Page 85 of Thrill

“Maybe a little.”

“I’m sorry. I can get carried away. It’s a decent chance, Danny. Don’t throw it away because of the past.”

Deep down, Danny knew Tyler had a point. Yet the spectres this had already disturbed were swirling around in his mind.

Can I take that kind of risk?

For the next few days, Danny’s head went from wondering if he really could take on the shop to fretting about Tyler instantly managing him. He tried to put the latter down to enthusiasm. Although a tiny thorn of doubt stabbed at the back of his mind.

As far as the shop was concerned, Danny gave in on the Wednesday and asked Denise for the keys. After a thirty-minute lecture on how much it would mean to Bruce if Danny bought the place, he found himself stood in his old stomping ground.

The shop was silent. It contained some of his happiest memories from a time when he’d thought he known where his life was headed.

He’d come straight from work so the evening light streamed through the windows. So many pieces of furniture Bruce had spotted or lovingly brought back to life shone in the glow.

Danny wandered through into the back. The desk was still on the workbench. Other bits of furniture were piled up against one wall. Most of it looked like junk but then that was the point.

He realised he would have to develop his own eye for spotting those gems if he were to take New Lives on. Fear gripped him. Could he do this? The humiliation if it went tits up would be intense. He’d never forgive himself.

Suddenly, his eye was caught by a very slim set of drawers. They were freestanding and would be perfect for all sorts of crap.

He pulled them out and crouched down. He examined every inch. The drawers were two abreast and it could sit perfectly under the window in Tyler’s room. He’d already complained that he didn’t have enough storage.

The condition of the piece wasn’t great. Yet, Danny could easily sand it down and stain it. A lighter colour would pop against the grey walls. The excitement he used to feel when Bruce found a new treasure fired up inside him.

It would be the perfect room warming present. Although, some of the things they’d got up to in that very space were gift enough.

As usual when his mind strayed to the man in his life, things became calm inside him.

Nothing at Pleasure Seekers had ever made Danny sparkle like restoring furniture did. Why shouldn’t he reach for that? He had every right to love his life.

Running his hand over the drawers again, Danny grinned.

Maybe this was the time.

TWENTY-ONE

TYLER

Scott dashed around the apartment, checking everything. It was Friday night and he was throwing a party to celebrate Tyler moving in.

They had only had the idea on Wednesday, so Tyler was amazed at the number of people who were coming up the stairs.

“I thought it was going to be a few friends,” he said to Scott. They were in the kitchen as Scott tried to rearrange the fridge once again to fit even more booze in.

“It is.”

“There has to be more than thirty people so far.”

They were squeezed into the lounge and the dining room. Tyler had no doubt people would spill into the kitchen eventually. That was what guests did at parties.

“Don’t get obsessed with numbers. Friends have brought more friends.”

“I wish I had a lock on my bedroom,” Tyler grumbled. “That furniture is new. If anything gets broken…”

Scott gently squeezed Tyler’s cheeks so he stopped talking.

“Stop worrying,” Scott said. “You’re the guest of honour. Try and crack a smile. Is Loverboy here yet?”