“He doesn’t know. I got done early. Thought I’d come pick him up. See if he wanted a date night. We haven’t seen each other except, like, sleeping and coffee in days.”
“He’s totally working his ass off.”
“I know. He’s happy as hell about it too.”
“I think he’s at his best when he’s living it, you know?”
“I know exactly.” He’d been busy too. He was choreographing a new show that was opening in ten days. And after agonizing over it for a week, he finally did ask Colt about playing for his rescheduled exhibition.
“So how’s the foot?”
He wiggled it for Timmy. “Perfect. I got sprung from rehab yesterday.” He thought maybe Colt had been even more excited about that than he was. It was adorable.
“Right on. Oops. Hang on.” Timmy tucked headphones on, and the booth got quiet.
Colt’s face was a study in exhilaration, his lover lost in his work, in the passion of music. It was the hottest thing in Kyle’s world.
He needed to do more of this. Stop by the studio, be supportive. Colt cleared the recording calendar for his opening weekend, and since his lover rarely performed live, this was the closest he could get.
Timmy nodded and stood up, held one hand up in the air, and after a few seconds made a fist. Kyle watched everyone in the room relax, grins and high fives all around. He hung back, just watching, taking in how at ease Colt was in that room.
Suddenly, Colt saw him, and a grin blossomed over his lover’s face. “Cher!”
Oh. Oh, he’d walk through the snow a hundred times just to see that face. He smiled and waved back, knowing Colt couldn’t hear him.
“Go on around, Kyle. I turned the recording lock off.”
“Yeah?” He ran over and kissed Timmy on the cheek. “Thanks. Hey, Colt ordered a Looney Tunes DVD. Come watch it with us soon.”
“Nothing I’d like better, dude.”
Kyle ducked out of the booth and made his way around, carefully opening the door into the studio.
Colt was putting his six-string away, laughing at something this mandolin player the size of a mountain said.
“La! Cher! What a surprise.” Colt came to him, offering him a deep, happy kiss.
Kyle accepted the kiss exactly as offered, pleased that Colt liked the surprise. “I got done early and walked over to see if you were anywhere close to finished. I thought we could go home together. It’s snowing a little.”
“Sounds perfect. Can we stop and eat? Timmy starves me!” Colt’s laugh tickled his lips.
“Dude!” Timmy scooted around them into the room. “Did you just throw me under the bus, man? That Cajun lies!”
Kyle laughed along. “Mm. You gotta watch them, they’re wily. And hungry all the time.”
“True dat.” Colt snuggled in close. “You gon’ watch me, cher?”
“No, I’m going to listen.” He tucked his arms around Colt. “You’re going to watch me.”
“Yo, get a room, Boudreaux!”
He looked over Colt’s head at the smiling giant Colt had been laughing with a moment ago. “If you’re offering, we’ll take one at the Mandarin.”
“Don’t need a room. We got us a home.” Colt took pride in their house, tiny little touches appearing everywhere.
Timmy laughed. “So there, Sam.”
“Let’s get you covered up and get out of here, hungry boy.”