Page 127 of Something Like Hail

Felix shrugged. “Yesterday I found out thatyou grew up on the streets and that your ex-boyfriend is amurderer. Nothing can shock me now.”

Noah only wished that were true. “He isn’t amurderer and I didn’t— You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”

“A little,” Felix said witha mischievous expression. “When will you be home?”

“Late. Because of work, notthe wanna-be date.” He still needed to earn money, especially now,when he might be taking a different position that paid less.Besides, weekends were usually the busiest, and he didn’t want tolet Marcello down, not when they were finally getting alongagain.

“I’ll see you tomorrowthen,” Felix said amiably.

Noah took his time with the goodbye kissanyway, just to be sure. Then he was out the door, in his truck,and trying not to think about his destination. He didn’t want toget nervous. Or excited. Still, pulling up to a certain house in anold neighborhood brought back treasured memories and expireddreams.

“Hey!” Harold said,throwing open the door before he could knock. He looked great.Harold always looked great, but clearly he was trying. The brownbutton-up shirt was a little too dressy for a flea market. “Ithought you would never get here.”

“I couldn’t remember theway,” he lied. Then he jerked his head toward the truck. “Ready togo?”

“I thought we’d take ataxi,” Harold replied, eyes remaining on him. “Wanna come in for asec while I call one?”

“Why would we need ataxi?”

“Because they sell booze atthis thing, and that makes it way more fun. You’re going to loveit. Come on in.”

Noah remained where he was. “I’m notdrinking.” If they got drunk and he started feeling mopey about howthings had ended between them, it wouldn’t be pretty. “I’lldrive.”

“You sure?” Harold asked,his face falling.

“Yeah. Ready?”

Harold patted himself down, checking for theessentials. “I guess so. Hey, is that your truck?”

“No, but if we’re lucky,the police won’t catch us.”

Harold laughed as he shut the door behindhim. He didn’t lock it. Noah had almost forgotten about that quirk.“It’s a nice ride! Fits your image well. I bet the clients loveit.”

Noah sighed dramatically. “You have no idea.This one guy wanted to watch me work on the engine. That got himall riled up. Good thing he knows even less about cars than me,because all I did was open caps and screw them back on. Oh, and Ichecked the oil. At least I know how to do that.”

“Sounds like StanKnutson.”

“Yeah! That’s exactly whoit was!”

Harold nodded knowingly. “He’s intohandymen. Had me take apart a VHS player while he watched andwhacked it. One of the weirder things I’ve ever done.”

“A VHS player?” Noah asked,opening the passenger door out of habit. He always did so forclients.

“Yup. I guess he figured itwould never work again, and that’s why I wasn’t given a PlayStation4 instead. Hey, thanks! This truck rocks!”

The smile on Noah’s face froze in place ashe shut the door. He wasn’t supposed to be enjoying this. Thenagain, if he acted miserable, they both would have a crappy day, sohe decided to have fun. Harold already knew Noah was seeingsomeone. He wouldn’t have any false expectations.

Conversation came easily on the drive to theflea market. They talked about work, naming their worst clients andtheir favorites, comparing notes and laughing a lot.

“Who sneezes while they’recoming?” Harold said as they pulled into the parkinglot.

“Not just one sneeze,” Noahsaid. “He goes into a fit! The first time it happened, I thought hewas having a seizure.”

Harold nodded. “It’s pretty intense. I swearhe ripped one once.”

“He farted too?”

“Yup! Hard to be surebecause there’s so much going on. I always feel kind of bad, like Idon’t know what to do for him.”