7. Chapter 7
Chapter 7
The cardboard box sagged in Colt’s arms, decades-old magazines spilling over the edges like autumn leaves. He stumbled across the lawn, slick from frost and rain, squinting in the late afternoon sunlight that filtered through the pines and redwoods surrounding Lullaby Lane.
“Careful there, Grieves. I’d hate to see you buried under an avalanche of National Geographic ,” Sera called from the porch in an almost sing-song voice bearing his amusement.
A flush crept up Colt’s neck, equal parts embarrassment and something warmer. “Very funny.” He deposited the box onto the growing pile in the back of Sera’s truck. “At least these are in decent shape. Dad must’ve thought he’d retire on vintage magazine sales.”
Sera chuckled, the sound rich and inviting. “Ah yes, the great paper fortune of 2024. I hear it’s right up there with NFTs and cryptocurrency.”
They’d been at this for a week and a half. Colt finally felt like he could see actual progress. Colt had caved and ordered a large dumpster from the city, which they filled quickly and had to swap out for another, but it freed them up from constant trips to and fees for the dump.
As they worked, Colt yet again found himself stealing glances at Sera. The taller man moved with an easy grace, sorting through years of accumulated junk with efficient precision. His long fingers danced over dusty books, unopened kitchen gadgets, antiques, broken junk, separating trash from potential treasures.
“You’re getting pretty good at this,” Colt observed.
Sera shrugged, a strand of hair falling across his face from where it’d worked loose from his ponytail. “Gotta have something going for me, yeah?”
Beneath Sera’s words laid a curious slant suggesting there were layers to the statement, layers Colt itched to peel back and investigate. He bit back the urge. They were having dinner together almost every night now, switching off who cooked. Despite radiating confidence, Sera let out the occasional self-deprecating comment that caught Colt by surprise. He hadn’t brought it up yet. Wasn’t sure how.
That evening was no different: dinner in Sera’s trailer by the warm glow of battery-powered camping lanterns. Colt found himself mesmerized as Sera recounted a story about a misadventure in New Mexico, his hands gesturing, the sharp light casting perfect shadows painting the shape of his jaw and cheekbones.
“...and there I was, covered in red clay, staring down an irate group of hikers who thought I’d desecrated some sacred site,” Sera finished with a laugh.
Colt smiled because Sera did, though he couldn’t have repeated a single word that he’d heard. The trailer felt like a cocoon, sheltering them from the weight of the chaos of Lullaby Lane.
“Colt,” Sera’s voice broke through his reverie. “Still with me?”
Colt blinked, realizing he’d been staring. “Uh. Sorry, I was just...thinking.”
Sera’s expression softened with concern. “About the house?”
“No, actually.” Colt dropped his gaze to his plate. Red beans, andouille sausage, and rice tonight. Sera was a good cook. “I was thinking how nice this is. Being here. With you. It makes all of...you know, everything...feel a little less overwhelming.”
Sera’s smile returned. Colt was getting better at picking the sincere smiles out from the practiced ones. This one was genuine.
“Well,” Sera raised his glass in a mock toast, “here’s to making the overwhelming slightly more whelming.”
Colt clinked his glass against Sera’s, ignoring the flutter in his chest. As they settled back into comfortable conversation, he couldn’t shake the feeling he was teetering on the edge of something both thrilling and terrifying.
It also filled him with paralyzing anxiety, but that was beside the point.
“So, listen,” Colt said slowly. “I was thinking...maybe we could grab dinner on Saturday? Not here, I mean, we’ve already been doing that. There’s a place in town I had in mind, if you like seafood.”
Sera raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh?”
“My treat,” Colt added hastily. “I never really thanked you properly, for everything.”
“You don’t have to—”
“But I want to,” Colt insisted, thinking of those terrifying minutes trapped in the pantry where every bad memory had come to choke him, and how Sera had been there, steady and reassuring. “Please?”
Sera studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he shrugged. “Well, when you put it that way, how can I refuse? But that begs an important question.” He leaned forward. Given the size of the table, there already wasn’t a ton of space separating them, and at this distance it was impossible to miss the playful glint in his eyes. “Will this be considered a meal between friends, or...?”
Colt’s heart hammered in his chest. He swallowed hard, willing his voice not to crack. Say something witty. Say something charming .
“As of yet to be determined,” he managed, surprised by his own boldness.
A low chuckle escaped Sera’s lips, the sound sending a pleasant shiver down Colt’s back. His gaze never wavered from Colt’s face.
“I like that answer.”