s when the doctors come around. They’ve got a neurologist now, but he stops by in the mornings. After I hear what the doctor says, I’ll need to come back here afterward. I’ve got to put in extra time.” He fidgeted with the empty soup container in his hand.

“Okay, I can come here tonight,” Arik said before taking a drink.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Of course I do. I’ll bring dinner. If you need me at the hospital, I’ll be there.”

Kellus caught Arik’s hand, drawing him closer. “Thank you for being so good to me.”

“I love you,” Arik said, puckering his lips for a kiss. Kellus kissed him, then deftly swiped the crust of the bread laying on Arik’s plate and popped it in his mouth.

“You know that’s my favorite,” Arik proclaimed, lowering his brow and sticking out his bottom lip in a pout.

“Is it? I forgot.” Kellus laughed and gathered both their containers. Then left the table to toss them in the trash.

Chapter 26

Four days later

Kellus’s sweet and agreeable nature had caused Arik to miss sight of the intense edge Kellus had been carrying underneath that facade. Arik squinted as he took a closer look at Kellus’s profile as he bent over one of his large wall-mounted sculptures. His guy hadn’t shown an immense ability to process all this stress nor had he miraculously become level-headed where John was concerned. No, his guy was shielding his emotions from Arik, and the small pit that had been forming in the bottom of his gut ever since this accident grew.

Arik had kicked back in a recliner in Kellus’s living room, not moving while he watched Kellus work. Music played quietly in the background. He took a closer look at what he was seeing. Only because he’d studied Kellus so thoroughly in the past could Arik tell something was off in his work today. The pieces were good. Very, very good, but not to his usual standard. Arik shifted his gaze to take a closer look at Kellus’s face. The set of his jaw was wrong. The way he held his head while working was off. Arik frowned at the realization. Kellus was up before dawn, working easily fifteen hours a day, and throwing in visits to check on John and John’s family at least every couple of days.

Damn, he’d just thought that meant Kellus had finally decided to settle into their new routine. The constant destructive disruptions to his guy’s life had come to an end, allowing Kellus some peace. He’d clearly gotten this very wrong. Arik slowly lowered the recliner and waited for Kellus to show the signs of taking a break; he’d learned from the beginning that Kellus wouldn’t engage in conversation if he were absorbed in a task.

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