“I know this isn’t the way you wanted it to go, son, but I also know this: if what you have with that boy is real, it’ll survive. If you leaving town ends it, it wasn’t worth saving in the first place.”
Okay. That made sense. It hurt, but it made sense. “Can I at least see him before I go?”
“I’ll drive you over.”
“He’ll be at work until eight.”
“Then I’ll take you over at eight thirty. You can have twenty minutes.”
It wasn’t nearly enough, but it was better than nothing.
Cody spent the whole week trying to decide whether or not he should call Nate. On Wednesday afternoon, he decided it’d be safe enough. Nate’s dad was usually working at that time. But when Mr. Bradford answered, Cody panicked and hung up the phone.
Each night, he stayed up a bit later, thinking Nate might call him after his dad had gone to bed, but he never did.
What if this was it? It was easy enough for Nate to talk about them being together forever when he was naked in Cody’s bed, but now that it was out in the open, maybe he couldn’t handle it. Maybe he couldn’t stand to look in his dad’s face and tell him he loved another boy.
When Nate didn’t pick him up before school on Friday, Cody’s heart sank. At first, he assumed Nate would be back at school, but had simply chosen not to give Cody a ride, but it didn’t take him long to figure out Nate was still missing.
Not avoiding him, then, unless he was going so far out of his way to do it that he was ditching school completely.
After school, Cody walked to the Tomahawk, imagining all kinds of scenarios where Nate suddenly went back to ignoring him and hanging with those assholes from the Grove. Knowing he was being an idiot didn’t stop the panic that began to fill his heart. He washed dishes that night feeling lonelier than he had in months, knowing Logan would never come to put the bowls on the high shelves, knowing Nate wouldn’t be waiting to drive him home at the end of the night.
Business was slow, and Frank sent him home early. At eight thirty, he was sitting next to his mom on the couch, staring blankly at Falcon Crest, wondering if he’d at least hear from Nate over the weekend.
Lights flashed across their front window, followed by the unmistakable sound of tires on gravel as a car pulled up outside.
Cody glanced at his mom. She stared back at him, her expression saying, I’m not expecting anyone. How about you?
Cody got up and peeked through the curtains.
“It’s Nate and his dad.” Although so far, neither of them had moved to exit the vehicle. They were just sitting there, talking.
Cody’s mom stood up and put her hands on her hips. “Does it look like he’s here as a cop?”
“I don’t know.” But as he said it, Nate’s dad gestured toward the trailer, and Nate got out of the Jeep alone. “No. I think it’s only Nate coming in.”
“Well, it was about time for me to get ready for work anyway.” She grabbed her cigarettes off the table and headed for her bedroom. “I’ll let you guys have a few minutes alone.”
Cody might have been embarrassed if he wasn’t so inexplicably nervous. He opened the door before Nate knocked. “Hey.”
Nate stopped on the porch, glancing quickly toward his father. “You have a minute?”
“Of course.”
Cody stepped back, his heart pounding. Nate followed him, closing the door behind him. Only then, with the door closed, did Nate turn and pull Cody into his arms.
He was shaking, and Cody clung to him, standing on his toes, holding Nate as tight as he could, wondering who was comforting whom.
“Are you okay?” Nate asked in his ear.
“I’m fine. What about you?” Cody pulled back to study Nate’s face. The bruises were still visible, although they’d obviously faded. There was no swelling, but the cuts on his eyebrows and lip hadn’t healed yet. Worse than the bruises was the look in Nate’s eyes.
“I have to tell you something.”
Cody’s heart sank. His knees suddenly felt weak. He took a step backward, as if that could change whatever it was Nate was about to say. It was bad. He knew that much already. “What is it?”
Nate didn’t let him retreat. He followed him, stepping close and gripping Cody’s arms. “I know I told you I wouldn’t go anywhere without you. I know I said I wouldn’t ever leave you again, but . . .” His voice trembled, and Cody found himself wanting to pull away, not wanting to hear whatever it was Nate had to say. “I’m going to have to break that promise.”
“No—”
“My dad’s sending me to Chicago.”