Art House

by Charley Descoteaux

  The answer came so fast Chase teared up a little: Back atcha.

  Before Chase could think of something else to say, Garrett texted him again: Working on secret project #2.

  Chase answered with a smiley face, which was all he could manage, because he couldn’t see very well. Secret Project Number Two could only be the charcoal drawings he’d snooped at that last time Garrett had gone to Jess’s apartment. Beautiful renderings of the brewfest they’d attended with Kyle and Bran and the venue, Waterfront Park. He’d only seen the studies, the rough sketches of bits and pieces of the finished work—or works, because it had seemed like a series.

  Even though I have nothing to base that on but my gut. And my knowledge of how Garrett works.

  Chase heard the door open behind him, and as much as he would have loved to text about Garrett’s secret project, he knew he should get on with the intervention, so he texted: Gotta go. Love you G.

  Garrett’s Love back left Chase struggling for breath.

  Chase took a moment to breathe—once he was able to—and then stood and faced Nathan.

  Nathan, who carried a very large picnic basket and wore a concerned frown. “Was that Garrett?”

  “Yeah. What’s that?” Chase nodded toward the basket.

  “Come with me, darling. We’re going to relax and have a little chat over an early dinner.”

  “Think I need more sunscreen.”

  “No, you won’t. We’re going to my place. The whole walk is shaded.”

  Chase shrugged and nodded at once, and after another moment Nathan headed toward his tiny house. Chase had seen it but hadn’t spent much time there and was a little excited about visiting. The house itself was adorable, like a fairy-tale cottage, with a peaked roof and a front door from the Middle Ages—or whatever time it was when they built castles with wooden doors that had wrought-iron hinges spanning the width of the door—and a stacked stone chimney out of a Dr. Seuss book. He couldn’t have painted a cooler little house.

  Well, maybe I could.

  They left their sandals in the tiny foyer, and Nathan brought dinner into the living room and laid it out on the coffee table, which looked like a driftwood heart. Chase wandered to the french doors facing north and peeked through the white sheers. The house still only had a small, half-round brick patio, but they had worked on the garden since the last time Chase had visited. Sloping toward the trees between the house and the beach was a narrow path lined with pebbles that matched the yellowish stones of the chimney, and a patch of lawn that looked velvety soft, bordered by what appeared to be strawberry plants. Chase smiled as he heard Nathan coming up behind him.

  “Cute lawn.”

  “Thank you. It’s nice to have a soft spot to lie down outside.”

  Chase didn’t turn to face Nathan; he wasn’t sure he could. “You don’t have to do this. I mean, we can just eat and—”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I know I’m not your favorite person, so—”

  Nathan gently turned Chase to face him and seemed genuinely upset. “I can’t—that’s not true, darling. Please come and sit. You look hungry.”

  Chase followed, and as soon as he saw the individual pies that smelled like bacon and cheese, he had to admit he was hungry. “It’s okay. I—”

  “It’s a load of bullshit is what it is.” Nathan cringed. “I don’t know how you can say that. I mean….”

  “It’s okay. I know I haven’t been the best friend, especially once I started seeing Garrett. He—what? You don’t like Garrett?”

  “No.” Nathan made an obvious effort to wipe the sour look from his face. “No, that’s not true at all.”

  “Anymore. Wow, you’re really transparent when you’re upset. I’d forgotten about that.”

  They ate in silence for a few minutes, and then Nathan sighed and turned to Chase.

  “I didn’t like him very much at first. I admit that. But I was…. He seemed so young, I was afraid he wouldn’t be good for you.”

  Chase studied Nathan closely for a long moment, until he began to squirm and dug in the picnic basket for a thermos. When he unscrewed the top, the lovely aroma of alcohol floated toward Chase. He wasn’t sure drinking would be a great accompaniment to this conversation, but Nathan looked like he might be reconsidering the whole thing anyway. They each took a drink—Nathan’s larger than Chase’s—and then Nathan twisted toward Chase and draped his arm across the back of the couch.

  “Okay. So when you and I stopped hooking up, I was… disappointed. Very much so. And that… disappointment… tainted my feelings toward Garrett. At first. But regardless of that inauspicious beginning, I do love him, so I want to help you figure out what happens next. What?”

  “Sorry. You just shocked the hell out of me, that’s all.”

  Nathan crossed his legs and took another long drink from his glass. “Really? I thought that was why you stopped, because you didn’t want… well, anything too serious.”

  “Me? I didn’t stop it. You did.”

  “I beg your pardon. You—never mind. This is off topic. You should really try the spinach pie.”

  “They look so fattening, though.”

  Nathan laughed, and it was only a little bit tight around the edges. “You don’t have to worry about that, darling. You look even more delectable than you did fifteen years ago.”

  “Stop that.”

  “Just shut up and eat until we get past this awkwardness. Agreed?”

  Chase thought it might be inappropriate, but he laughed anyway. “Agreed.” After two of the little pies—flaky triangles holding spinach, cheese, and bacon—and a handful of crispy roasted mushrooms, he looked up at Nathan, who still seemed a tad uncomfortable. “You and Paulie are good, right?”

  “Yes. I don’t know where that came from. Oh, yes, I do. Someone accused me of not liking them.” Nathan shot a faux angry look at Chase, and a moment later they shared a smile.

  “Sorry. I’m a little wound up about all this. I’m no good at talking.”

  “Practice makes perfect. And you’re about to get a little closer to perfect. So tell me, what are you worried will happen if you get married? And keep in mind that I’ve been fully briefed by my lovely husband, so no trodding the same ground. If the answer had been there, you wouldn’t have been about to burst into tears from a text.”

  “Okay.” Chase thought about it but wasn’t sure how to start.

  “Oh, just spit it out.”

  “If I told younger me I was thinking about getting married, he would judge me. Say I was contributing to homonormativity. It feels like selling out, in a way.”

  “Is he all that important? Past You? I think now you is more important. Your happiness. So far, we’re all hearing that you both want the same thing, and yet you’re here and he’s there.”

  Chase tried very hard not to grin at that—because obviously Nathan had been fully briefed by Paulie—but didn’t get very close to perfect on that one. Luckily Nathan let it go.

  “You want him, and he wants you. What does it matter what it looks like to the rest of the world? To the people who think the way Past You did?”

  “Don’t get too pissy. I’m not trying to say marriage is wrong. You guys seem happy. All of you: you and Paulie, Kyle and Bran, Derek and Alex.”

  “Eric and Tim.”

  “Right. Say, is Felipe still your webmaster?”

  “Yes.” Nathan raised one perfect eyebrow and nodded slowly.

  It won’t last, but I’ll take the break.

  “Yes. Felipe made a website for Tim too. Ooh! Are you planning to go digital?”

  “What’s Tim’s—oh, his furniture?”

  “Yes. He’s doing well too. He’s had more interest than he can keep up with so is only taking the jobs he truly wants. He’s practically given up handymanning. Except around the camp.”

  “Sounds good. Great. I’ve been getting back into doing my own work, less corporate, and I thought….”

  Nathan lea
ned forward and smiled. “More naughty and surreal?”

  “I guess.”

  “Splendid. Let’s Skype Felipe now and talk about it.”

  “Now?”

  “So you won’t have time to talk yourself out of it.”

  Nathan pulled his laptop from under the couch, and faster than Chase would have guessed, he saw the lovely face of Felipe Zarate on the screen. He looked even sexier than he had the one time Chase had met him. Probably the happiness coming through the screen.

  “Nathan, how are you?”

  “Marvelous, darling. You look happy.”

  The words had barely left Nathan’s lips when a man leaned into the frame and kissed Felipe’s cheek. They spoke so quickly Chase wouldn’t have been able to follow even if he’d tried. He’d taken a little Spanish in school, but he wasn’t able to catch a single word of that conversation.

  “I am. We are. And who is this?”

  Nathan introduced them, and then he and Felipe chatted, but Chase lost his battle to pay attention. He missed Garrett and didn’t really care about a website or anything else at the moment.

  “Chase.” Nathan rested an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. “Chase and his partner are artists and were thinking about starting a website. They’re amazing and really need a way for art lovers to find their work.”

  Felipe turned to him, and Chase had the feeling he had to tear his attention from Nathan to do it. “Do you have something specific in mind for the design?”

  “No. Not really. I haven’t given much thought to it before today.”

  Felipe laughed. “I see. In that case, how about if Nathan sends me your information and a few photos of your art, and I’ll do a mock-up. Once you and your partner see it, we can talk about making changes.”

  “That works. Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. Nathan, I should go. The books won’t balance themselves. We’ll talk soon.”

  “Love to Andres.”

  “He’ll be sorry he missed you.”

  They traded air-kisses, and Felipe ended the call. Nathan looked a touch wistful for a moment and then turned to Chase. “Well, that was productive. I’m sure you and Garrett will be pleased with the website.”

  “I’m sure too.” Nathan has that part of my life handled—too bad he can’t solve everything else for me while he’s at it.

  “If you’re doing some new paintings—some real paintings in your style—we’ll be happy to hang them here.”

  “Okay….” Chase didn’t know what to say. That offer sounded like it would take far too long to figure out what was really behind it. For me, anyway.

  “We get offers on the one in the dining room all the time. But that one is mine.”

  Chase blinked. “You do?” Only a smallish canvas, he’d given it to Nathan while he’d still lived in Paulie’s condo: a summer meadow with a bridge to nowhere in the middle and a trio of lovers hidden in the tall grass.

  “Yes. It’s fabulous. Don’t you think our guests would be interested in real art?”

  “Um… sure.”

  “So think about it, darling.”

  “Okay.”

  “And now we come back around to marriage and Past You. If you want to know what I think, I think you should dump that guy. He’s a dick.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I mean, he doesn’t want you to be happy. For the record, I don’t believe Past You would be that harsh. You never talked any trash like that to anyone. You were a sweetheart.”

  “Unlike now?”

  Nathan sighed. “Unfortunately, yes. Now You is keeping us from hosting your wedding. Do you think we’re not all looking forward to seeing you and Garrett in tuxes? Oh. Em. Gee. That will be so hot. I just want to dress you both myself.” Nathan blushed and shook his head as he raised his eyes to the ceiling. “Not literally.”

  “No, I think you do.” Chase laughed and gave Nathan a quick hug. “And I’ll need you to. I’ve never worn a tux before. I wouldn’t know how to pick one out, let alone put it on.”

  “That sounded suspiciously like an epiphany.”

  Chase looked up into Nathan’s face, and once he got a good look at the love there he almost felt like bursting into tears again. “And they say you’re just a pretty face.”

  Nathan frowned for a moment and then shook his head while he rolled his eyes.

  “Sorry.” Chase grabbed his drink and leaned back against the couch. “I think it was an epiphany. Fuck Past Me, fuck worrying about homonormativity, and fuck being single.”

  Chase held up his glass. Nathan scooped his own from the table and clinked the rims together. They sipped and Nathan held Chase’s gaze, a calculating look on his face.

  “Good job, darling. I’d phrase it differently when you talk to Garrett, though.”

  THE NEXT day Chase spent thinking—letting everything he’d talked about the day before sink in. That added up to lying on the beach under an umbrella and avoiding his friends. He was disappointed not to get a visit from Derek, but obviously they’d compared notes and knew he was almost there.

  Later that night, after stuffing his face with three kinds of chocolate from the dessert buffet and saying a polite “no thank you” to more drinks, Chase went up to room eight early. He said he wanted to think, but what he really wanted was a little more time to himself. A little more time without anyone asking me any questions, is more like it. He was standing on the back balcony, his phone cradled loosely in his hands, both forearms leaning on the railing, rereading Garrett’s texts, when someone came near.

  “Hey,” said an unfamiliar, but sexy, voice. “Nice night.”

  “It sure is.”

  “You on your own?”

  Chase stood and looked at the stranger. Fairy lights in the backyard illuminated a tall, muscular body while leaving most of the face in shadows. In answer to the man’s question, Chase looked around and shrugged.

  Just to see what will happen next.

  “You don’t have to be.”

  Chase’s phone chimed softly. He read Garrett’s text and smiled.

  The stranger stepped closer, and he barely looked legal. Ha, he’s probably thirty.

  “Do you live around here?” Chase asked.

  The guy shrugged. “I live anywhere you—”

  “Stop. Please.” Chase realized he sounded like Paulie and smiled. Maybe some of Paulie’s wisdom has rubbed off along with his speech patterns. “I’m in a great mood, so I’ll let you in on a little secret. Knock on the wrong door and you could end up being charged with soliciting.”

  The man’s eyes bulged, and for a moment he looked even younger than Chase had thought at first. He recovered fast enough, though, to show he was well on his way to being as jaded as Chase.

  “There might not be a ‘right door’ either. Depends on the night. Not worth the risk—” He kept himself from saying kid, but it wasn’t easy. Chase raised his voice so the man could hear as he walked back to room eight. “Tell your friends. Tell everyone. Nobody deserves to have a police record just because they wanted to hook up.”

  He managed to keep from snickering until he’d made it inside the room. His next text to Garrett sent a thrill up his spine, and only a tiny portion of it was fear: Please come out to BH.

  Garrett: Is 2morrow 2 soon?

  Chase: No. Love you G.

  Garrett: Love back. GTG. Working.

  He hadn’t been working when they’d started texting, but Chase didn’t let that worry him.

  He’s cautious.

  Not for much longer.

  THE NEXT morning Chase was showered and on his way into the kitchen before the official end of breakfast at Buchanan House. He practically floated around the room, passing out hugs and kisses to everyone—even Eric, who was up to his elbows in heavenly-smelling dough of some kind and who blushed so hot the thought skated through Chase’s mind that he might be cooking the dough a little.

  “Garrett’s coming out today. Hope that’s okay.”

/>   Nathan had just come in through the swinging doors in time to hear and didn’t stop until he’d wrapped Chase in a hug. After loud kisses on both of his cheeks, Nathan pulled back and looked at Chase—presumably at what he was wearing, which only seemed to disappoint him slightly. “Congrats, darling.”

  “A little premature, but thanks.”

  By the careful way everyone moved for the next few seconds, Chase thought they agreed with him. It shook his confidence but only for a moment. “Think I took care of your party-crashing problem.”

  Eric looked up from his marble slab, his hands frozen in the air over what Chase hoped was croissant dough. “What happened?”

  “Don’t worry, nothing much.” Chase got himself a cup of coffee and felt everyone’s attention on him, but in a different way than it had been moments before. “I got cruised on the balcony and may have hinted there was a chance he could end up with a record instead of a blow job. If he knocked on the wrong door.”

  While everyone processed that, Chase considered spiking his coffee and searching for something to eat and rejected both ideas. He slid up onto a stool and grinned as he wondered who would speak first.

  Nathan’s eyebrows had climbed higher and higher on his forehead as he’d listened, so it probably didn’t surprise anyone when he broke the silence. “Look at you, all cocky.”

  Chase shrugged and let his grin grow as it would.

  “It’s nice to see. And thank you.” Nathan sighed dramatically and looked around the kitchen. “I hope it works. We’ve had a couple of complaints from guests about the knocking at all hours. Say, was he tall, blond, and muscular?”

  “Maybe. It was dark, and I didn’t really check him out all that well.”

  “I hope it was that Joey character.”

  Kyle groaned and smacked the door leading to the dining room, leaving his coffee behind. Chase thought there was a story there but didn’t really want to hear it. Knowing Kyle, he could guess it easily enough.

  Nathan had pretended he wasn’t watching Kyle’s reaction, and when Derek and Alex followed him—maybe to talk or maybe just to get some work done—Nathan turned back to Chase. “Do you need anything to welcome Garrett properly?”