Page 71 of Something Like Hail

That’s all he could manage. He rolled up thewindow and nodded to Harold. They backed out and pulled away fromthe house. Noah stared at it as it slowly shrank into the distance.He was eager for it to disappear completely. Bethany watched themgo, waving just before the car turned and drove away.

Chapter Ten

The best thing about a small town is howquickly one can reach the borders to leave it. Maybe some smalltowns were actually nice to live in. Little communities wherepeople really did care about each other instead of judging andgossiping. Fort Stockton wasn’t that place. Harold suggested theyget a hotel room since they were facing a five-hour drive, but Noahcouldn’t stand the idea of staying there one more night.

Only when they were two hours away andHarold couldn’t stop yawning did Noah offer to drive. That didn’tlast long. His thoughts were too jumbled and demanding for him tofocus. More than once the rumble strip on the side of the roadjarred him back to reality and toward the center of the laneagain.

“I don’t think either of uscan handle this for three more hours,” Harold said. “Let’s find ahotel.”

“Okay,” Noah conceded.“Sorry I’ve been so quiet. Everything’s just so…”

“I get it,” Harold said.“Actually, I don’t, but I keep trying to imagine what it must belike and, uh… I’m sorry, man. I really am.”

“Thanks,” Noah said glumly.He wasn’t ready to talk about it yet, so he changed the subject.“Did you find anything?”

“Oh. Let me see.” Haroldmessed with his phone until he had a viable option. Another halfhour, and they had parked in front of a no-name motel.

“I’ll take care of it all,”Harold said, hopping out of the car.

Noah watched him hurry to the receptionoffice, which was small enough to resemble a toll booth, and felt asurge of gratitude. He got out of the car to stretch his legs andgathered up what little they had brought with them.

“Room number eight,” Haroldsaid when he returned. “Super nice guy. Name sounded familiarthough. Norman Bates. That ring a bell?”

Noah laughed. “I’m sure we’ll be fine aslong as we avoid the shower.” But when they got into the room,that’s what he wanted most. Once the bathroom was free, Noah closedthe door behind him and stripped. He stood for a long time underthe hot stream, washing every particle of dust from Fort Stocktondown the drain.

He felt alone. More so than ever, because atleast before this trip, he could wonder if things had changed, ifhe was the one not open to reconciliation. The conclusion he hadreached as a sixteen-year-old remained the same. He wasn’t theproblem. Nothing was wrong with him. He could find plenty oftargets to assign blame to, starting with Pastor Stevens, but hewanted to leave those people behind. Let them also be washed fromhim.

Once he had dried off, Noah returned to thebedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He expected to seethe television on, but it wasn’t. Nor were the lights except for abedside lamp. Harold sat on the mattress, knees pulled up to hischest. When he looked at Noah, his expression was miserable.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ll be okay,” Noah said.“Don’t worry. I’ve been through this before. Seeing them againjust—”

“It’s my fault,” Haroldsaid. “You didn’t want to go and I forced you, thinking that itcouldn’t be that bad, but it was way worse than I everimagined.”

The pain Noah felt was drowned out by thelove that flooded him. His feet took him to the bed, his kneesmoving across the mattress so he could be closer to Harold. Hesettled down next to him, their shoulders touching.

“This trip was a goodthing,” Noah said. “Now I know for sure. I really can move on thistime.”

Harold sighed. “I want you to have a familyagain.”

“You want me to feelloved,” Noah said.

Harold met his gaze, eyes pained. “I do,but—”

“I feel that way with you.I don’t feel alone when we’re together.”

Harold clenched his jaw, still not willingto forgive himself. “Noah—”

“I need you,” Noah said,leaning forward to show the sincerity in his eyes. “That’s all.You’re enough for me.”

Harold just stared.

Noah leaned back. “I get it. Nevermind.”

Harold grabbed his hand. “I’m here. If youneed me, I’m here.”

That’s all the encouragement he required.Noah reached over, placed a palm on the side of Harold’s neck, andbrought their lips together. He sensed hesitation, but before hecould worry, it was replaced by hunger. Harold kissed him back likehe’d been longing to for ages. Noah felt the same way. He didn’tworry about the towel as it started to slip, more concerned withgetting Harold’s clothes off.