Page 70 of Something Like Summer

“You’ll find out soonenough. Come on.”

Ben stumbled out of thecar, wondering what was in store. Did Jace have kids or something?A secret heterosexual life? Or maybe he was being brought to someunderground sex club. Oh god! Was he being sold into sexslavery?

“Are you all right?” Jacesaid, putting an arm around him. “You don’t look sogood.”

“I just drank too much,”Ben replied, realizing it was true. Sex slavery indeed. He wasabout eight years too old to be viable on any blackmarket.

Jace led them up a coupleflights of stairs, pulled out his keys, and unlocked adoor.

“You’re staying here?” Benasked, starting to feel excited.

“You could say that.” Heopened the door and a familiar ball of grey fur appeared in theentryway.

“Samson!” Ben said indisbelief, reaching down to let the cat smell his hand. He lookedup to see more that was familiar. Along with the cardboard boxesstacked in the hallway were souvenirs from Jace’s travels hangingon the wall and the old-fashioned coat rack with the jacket thatJace had worn on their first date.

“No!” Ben said, finallycatching on. “No freaking way! You live here now?”

“Since last week,” Jacesaid in apologetic tones. “I wanted to have everything set up tosurprise you, but then I was called away for work and--”

“You’re so stupid!” Bensaid affectionately. “I can’t believe you moved here!”

“After this summer Irealized it would be too hard to be apart from you,” Jaceconfessed, pulling Ben toward him. “I hope this doesn’t freak youout.”

“What about yourwork?”

“Well, you know. Itdoesn’t really matter where I live with my job.”

“It does if you want tofly international,” Ben said. Austin’s airport was technicallyinternational, but didn’t have nearly as many connections asHouston.

“I’ll figure somethingout,” Jace said with a shrug.

“I love you,” Ben said,meaning it now more than ever.

“I love you, too. Sorryabout being so dense.”

“It’s all right. Show methe apartment.”

Jace gave him the grandtour, or rather Samson did. The cat led them from room to room,head and tail held high. The apartment was the standard two-bedroomaffair common in such complexes, but already personal touches wereevident: fortune cookie wrappers, toy mice, the smell of Jace’saftershave in the bathroom along with the endless supply of hotelshampoos and soaps he always brought home.

“This is the best part,”Jace said, tugging open the sliding door that led out to thebalcony. “Samson loves this. I couldn’t get him to come in thefirst night.”

Ben leaned over therailing, taking in the uninspiring courtyard below. Jace came frombehind and wrapped his arms around him. “So how’s school?” heasked.

“I finally chose mymajor.”

“And?”

“English lit.”

Jace barked in laughter,and when Ben turned around he saw a smirk on his face.

“What?”

“It just so happens that Ihave a degree in English lit.”

“Really?” Ben wassurprised that he had never asked before.

“Yup.” Jace nodded. “Whatdo you plan on doing with it?”