Chapter Four

THEIR LANDLORD informed, boxes stacking up, Elliott began to have reservations about moving to the cabin. There was a part of him that was superexcited to take this journey with Clay. The time they would get to spend together was the best part. However, there was something nagging at him, putting a damper on his excitement. It had been years since he and Clay had spent more than a few days together, a couple of long weekends, but that was about it. They were lucky to get a single day off together. Typically, they saw each other in passing. Elliott knew that had they continued going the way they were, their relationship would have suffered as they drifted further and further apart. In two weeks, they’d go from seeing each other occasionally to being together twenty-four seven in a remote area. No friends, no family, not even the occasional visit from the pizza delivery guy. Just he and Clay. Elliott was sure it would put their relationship to the test.

“You about ready?”

Elliott pushed down his unease. He was being silly. The move was going to be a good thing. An amazing thing. He turned his head and smiled at Clay. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Did you put the letters in the mailbox?”

“Yup. Our measly three hundred and twenty dollar paychecks will start next week.”

Clay stepped up close and slid an arm around Elliott. “I know that doesn’t leave any extra funds for bow ties and top-shelf bourbon, but it will be plenty to live on.”

“And not enough for cupcakes and pizza.”

“I bet I handle going without better than you do,” Clay challenged.

Elliott pecked Clay on the nose, then stepped back. “We’ll see about that.” Elliott picked up his duffel bag and shouldered it, then grabbed the cat carrier. Little Man let out a woeful sound. Poor guy hated being cooped up, but there was no way in hell Elliott was about to let him run around the truck. He’d tried that once and nearly hit a tree when the cat decided to jump from the back seat and land on the steering wheel. “Sorry guy, you’ll just have to cry.” Elliott then turned his attention to Clay. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

He and Clay were heading to the cabin to spend a couple days installing solar panels, and doing some more cleanup and small repairs. The water purification system they’d ordered hadn’t come in yet, so a couple of days without indoor plumbing was about all Elliott could handle.

He locked the front door and followed Clay down the porch steps. “You driving or am I?”

“I’ll drive.”

Elliott went to the passenger side, threw his duffel in the back, set the carrier down carefully, and petted the poor cat through the small holes before climbing into the front seat. When Clay slid into the driver’s seat, Elliott held out the keys but didn’t release them when Clay reached for them. “You get control of my truck but not my radio.”

Clay frowned. “That’s not fair. You always say the driver gets to pick the station.”

“That’s only when I drive. Besides, your taste in music sucks.” He dropped the keys in Clay’s hand, then fastened his seat belt.

“One of these days I’ll convert you,” Clay insisted. He fired up the truck and instantly reached for the radio.

Elliott slapped his hand away. “Not going to happen, babe. Now, you concentrate on the road, and I’ll handle the tunes.”

Clay’s frown deepened, but he put the truck in gear and got them on the road. Elliott and Clay had a lot in common. They loved the same foods, same TV shows and movies, and they were certainly compatible in bed. Their taste in clothes and music, however, wasn’t even close. Seven years Clay had been trying to get Elliott to listen to country music. The same length of time Elliott had been trying to expand Clay’s taste beyond twangy to include alternative pop and rock. Neither of them had been successful.

An hour into the trip, it was no surprise that Clay wasn’t singing along to Delta Rae at the top of his lungs as Elliott was. He was rocking and singing, tapping on the dash and totally grooving.

“Thank fuck,” Clay grumbled when the song ended. He turned the radio off and glared at Elliott, daring him to turn it back on.

Elliott thought about it briefly just to be ornery, but he figured Clay had been a pretty good sport. He’d earned a break. Elliott rolled down the window, propped his elbow on the side panel, and looked at Clay with surprise. “I can’t believe you didn’t love that song. Such a great beat and it’s got a countryish feel.” Clay cocked his head, and the expression on his face caused Elliott to laugh. His man wasn’t buying it. “All right, all right, no more singing for the rest of the trip.”

“Thank God. Your singing leaves a lot to be desired.”

“I thought you loved everything about me?” Elliott asked. He tried to sound offended but was having a difficult time keeping the laughter out of his tone.

“Uh, yeah, that’s it.” Clay glanced at Elliott and winked before turning his attention back to the road.

Elliott stared at the road before them. The traffic lights got fewer the farther they traveled. Each mile took them farther and farther from civilization. The doubt that had bothered him earlier began to creep back in. “How are you feeling about this weekend?” Elliott asked. One thing at a time. They were only going for three days, not forever, he reminded himself.

“I’m totally geeked. I’ve been feeling a bit guilty about the cabin and I’m ready to get started.”

“Guilty? Why is that?”

“The cabin was always extremely special to Papa, and I can’t help but feel like I let him down. Like I’ve disrespected him and his memory by allowing it to fall into such disrepair.”

Elliott laid his hand on Clay’s thigh, caressing it in a soothing manner. “I didn’t know you felt like that. Why didn’t you tell me?” A lot of things in their lives had been neglected with the number of hours they put in at EOR. It wasn’t only each other they hadn’t had time for but friends and family as well. The cabin obviously added to Clay’s list, and the fact that Elliott didn’t realize it caused guilt to swirl around in his gut.

“It didn’t hit me until we started packing up the house. It got me remembering how I used to gather up my stuff to go with Papa to the cabin. How the excitement was the same as it was when I was a kid. It got me thinking of the past. He would literally glow when we’d pull into the driveway, and I was lucky to have had the opportunity to share that with him.”

“And now we’re going to be proud to call it home,” Elliott said gently.

Clay settled his hand on Elliott’s and entwined their fingers. “Thanks for saying that, but I know you’re worried.”

“What do you mean?” Elliott demurred.

Clay glanced at Elliott, a gentle smile on his face. “Are you seriously going to try and pretend like you’re not? C’mon, Elliott. I’d like to think that I know you well enough to know when you’re worried about something. And I seriously doubt it’s because of the bow ties.”

Elliott arched a brow. “That is a big part of it, but yeah, I guess I am a bit worried. I mean, how can I not be? We’re going from six-figure incomes and crazy schedules to limited income and nothing but time on our hands. We’ve never spent that much time together.” There, it was out, the biggest reason for his worry. Elliott held his breath, hoping Clay wouldn’t be offended.

“I hear ya, I love you, but I’m a little worried myself that I won’t like you if I have to spend too much time with you.” The laughter in his tone was evident, and just like that, Elliott felt 100 percent better.

Elliott slapped Clay’s arm playfully with his free hand. “Me? You’re the one with all the annoying habits.”

Clay tilted his head back, looking his nose down at Elliott. “Annoying habits? Pfft. Name one.”

“I can do better than one. You use all the hot water. Leave dirty dishes in the sink and stinky socks on the floor. You chew the ends of all the pens, and if those things aren’t bad enough, you listen to country music. You know what? With all your annoying habits, you’re damn lucky to have someone as perfect as me in your life.”

Clay started laughing so hard, Elliott began to worry he wouldn’t be able to drive. It was a good thing the road wasn’t busy because Clay was swerving a little as he continued to snort and chuckle.

The sound hit Elliott right square in the chest. He loved Clay’s laughter, loved it even more when he was the one who caused it. Elliott tried his best to keep the amusement off his face, but it was extremely difficult. He bit down on his lip to keep from smiling.

It took a minute for Clay to get himself back under control. “Sorry, I needed that.” He wiped his hand over his eyes.

“It really wasn’t that damn funny,” Elliott chastised lightly. “Besides, I don’t have any. I thought I did once, but I was mistaken.”

“I believe that’s the quote for being wrong,” Clay pointed out.

“Yes, well, it’s appropriate in this context as well.”

“Uh-huh.”

Elliott shifted slightly in his seat, resting against the door to face Clay. “Let’s hear them.”

“You seriously want me to go there?”

“Yeah, I want to know what habits of mine you find annoying.” Elliott knew he wasn’t perfect. This was a great opportunity to lightly discuss little annoyances. Maybe once they were all laid out on the table, they would be more aware of them going forward and they wouldn’t become an issue. Clay certainly could be trained to pick up his stinky socks and wash a dish. The other ones Elliott could overlook.

“Fine. You never rinse the sink after you trim your beard. It sometimes looks like a dog’s been shaved in there. You hog the covers, take so many showers there is never any hot water for me to use up, and worst of all, you listen to music that simply sucks.”

“Tell me how you really feel,” Elliott chuckled.

“Oh honey, I’m just getting started.”

Elliott held up his hand. “Whoa there. Let’s deal with a few at a time. I rarely trim my beard.” Clay arched a brow. “Let me rephrase that. I don’t trim it as often as I shower, and I’m willing to be more conscious of rinsing the sink if you’ll rinse your dishes.”

“I can live with that.”

“The shower thing is easy,” Elliot continued. “Start taking showers with me. I’ll wash yours if you’ll wash mine.”

“I can so live with that one too. In fact, considering our limited resources going forward, we should make that one mandatory.”

“Done and done,” Elliott said with a wide smile.

“What about the covers?”

“Nothing I can do about that because I’m sleeping so I obviously don’t know I’m doing it, just like you don’t know you’re talking in your sleep—”

“Or your snoring,” Clay added.

“Yes, yes.” Elliott waved him off. “As far as music is concerned, we’ll just have to agree to disagree.”

“Not like we’re going to have the extra electricity to be playing the stereo all the time anyway.”

Elliott crossed his arms and flashed a wide grin. “This is why I have invested in a solar power charger for my music player.”

“Hey, now I know what to get you for Christmas.”

“What’s that?” Elliott asked.

“Noise blocking headphones.”