Page 139 of Something Like Hail

“I’ll call another taxithen,” Marcello said. “You aren’t driving in my condition. Or inyours.”

“Good idea,” Noah said.“Thank you.”

Harold was staring at him again. He had doneso occasionally throughout the night, as if haunted. “I’ll, uh…I’ll wait with you until it arrives.”

“Very well,” Marcello said.“I wish you both a pleasant evening. Harold, you know your wayaround?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Marcello had a twinkle in his eye before heturned away and left them alone. Together they walked down thedrive, the gates still open. They stopped where the old pickup wasparked. Noah kicked at the ground, praying this wouldn’t turnawkward.

“There’s something I needto tell you,” Harold said.

Damn it!

“You really don’t need toexplain,” Noah responded.

“I do. I’ll feel guilty ifI don’t get it off my chest.”

Guilty? For still having feelings? Noahlooked up. “Okay. Do what you’ve gotta do.”

Harold took a deep breath. “I’m not sure ifFelix will like my plan. You wanted to move on because of him, andI wanted you to have the best job possible. I still do! But hemight not like that you’re—I don’t know—the madam of abrothel.”

Noah laughed. “I’ll have an easier timegetting him to accept that than me being an escort.”

“Yeah, but he’ll have notrouble with you working on a production crew. That’s guaranteed.You wouldn’t have to tell him about the escort stuff atall.”

“I do,” Noah said, “becauseif he’s going to love me, he needs to know who I reallyam.”

“You’re more than yourjob,” Harold said, eyes watering up. “Especially to me.” He shookhis head and leaned against the truck, head downturned and featureslost to shadow. “If you don’t want to lose him, maybe you shouldthink about the crew position instead. I’m not saying that becauseI’m nervous about taking over the business. I’m saying it because Idon’t want you to think I’m trying to sabotage what you’ve got withFelix. Just think about it, okay?”

“I will,” Noah said. Thenight was quiet. Few cars drove along this road, especially at sucha late hour. It was easy to pretend that they would always be alonelike this. Would that be such a terrible fate? “That guy who’safter you, Ruben, you should give him a chance. You deserve to beloved.”

Harold looked over at him, already shakinghis head. “He can’t compare to—”

“Just think about it,” Noahsaid. “Okay?”

Harold’s chest rose and fell a few times,air rushing through his nostrils. Then he nodded. “Okay.”

“Tell me abouthim.”

Harold did so, reluctantly at first, but ashe kept going, his fondness for the guy became clear. Eventuallythey heard an engine as headlights cut through the gloom.

“Okay,” Harold said,pushing away from the truck. “Um… Goodnight.”

Harold started to walk toward the house, butNoah grabbed his shoulder and spun him around for a hug.

“No matter what I decide,”Noah said, “I hope we’ll still be in each other’slives.”

Harold nodded. “Yeah. Me too.” He took astep back, biting his lower lip. Then he walked through thegateway, pausing once to look back, before it began to close. Noahstared after him. Then he climbed inside the taxi and was whiskedaway, wishing he could be two places at once.

Chapter Nineteen

Noah stood outside of Studio Maltese andwondered if he should see a doctor about his perpetual grin. Thenagain, he didn’t mind it so much. He would still be able to talkand eat. Drinking would be trickier, although he could probablysqueeze a straw between his teeth. Kissing Felix would be a lotharder, and that wouldn’t do at all, so despite how happy he felt,Noah forced his lips together into a pleased smile instead.

His happiness didn’t only stem from having awonderful boyfriend. Noah had just signed his contract, takingpossession of half the Gentlemen’s Agreement Club. This wasn’t adecision he rushed into. Harold was right. There could still beconsequences, but after considering the opportunity from everyangle—taking five days to do so—he found himself reaching the sameconclusion repeatedly: Noah wanted this. The challenge appealed tohim, and he had a number of ideas on legitimizing the business.

His first trial would be explaining it allto Felix. Ever since the trip to Mexico, Noah hadn’t seen anyclients. He was officially out of commission. Permanently. Thismade a tremendous difference to their relationship. Noah had moredrive and appetite sexually, but the real change came emotionally.He hadn’t realized just how much energy his near-nightly dates hadtaken. His clients had often needed more than just the physical,and he’d been happy to give it to them. Now that he was able tofocus on one person instead…