Page 21 of Under the Mistletoe with You

‘Will do.But, you know, I really would like to think about this after Christmas, if that’s possible?’He hears a car honk and Kurt swear under his breath.‘Are you calling me from the car?’

‘Business never sleeps, my good dude.Especially in this town.’Kurt laughs heartily, which makes Nash miss him and feel almost bad for not being honest.Kurt adopts his Serious Agent Voice, and adds, ‘I’ll try and stall them for as long as I can.We can let them know that you’ve got some ...personal situation going on, which might buy us some time.Just know that they’re getting twitchy over there, Nash.’

Nash sighs, sitting down on the bed.

‘I don’t think they’re going to cancel the offer, but you know, it might be harder to get all the termsyouwant if we’re down to the wire, deadline wise.You can talk to me, you know?’

The swirling guilt in Nash’s stomach grows into a whirlpool.

‘They all think you’re holding out for more money.It’s not just money, is it?’

‘No, but—’

‘Well?’

This is it.Kurt is giving him an opener to just talk about it.

But the words just don’t come.

This happens to him sometimes.There comes a point where he just can’tthinkabout something any more.It’s notthat he doesn’t want to – hell, it’d be easier if he could just explain all his thoughts to Kurt – and he knows that Kurt will have his best interests at heart no matter what.But he’s justsotired.A whole situation that’s not been helped by this failure of a vacation.He was supposed to have some time to think, to collect his thoughts.

A car door slams and he hears footsteps.He imagines Kurt walking to one of the really good taco trucks.

Right up until the point he hears a very familiar doorbell.No one else has a poor recreation of theParks and Recreationtheme song as their doorbell, he’s pretty sure.He set it that way once when he was a bit high and he’s never worked out how to change it.But Kurt can’t possibly be at his house?

‘Kurt, where are you?’

The theme song plays again from the other end of the phone call.

Nash winces.This is about to get really awkward.

‘Kurt.Are you at my house?’

‘Obviously I’m at your house.I have come to stage an intervention.I brought the catfish tacos you like from Tacos Baja and everything.’

There’s a third ring of the doorbell.

‘And ...you’re not here, are you?’

‘No.’

There’s silence on the line for a little too long.

‘Fancy telling me where you are while I sit on your doorstep eating these delicious tacos you’re missing out on?’Nash can hear the strain as Kurt tries to remain chipper.

He could pretend their call is breaking up, but that would be the ultimate dick move.But also, he can’ttellKurt.That would be ...really embarrassing.

Plus, he’ll be back home in a few days.The weather will wear off soon, and he’ll just get a flight out early.Then he’ll take Kurt out for make-up tacos while they talk this all over.Kurt will never need to know he left the country.And continent.

‘Look, I know it’s weird but I can’t tell you right now.But I promise I’m safe, and I just need some help stalling them.Please.I promise I’m thinking about it.’

The wordpromisecurdles in his stomach.

The thing is, signing that new contract isn’tjustabout him.His deals are how Kurt gets paid, and there are all the other people who want to keep going.Barbie, for one.He knows she’s already in.That’s before he even considers basically everyone involved – the film crews, the directors, hell, the marketers at the streaming company.If he doesn’t work out what he’s doing, all those people’s jobs are on the line.That’s one hell of a lot to carry.His shoulders may be broad, but it’s a lot.

‘Okay, look, I know that you’ve got ...something mysterious going on that I respect your boundary about, that’s fine.You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.The only issue is that today the studio set a deadline for a decision on that contract for Christmas Eve.’

Three days, with a little extra thanks to the time difference.‘Oh ...shit.’