Page 52 of Something Like Hail

“I do,” Noah said before hecould stop himself.

Luckily this went unheard. Harold waspulling the phone from his pocket to read the screen. “Typical.Just when we’re having fun, I get another— Huh.”

“What’s up?” Noah asked,despite already knowing.

“New assignment, but nowI’m sure that Marcello is getting senile, because he put your nameinstead of the client’s.” Harold looked up. “I guess he still hasyou on his mind!”

“He doesn’t seem the typeto make mistakes,” Noah said casually.

“No.” Harold consulted thephone again. “I don’t recognize the address. New client maybe? Holdup.”

He watched as Harold sent atext, no doubt asking Marcello for corrected information. Noahcould stop him, put a hand over his and reveal thathewas the clienttonight. A pang of doubt hit him then. Harold might find thisscheme insulting instead of charming. Noah didn’t want to pay forsex. He just wanted—

“Marcello says it’s not amistake.” Harold’s head whipped up. “I don’t get it.”

Noah tried a smile. “Like you said, we keepgetting interrupted. I figured this was the best way to make surewe have the night off.”

“By hiring me?”

Noah swallowed. “Well… Yeah.”

Harold eyed him a second longer. Then heleaned against the kitchen counter. “You’re crazy!”

“Just a little. So what doyou want to do tonight?”

Harold guffawed. “You’re the client! That’sfor you to decide.”

“This client wants to makeyou happy. I can’t fly you anywhere in a private jet, or take youshopping, unless you like the dollar store.”

“Love it,” Harold admitted.“Although if you want to know what I reallyreallywant…”

“Yeah?” Noah said, chestfeeling tight.

“More of this. I love myjob, but sometimes I just want to go out with a guy wearing an oldT-shirt and jeans. No more fancy restaurants. I’m always worriedabout staying in shape, but that fried food you mentioned earliersounds good. I want to burp and yawn without worrying aboutoffending the other guy, and I want to get ridiculously high andact goofy.”

“So basically you want tobe a slob.” Noah said. “Sounds perfect!”

Harold grinned. “Are you sure? Now I knowwhy you dressed so nicely. We can do fancy.”

Noah was happy that Harold not only noticedthe new outfit but also approved of the style. He was wearing ashort-sleeved shirt, and while it wasn’t a button-up, it did have acollar. No farm-boy pattern on the fabric, just a solid emeraldgreen that made his eyes pop and went nicely with the dark bluejeans. The weather was a little warm to be wearing long pantsinstead of shorts, but he knew Harold kept the air conditionercranked up, and he hoped a lot of their night would be spent here.“I just want us to relax. Like we always do.”

Harold eyed him curiously. “It’s always soeasy with you. I’m glad we met.”

“Me too,” Noah said, tryingnot to blush. “Don’t forget how much you like me when I drag you toCulver’s tonight.”

“Culver’s?”

“It’s really healthy,you’ll love it. They have frozen custard instead of ice cream,which goes great with their bacon deluxe butter burger—

“Butterburger?”

“Yeah! Of course you’ve gotto try their fried cheese curds too.”

“You’re killing me,” Haroldgroaned.

“I’m not, but the foodmight.”

“In that case,” Haroldsaid, “if we’re actually going to do this, I want beertoo.”