Cooper’s smile grew. He could always be distracted by food. “I could eat.” He still had his hand on Noah’s leg and he had the urge to stop the car, and distract him with something other than food.
Not in public though. No touching because no one can know what’s going on.
“Why am I not surprised about that?”
Noah drove to one of the small diners in town. A really local place that everyone who lived here came to. They used to get ice cream here when they were kids. The building looked like it had been painted, the sign still saying, “Blackcreek’s.”
When they walked into the place, Noah stumbled a little, surprised at the differences. The Formica was gone, replaced with new tables and counters. The floors were redone and the walls had been painted from the old aqua color they used to be.
It was all warm browns, a very masculine feel to it.
“New owners,” Coop told him. “They moved here a few years ago and updated the place. The food’s a whole hell of a lot better too.”
Before Noah could reply, the hostess asked, “Two?”
“Yeah.” Noah replied, and followed her and Cooper as she led them toward a both in the back. Cooper sat down first and then Noah across from him.
About halfway through their meal, the warmth of Cooper’s leg pressed against Noah’s under the table. At first he figured the other man was stretching, shifting, something like that, but it didn’t move—the rough hair and Coop’s leg rubbing against his own.
Across the table, Noah made eye contact with him, and Cooper gave him a small shrug before looking down to take another bite of his food. It was such a small thing, and crazy fucking thing to like, but he did. It wasn’t something David would have done, yet already Coop did. Maybe their friendship made the difference.
Maybe somehow this would turn out okay.
***
Cooper hated the guilt that churned in his gut. He shouldn’t put off visiting Uncle Vernon and Aunt Autumn like he did. Watching Vernon now, as he carried a plate of lunch in to Autumn, who sat in her favorite living room chair, he forgot why he did.
The graying man across from him put his hand on Autumn’s shoulder. “Is everything okay, dear? Do I need to get you any more of that no-salt seasoning?”
Autumn’s legs didn’t work as well as they used to. They swelled a lot and filled with fluid. Neither of them were incredibly old, but they hadn’t been blessed with the best health either.
“I’m fine, Vernon. Thanks,” she replied.
“What about your tea?”
She leaned over and kissed his hand. “I’m fine.”
Cooper respected Vernon for the way he loved Autumn. He’d never loved anyone like that. It wasn’t the only reason he had to respect the man. No, he wasn’t perfect. He had a bit of a temper and was strong-willed, and not very forgiving, but the man treated his woman better than anyone Cooper knew. He’d been a good cop, and he’d taken Cooper in and raised him as his own. It had always been important to Cooper, that he did the man proud.
Vernon sat on the opposite couch to Cooper. “It’s been too long, Cooper. We live in Fenton, not on the moon.” There was laugher in Autumn’s voice. He loved the woman. She had the kindest heart of anyone he knew.
“I know. I’m sorry, Aunt Autumn. Between work and then fixing up my house, things have been a little crazy.” No they haven’t been. Not with Noah’s help. He’s worked just as hard as me. You remember, Noah? My best friend from childhood who I haven’t told you moved back? The one you let practically live with us and then never wanted to talk about when he left?
Which made another healthy dose of guilt settle in his gut. It was wrong of Cooper to hide Noah. Hell, they’d spent almost all their time together for three years. But then, Noah hadn’t been gay then. Coop hadn’t been sucking his cock.
And Vernon and Autumn had both been strange about Noah and his family, after they had left. Who could blame them, though? His aunt had always complained about Noah’s parents dragging him around to a different state every few years.
“How’s it coming along?” Vernon asked.
“Good. We got a deck built, planted some trees out back. I’m thinking of putting a Jacuzzi in. I want to get the outdoor stuff going, before the weather gets cold. We can work inside the rest of the year.”
“Who is this ‘we’ you’re speaking of?” Vernon shoveled a forkful of potatoes into his mouth.
Fuck. He hadn’t even realized he’d said that. “People who help. Friends and guys from the firehouse.” Luckily, since they’d moved outside of Blackcreek, the chance of his aunt and uncle finding out he had a roommate were pretty small. Vernon kept up with the police force but he doubted they talked about Cooper very often.