One Real Thing

by Anah Crow

  “I know it won’t.” Nick smiled and turned to catch Holly’s lips with his own. “You’ll be too busy doting on me to get yourself into trouble.”

  “We might have to redefine doting, but yeah.” Holly nudged his nose against Nick’s cheek. “We’ll be fine. Better than fine.”

  ***

  Holly was working, sprawled naked on the bed in the alcove. He could see Nick in a chair by the window, reading. Life was perfect. He eyed the presentation he was putting together for the team and then looked over at Nick again. If he got the next section done, he could creep over and put his head in Nick’s lap, beg some attention. Just a little…His phone chirped at him in a familiar cadence. Danner.

  “Yello?”

  “Hey, I took care of that store manager thing. I was going to put him out front, but he gave me crap and I fired him.” Danner’s voice was bouncing about cheerfully, and Holly had to smile.

  “Awesome, thanks. And you got the assistant manager to cover for now?” That made things so much easier. Holly rolled over and stretched.

  “Yep. And now I’m coming to see you.”

  Holly had a very bad feeling about that. “Where are you?”

  “Downstairs.” Danner sounded annoyed. “Julie made me call.”

  “Julie’s here too?” Holly rolled to his feet and, catching Nick’s eye, pointed at the door. “Downstairs?”

  Nick raised his eyebrows and matched Holly’s gesture with a question in his eyes. When Holly nodded, Nick put his book aside and headed for the closet.

  “Well, you’ll have to give me a few minutes. Wasn’t expecting company. Ahem.” Holly didn’t have any problem telling Danner to hang out in the hired car; if Danner wanted to come inside right away, he could plan better. “Glad you’re here, though. I’ll text you in a few.”

  “You don’t have to put clothes on for me,” Danner offered. “I’ll take mine off.”

  Holly laughed. Danner would too. “Sorry, Dann. My naked ass is private property. Talk to you soon.” He cut the call and looked over at Nick.

  “You didn’t know they were going to be in town, I gather.” Nick looked amused, at least, and not annoyed. He’d pulled a pair of jeans out of the closet and was stripping off his pajama pants.

  “No, but ever since Danner figured out he had the money to buy plane tickets online whenever he wanted, it’s every man for himself.” Holly padded over to Nick and sank to his knees, rubbing his cheek against Nick’s thigh like a cat. God, it felt so good to do that. He’d always played at submitting to Nick, made a joke of it, because he’d been so scared Nick would be disgusted by the real thing. Turned out he’d only hurt the person he loved. Now he wanted to make up for it. “Please, may I have some clothes?”

  “You’re beautiful like this,” Nick murmured, running his fingers through Holly’s hair. He looked down at Holly like all he wanted was to take him back to bed. “But I don’t want to share. I’ll let you get dressed.”

  “Yes, Nick.” Holly wanted to stay exactly like this as long as he could. “Anything you want me to wear? Or not?” Nick slid his fingers down to brush over Holly’s lips and he hummed thoughtfully.

  “I’d like to know you’re bare under your jeans, waiting until we’re alone again and I can touch you.”

  Holly kissed Nick’s fingers. “Yes, Nick.”

  He couldn’t explain why it made him so happy for Nick to say things like that. Part of him kept expecting a knee-jerk reaction of anger or frustration at being dictated to, but it never came. Not when it was Nick. Other people, definitely, he was still full of fuck you. It was a relief when someone outside pissed him off, because he knew he was still himself. Just…who he was with Nick was different, and made him feel right. When Nick smiled at him, it felt like praise.

  “Come get dressed,” Nick said. “We shouldn’t keep them waiting. They’ll think we forgot about them. Or that we’re fucking.”

  “Well, if we do that, we’ll have to bring enough for everyone.”

  Holly rose and surprised himself all over again with how much stronger he’d gotten over the months since Nick had dragged him back to New York. Everything had hurt before—even when he was lying still, he’d felt like one big ache—but kneeling and rising were simple and painless now. Everything was nearly painless in his life. He pulled on a pair of loose jeans and a quarter-zip hoodie. He left the hoodie open to bare some skin, just for Nick. Shoes seemed unnecessary.

  “How’s this?” He offered himself up for Nick’s inspection.

  “You look edible.” Nick looked pretty good himself in jeans and a button-down shirt he’d rescued from the storage unit. God, it got Holly all hot and bothered the way he was always so damn put together. He pulled Holly in with a hand on the back of his neck, dipping his head to kiss him on the mouth. “Perfect.”

  “You too.” Holly wanted to melt against Nick’s body and soak up Nick’s closeness but he pulled away. “I’ll tell Dann and Jules we’re ready for them.” He could muss up Nick’s pressed, buttoned-down, cottony goodness when they were done. Maybe Nick should leave the clothes on.

  “Go ahead.” Nick let him move away. “I’ll put on a pot of coffee.”

  “Thanks.” Holly shook off his fantasies and glanced around before texting Danner. The apartment was spotless. Company ready. Holly sent Danner a text, telling them to come on up, and waited for the knock at the door.

  By the time the knock came a few minutes later, Holly’s irritation was gone and he bounded over to open the door. Okay, he’d missed Danner a little. Being crazy in love with Nick hadn’t made him forget everyone else.

  “Baby!” Julie was first through the door for once. She was dressed in a bright blue wool coat better suited for blizzard weather than spring. Holly hugged her and swung her into the apartment. He could hardly feel her under all the layers. She was tiny and got cold twice as fast as Holly and Danner. “We missed you.” Julie kissed his cheek as soon as he put her down.

  “I missed you too.” All Holly really wanted was to have everyone he cared for within reach. Was that too much to ask?

  “Hey, what about me?” Danner followed them in and kicked the door closed. His hands were full with bags and boxes. His hair sun-bleached so light he and Holly were looking more alike every day.

  “I sort of missed you too.” Holly gave him a kiss on the cheek and got one in return. Where was Nick? There. Every time he saw Nick, Holly melted inside all over again. “Julie and Danner, this is Nick Addison.”

  Nick stepped forward, smiling, offering his hand. “We’ve met. I think we can avoid the not-so-veiled insults this time, though.”

  “Hush, I was trying to erase that evening from my memory,” Holly said, pouting. “It’s not the same at all.”

  Julie laughed at Holly and shook Nick’s hand. “Ah, so this time we’re meeting your Nick, are we?”

  “The other way around,” Holly admitted, sliding his arm around Nick’s waist and ducking behind him, putting his chin on Nick’s shoulder. “But yes.” His cheeks were warm, but it was all happiness, not shame.

  “Definitely better circumstances this time.” Nick curled his free hand over Holly’s arm. “Holly speaks very highly of you, both of you.”

  “Mm, I find that hard to believe.” Danner handed one of the boxes to Julie so he could shake Nick’s hand. “Julie, yes. Me, not so much. If it’s true, I need to try harder. But thanks anyway. It is good to see you both, and doing well, it looks like.”

  “Much better now.” Nick turned and nudged his nose against Holly’s cheek. “Thanks to Holly.”

  “He has that effect on people,” Danner said.

  “Who, me?” Holly didn’t have to feign being baffled at that.

  “Yes, you,” Julie said. “Come on, we didn’t stop by that pastry shop you like just to stand around and wave the box at you until you notice.”

  “Yes, and you missed out on all this…stuff…from the Mexico trip,” Danner said direly, giving Holly a look that said th
e trip had been fifty percent less fun—and therefore a hundred percent worse—without him.

  “Put that down for now.” Julie snapped her fingers. “Holly can open it later.” She looked over at Nick. “As long as you don’t mind.”

  “She’s cranky without her coffee,” Danner muttered.

  Nick nodded his permission. “That’s fine.” Behind them, the coffeemaker stopped burbling. “We have coffee if you’d care to join us for some.”

  “We would, yes, or at least I would.” Julie handed the box of pastries off to Nick so Holly could help her with her coat. “For everyone’s protection, I should have a cup. Dann, you should have some, or a soda, so you don’t get that headache back.”

  “New York hates me,” Danner explained as he put Holly’s things behind the sofa. “It always gives me a headache, with the pointy-ness.”

  “Or, you know, you could chew gum on the airplane so your ears clear, among other things that you refused to do,” Julie pointed out.

  “I’m not five,” Danner sputtered.

  “Only because your driver’s license says otherwise,” Holly said, taking Danner’s coat as well. He loved having them around; it felt good. He was still a little anxious about how Nick would fit in, but that was fading.

  Nick returned with a plate of pastries in one hand and four small plates with napkins piled on top in the other. He set both on the table in front of the love seat. “So dealing with the store manager didn’t go well?” Nick smiled sympathetically and gestured for Danner and Julie to sit.

  “Typical entitled prick,” Danner said. “You know, the kind of guy who thinks he should be paid for not doing his job, because it’s not fair he has to do actual work.”

  Holly snorted. “When I asked him why he hadn’t changed the displays to get ready for the summer gear, he said, ‘You mean you’re not gonna do it while you’re here?’” He finished hanging up the coats and came back over, in range for Danner to poke him in the ribs with a fist. Holly poked back and got a whack in return. “Do I have errand boy and punching bag on my job contract? Huh?” He jabbed his fingers into Danner’s side and dug in, making Danner double over with laughter.

  Nick looked at Julie, grinning, eyebrows raised. “Are you sure having two of them is better than just one?”

  Julie laughed as she settled on the love seat, looking far too prim and proper to be associating with either of them. “Actually, yes. Otherwise I’m on the receiving end of Let’s Play Punch.’”

  Holly got an arm around Danner’s neck and leaned in, careful to keep Danner off balance so he couldn’t brace himself and lift Holly up. Most people didn’t appreciate the strategy involved in fucking around in close quarters. Danner elbowed Holly in the inner thigh—too high up for comfort—and Holly shoved Danner down and away, then skittered behind him while he was staggering upright before he pitched into the table.

  Nick made a thoughtful, humming sound as he looked over at Holly and Danner. “I see your point.” He sat down on the hearth of the fireplace and flashed Julie a grin. “I think I’ll stick with the one I’ve got, though.”

  “When I say stop, I’m ruining everything. When Holly says stop, he has a point. Irritates me no end. And he has that authentic golden-boy vibe that makes people want to sign on the dotted line.” Julie cleared her throat. “I am lacking a coffee, gentlemen. So is Nick.”

  “I’ll get it.” Holly cuffed Danner in the head and danced away. “You get my stuff you brought me.”

  “I don’t know if you deserve it now.” Danner ran his hands through his brassy curls to sort them out as he came over to grab the bags he’d stashed behind the sofa. “The way you beat me.”

  “I do so,” Holly shot back. “You love me. I got that graffiti collective to work on the new skatepark for the cost of supplies. And they’re doing that new logo at the store.”

  “Well…” Danner grumbled and wandered back to sit on the floor by Julie’s feet, the bags in his lap. “I guess so.”

  “You know so.” Holly really had missed Danner. He poured three cups of coffee and brought them over. He crouched by Nick’s chair to hand Nick’s coffee over. “May I please have some coffee?” he asked sweetly.

  Nick took the cup with one hand and touched Holly’s cheek with the other, petting. “You may.”

  As Holly got up to get his coffee, he realized it might look odd, asking Nick for permission. But first, it was Dann and Jules, and they had odd wrapped up and signed to a five-year contract. He knew damn well there wasn’t much difference between him and Danner, and it went further than the attitude and the bed-head.

  Second, he’d rather have people think he was odd than not do it. Of course he could get himself a damn cup of coffee. That wasn’t the point. The point was it reminded him Nick loved him and wanted the best for him, that Nick wasn’t going to let him screw up or fall down.

  Holly brought his coffee back and snagged a chocolate croissant from the plate on the table. Then he came around to kick Danner lightly in the head before sitting on the love seat next to Julie. Danner punched him in the shin for the kick.

  “Shit.” Danner shook his hand. “You’re bony.”

  “There’s a rude joke in there somewhere,” Holly said cheerfully, then took a bite of his chocolate croissant. Mm, chocolate.

  “No, there isn’t.” Julie grabbed a plate and napkin and dumped them in his lap as croissant flakes began drifting down. “I was wondering when we might get you back,” Julie continued, “in spite of your sixth-grade sense of humor.”

  Good question. Holly looked over at Nick. It all depended on Nick anyway. “As soon as I can,” he said. “Depends…”

  “Wednesday is supposed to be the last mediation, and then—in theory—I’m free,” Nick said.

  Holly knew Caroline hadn’t been exactly amenable to the divorce terms in the last two meetings, so there were no guarantees, but Max had submitted his testimony about their relationship, so it wasn’t as though she could back out now. Frankly Caroline could shove it up her cheating—Holly cut the thought off as it rose. He didn’t want to ruin his appetite.

  “Competition season is starting, that’s all,” Danner explained. He twisted to shove something in a plastic package at Holly. A new handheld videogame, it looked like. “Awesome graphics.” And head-to-head play.

  “Get bored of me not playing with you?” Holly took another bite of croissant, then put it and the plate on the table. “I always said they should have taught us this in school.”

  “Are you moving, then?” Julie asked Nick. Holly was half listening to them, half struggling with the plastic packaging. Of course Nick was moving.

  “There’s no reason for me to stay in New York. And one very good reason to go.” It sounded like Nick was talking about Caroline, getting away from her, but Holly knew Nick really meant him. Holly caught Julie giving him a worried glance.

  “It’s all good,” Holly reassured her. Things could hardly have been better. “Really. I’ll be back on the road in no time.”

  “Nick should come with.” Danner dug a box out of one of the bags and shoved it into Holly’s lap. A new netbook. Some companies were shameless about trying to get some product placement. From the box, it looked like it had some nice detailing, though. “I mean, whenever. Gotta keep the help happy.”

  “Hey, I can function on my own, you know.” Holly knocked Danner on the head with the package that still refused to open.

  “Uh-uh.” Danner dumped more things in his lap: a carabiner keychain with a skateboard charm and a case that looked like it held sunglasses. “With the heavy sighing and the pining and all. Not to mention the emergency plane tickets when boo-boo breaks a nail.” A teddy bear in a skull hoodie attacked Holly’s foot with a growl—Danner still had no ability to resist stuffed animals. It was part of his charm.

  Holly gave Nick a pout. “You see what I have to put up with?”

  “You poor baby.” Nick looked more amused than sympathetic. Bastard.

&nbs
p; “Hey, whose side are you on?” Holly stuck his tongue out at Nick. It was so unfair. And he couldn’t get this damn package open. “Everyone’s against me.” Holly got his teeth into the corner of it, trying to rip it open.

  Nick just laughed. “Do you need help with that?”

  “’M fid.” Holly knew he wasn’t going to be able to defeat the package with his teeth. Damn. “I’b geddig de sizzizz.” He stepped over Danner, and the bear that was biting his ankles, and headed for the kitchen.

  “See, not every guy breaks a tooth opening things,” Julie said to Danner.

  “Hey! That was a beer bottle,” Danner said defensively. “Damn Germans and their fancy non–twist-off caps.”

  “I have never done that!” Holly said, turning up his nose.

  Of course not. He always checked for the twist-off arrow on the cap. There was that incident with the champagne bottle, though. College. Holly had missed college, right up until he’d met Sierra. Part of him had never left, not until he’d gotten himself in trouble. Now he knew he could carry what had made him popular there out into the world, that it wasn’t just some smoke screen. Nick didn’t bring up the champagne bottle, but he did give Holly a raised eyebrow and a grin, so Holly knew he remembered.

  “Oh, never,” he said instead.

  “Shut up,” Holly said, laughing. He found the scissors put away neatly…where he’d put them. That was still such an odd feeling, to be the one putting things right. “I was young and stupid then.”

  Seven years ago. Hell, he’d been young and stupid last year. It felt like the last decade had been one long, slow fall that started when his mother’s health collapsed. He missed his mother so much. Her mental illness had never kept her from being a good mom, when she could be. The rest of the time, taking care of her had given him something to do, focus for his life. He hadn’t stopped falling until Nick shoved back into his life.

  Holly looked over his shoulder when a burst of laughter split the haze of his thoughts. Apparently the little bear in the skull hoodie was tougher than it looked, because in spite of being six inches tall, it had Danner pinned to the ground by the throat. Holly had escaped just in time, it seemed. If he and Danner were left alone together, they’d die of exhaustion in a month, or kill each other in some horrible skateboard-and-pie-and-motorboat accident.