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“Kim’s probably already got dinner started for everybody. So you boys got another hour or so before you hear someone knockin’ on the door,” William said, his eyes sliding from Nick to Matt.

Matt dropped his bag on the floor beside the couch. “That works for me. Gives me a little time to get situated.”

“We’re gonna eat here tonight, Dad,” Nick called as his footsteps creaked on the stairs.

William chuckled. “Yeah, figured as much. You two rest up because you know she’s gonna want a big dinner tomorrow night.”

“We’ll be there,” Matt promised.

William nodded. “I’ll let her know what the plan is for tonight.”

“Alright, see you later, Dad,” Nick called down the stairs.

William’s eyes flicked to Matt, and for a second, he would swear the older man wanted to say something. It was just a moment, a tightening of the skin around his lips and the slightest narrowing of the eyes. And then it was gone, and William was waving cordially before stepping out and closing the door behind him.

Matt let out a low sigh and gracelessly flopped back onto the couch. He always hated how traveling sapped his energy. It always seemed strange that something involving hours of sitting and doing very little could be so draining. But the couch was comfortable, letting him sink deep into its soft hold, and he was willing to take it.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but he caught the familiar scent of Nick’s cologne before a shadow fell over his closed eyes. Matt smiled as warm, strong fingers curled into his hair. It was one of his biggest weaknesses, and he was pretty sure Nick was the only one who knew it, save for a couple of women from Matt’s past anyway.

“Lazy,” Nick chided playfully.

“It’s a very comfortable couch,” Matt assured him.

“I’m sure.”

“Think I might take a little nap.”

Nick chuckled, pulling his hand back. “Get some rest then. I’m sure you’ll wake up when the food gets delivered.”

Matt nodded, wondering if he could convince Nick to stroke his hair while he dozed off. It wasn’t exactly the sort of request he should have asked of his friend, but that didn’t change how much he would have enjoyed it.

Yet even the absence of Nick near him wasn’t enough to keep him from sleep. He found himself slipping into the comforting embrace of warm darkness.

When he awoke,it was with a faint jerk. He pushed himself upright, noting the stiffness in his back and the lack of sunlight from the window. He squinted at the blanket strewn across him, then looked around.

The house was quiet. Save for the wind outside and the wood creaking, there wasn’t a sound. Getting off the couch, he realized a faint light was coming from the kitchen and, with a brief stretch, went to investigate.

No one was there, but there was a note under the light above the stove. Nick’s handwriting, neat enough to put Matt’s chicken scratch to shame, was scrawled in the center of the paper. It informed him that he hadn’t woken up when the food came, but there were plenty of leftovers in the fridge.

Matt shook his head, touching the note for a moment before looking at the clock built into the stove. It was hard to believe, but it had been almost four hours since he’d laid on the couch. Even harder to believe was that he was sure he could go another four.

Nick was nowhere on the first floor, so Matt mounted the steps quietly. There was no door, only an opening that led into a room with a sloped ceiling. On the side of the room facing the mountain, a huge set of windows stood, moonlight pouring in through the glass. From what he could see, the room was decorated in the same rustic but comfortable style as the rest of the house, save for the large bed at the center.

On one side of the bed was Nick, his back to the window.

Matt watched for a moment before deciding he would sleep downstairs instead. It was hard enough for Nick to fall asleep and stay that way most days. Matt had no idea how comfortableNick felt at the family lodge and didn’t want to risk waking him just in case.

“I’m not sleeping,” Nick’s rumbling voice rose from the hulking shadow.

Matt chuckled softly, pulling himself fully into the room. “Was kind of hoping you were.”

“No, just lying here thinking.”

“Wishing you were asleep?”

Nick rolled over, face catching the moonlight. “Sounds like a really boring thing to do when you know it won’t happen anyway. Better to think about other stuff.”

Matt walked closer to the bed. “Don’t you do enough of that in your daytime hours?”