It was such a beautiful day that Gage was tempted to postpone the real reason he’d come to the park downtown in favor of a nap out in the warm sun, right out in the big green space between the baseball diamond and the lake.

Maybe he could kill two birds with one stone, since that space did seem pretty much perfect for the early morning Tai Chi classes he was planning on offering at the gym. Scouting out a good location had been his main objective for the day and looking around it was hard to see anything that could compete with this corner of the park. Finding an instructor for the classes would be a task for another day.

And okay, so maybe he couldn’t actually justify lying down and napping in the middle of his work day, but he absolutely could justify sitting down and sprawling out on the grass for at least a few minutes.

It was important to check out the area from every angle, right?

Seemed like a pretty legitimate excuse, anyway.

He had just closed his eyes for a moment—or maybe they had actually been closed for a few minutes—when he heard a familiar, rapid-fire, click, click, click.

Gage opened his eyes again and looked around, finally spotting the source of the sound just a few yards away where the green grass faded into the rocky lake shore.

“Newton?” he called, shielding his eyes from the sun as he pushed himself up off the ground. “Is that you?”

He already knew it was, though, even as the words were leaving his mouth. Even before Newton spun around and nearly lost his balance, flailing for a second as he held his camera high and his eyes zeroed in on Gage.

“G-Gage?” Newton’s eyebrows furrowed for a split-second as he regained his balance before his face flushed a delicious shade of pink. “I didn’t… um… what are you doing here?”

Gage was just a couple of feet away from Newton now, his feet carrying him closer before he could even think to stop himself. And then he reached out to touch—er, to steady—Newton.

Despite the fact that Newton had already stopped wobbling. And despite the fact that Gage knew he shouldn’t. Just the way he’d had to get closer, though, reaching out to Newton was something he simply had no control over.

“I was just…” Gage paused to clear his throat and looked down at his hand that was still wrapped around Newton’s arm.

Was it bad that he didn’t want to let go? But he had to, right?

Newton’s eyes followed Gage’s gaze but he didn’t pull away. Instead, his smile grew a little wider, making it even more difficult for Gage to concentrate.

Or to let go of Newton’s arm.

“You just…” Newton repeated, nibbling at his lip as his eyes flicked from Gage’s face to his hand and back again. “What?”

Gage shook his head. What were they even talking about? He couldn’t remember. He wasn’t sure if it even mattered. Except Newton had asked him a question, and Gage probably should at least make an attempt to come up with an answer that didn’t involve asking Newton out on a date right there and then.

“I was, uh… just sitting over there,” Gage pointed to where he’d been nearly napping a few seconds ago. “And I heard you—your camera, I mean. I heard the clicking and then opened my eyes and…” he shrugged, his own smile impossible to contain. “There you were.”

Newton’s flush deepened slightly as Gage held his gaze. The man was definitely flustered, no doubt about that. But it wasn’t the deer-in-headlights look from a few nights ago when Gage had dropped by his studio.

This look was different. There was a light in Newton’s eyes that sparkled and danced as he returned Gage’s stare.

“Here I am,” Newton said, softly, his eyes flicking back down to where Gage was still—oh, shit—holding onto Newton’s arm.

His hand had been there for far too long for Gage to pretend he was only interested in helping to keep Newton upright. Dammit. Why had he let himself get carried away like that?

But Newton didn’t seem to mind, so… was it such a bad thing?

Still, Gage needed to focus on keeping his hands to himself for at least a few minutes. He finally let go, shoving his hands into his pockets just to be sure he didn’t give in to temptation again.

“So…” Gage grinned, barely taking his eyes off Newton’s to glance down at his camera and then back again. “I hope I didn’t interrupt you. I really just wanted to say hi.”

“Oh,” Newton said, raising his eyebrows and fumbling with his camera before finally nibbling at his lip and smiling again. “Hi. And no, you didn’t interrupt. I just couldn’t resist taking a few shots of the sunlight reflecting off the water. It looks almost magical, don’t you think?”

Gage looked out across the water as if he was noticing it for the first time—and he sort of was, at least the way Newton had described it. “It really does look sort of magical,” Gage murmured, turning his attention back to the man who was still fidgeting—but still smiling—in front of him. “I’ve walked by this lake probably a thousand times and never really seen it like that before.”

“Maybe you’ve just never seen it from this angle before…” Newton offered. “Or maybe it’s just this part of the day?”

“Maybe it’s just you,” Gage said, his own eyes going wide as Newton’s did the same. Shit. He really hadn’t meant to say that. Especially not out loud. “I mean…” Nope. He really did mean it. No point in denying it. “I was talking to Calvin and Jack—my friends from the bookstore? —about the promo work you and I are going to do together.”

Newton blinked and cocked his head to the side, as if he was having trouble catching up to the sudden turn of the conversation. And to be fair, Gage had changed the subject so quickly that it had probably given the poor guy whiplash. But if he hadn’t switched to something safe—something like work, for example—there was no telling what sort of sappy nonsense might have fallen out of his mouth next.

“Oh, that’s… good? Maybe?” The deer-in-headlights look was back with a vengeance as Newton looked up at Gage, which meant Gage had probably said too much. Or had said the wrong thing. Or had done something stupid to make Newton’s smile disappear.

Whatever it was, Gage didn’t want to do it again.

Ever.

“It was definitely good,” Gage answered, hopefully reassuring Newton with an emphatic nod. “They were really interested in seeing what you might come up with—I mean, if that’s okay with you? I’m just really excited about the whole process, honestly, but I probably should have asked you first.”

“No, that’s fine,” he said, swallowing hard. “Totally fine. I could use the, um, word of mouth. That’s supposed to be good for business, right?”

“That’s right,” Gage said. “The best kind of advertising you can get. And I don’t know if I’m supposed to mention it yet or not—probably not—but I think they’re going to try some promo stuff with you, too, if they like how mine turns out.” Gage grinned, then added, hurriedly, “Which I already know they’ll love, because you are amazing with a camera, Newton. Seriously.”

Gage watched as Newton’s face—his whole body, really—lit up from the inside, his eyes sparkling again as he leaned in a little and asked in a hushed tone, “Do you really think so?”

It was as if he didn’t want to ask too loud in case it wasn’t true. Owning a gym, Gage had seen plenty of people over the years who lacked self-confidence at first for one reason or another. He knew the look in Newton’s eyes, could spot it a mile away.

But he also knew that it could be turned around. He knew that kernel of belief that Newton possessed somewhere deep down could grow, could blossom into something amazing if it had just a little bit of encouragement.

And the man was truly talented. That was no lie, which made Gage’s job easy in this case.

“I know they will, Newton,” Gage said, meaning it. “Just like I know I’ll love what you come up with. I’ve already seen some of your work at your studio, remember? I know what you can do with that camera, and it really is impressive.”

“Thank you,” he replied, still beaming even though his tone was still soft and uncertain. “It means a lot to hear that. I just don’t want anyone to get their hopes up too high, you know? I mean… I know I can do good work, and of course I’ll do my best, but—”

“That’s all anyone will want,” Gage interrupted, reluctantly dropping his hand to his side again. “And I promise you, your best will be more than good enough. I promise it will, Newton.”

“Okay,” Newton said, slowly nodding as if he was finally warming up to the idea. “O-kay. Right. I think we can do this.”

“I know we can. And just in case it comes up with the guys, would you mind meeting up with them—with us, I mean? You, me, Jack, and Calvin? Just to sort of brainstorm and talk through some ideas sometime? No pressure if you don’t want to, but I think it would be a really great opportunity for everyone involved.”

Gage waited as he watched Newton wrestle with the idea. It was obvious that Newton wasn’t comfortable being the center of attention or speaking in front of people—hell, he had looked like he might turn and bolt more than once from this conversation with Gage. But the man had serious talent, and if Gage could get him over that initial fear of meeting new people, he knew Jack and Calvin would be able to see that talent and Newton’s personality shine through all the nerves.

“I think I’d be okay with that,” Newton said. “I mean… just brainstorming a little, right? I can do that. I sort of—I mean, I don’t want to get ahead of myself here, but I sort of have lots of ideas for things we could do. I just… you really think they might be interested in doing some promo work, too?”

Gage felt his own smile widen to the point his cheeks were starting to hurt because he could see it. That kernel of self-confidence. That spark of hope and light. It was there, just waiting for a little encouragement to grow. Encouragement that it rightfully deserved. Gage didn’t need to bullshit Newton about his talent or his capabilities. The work spoke for itself, and Gage really was confident that Calvin and Jack would see that, too.

“They’re already interested,” Gage answered. “And they’re really excited to see what you and I come up with for the gym. I really think it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”

Newton’s eyebrows arched up and he gave a hesitant smile. “Yeah? You think so?”

“Yeah, I really do.”

“Okay, then.” Newton drew in a long, slow breath and let it back out again. “Your word is good enough for me. If your friends are interested, then so am I. I think it might even be sort of… fun?”

His tone lifted on that last word, and Gage could see that he was starting to come around to the idea, that he was starting to hope. To believe.

“It absolutely will be fun, Newton. It’ll be great.”

And Gage knew it would be. Just like he knew Calvin and Jack would fall in love with Newton’s work the same way Gage had. How could they not?

Everything about Newton was irresistible.