Page 35 of Before It's Too Late

Cael quirked one eyebrow.

“Melt down, I mean.”

Cael laughed as the words flew out of Zach’s mouth.

Zach’s face reddened. “I don’t just meltdownin front of anyone. You know what I meant. I’m just… ”

“Cute?”

“No.” Zach rolled his eyes at him, making Cael want to laugh again. “Tired.”

“Apparently. But yeah, I’ll stay.”

Zach smiled as though he hadn’t expected him to agree. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”

“You’ve been racking up a lot of debt lately,” Cael smirked, still swaying in the middle of the kitchen, waiting for Taylor to fall asleep.

“You can say no anytime, you know,” Zach said, cracking another smile that Cael was glad to see.

“Could. But then I wouldn’t have the fun of cashing in all those IOUs.”

“Why do I get the feeling you’re gonna drag me out to a gay bar again?”

Cael laughed quietly. “That was fun, and funny, watching you get hit on by a bunch of guys and trying to be nice about turning them down.”

Zach rolled his eyes, then pointed at Taylor. “I think she’s asleep,” he whispered.

After a slow but successful attempt at putting Taylor back in her bed, Cael sneaked out of her room with his back to the hallway as he cracked the door closed. Taking a step backward, he turned and walked back to the kitchen where Zach still stood, zoning out again.

“Munchkin’s out, for now.”

“Thanks,” he said without blinking, as if on autopilot.

“Dude, you’re beat. Go to bed, and don’t get out of it until at least two hours after the sun comes up.”

Zach nodded slowly, then finally blinked and regarded Cael, again with a deep, soul-searching look that he couldn’t figure out. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“If I asked you to do something important for me, would you do it?”

“Depends. Is it illegal?”

Zach shook his head.

“Then yeah, I’d do it.”

“You don’t even know what it is.”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s important to you. That’s all I need to know.”

Zach chewed at his bottom lip.

“Why? Is there something you need me to do?” Cael asked.

“I, uh…” His brows pulled together, Zach cocked his head, thinking intently while still biting on his lip. He took a deep breath. “I think so. Just, uh… I don’t know. Yet. Fuck.” He muttered the last word under his breath, but Cael caught it anyway.

“Okay,” Cael said, drawing out the word.