Chapter Seven Carden #2
“Shit like that takes time,” Adam said. “Marius believes in you, I believe in you, and Pearl adores you. By the way, Sebastian wants to buy one of your paintings. I showed him pictures of those from your exhibition, and recently he said he wants some art in his living room. There is this one blank space that he doesn’t like.
So, we went over the pics from the exhibition again. ”
Carden blinked at him. “He can have it. I’m glad he likes one of my paintings.”
“Cool, I’ll let him know. So how much?”
Carden shook his head. “He’s your boyfriend and a friend, and I don’t charge friends. He can just come over and pick it up whenever. I would have delivered it to him, but you know I don’t have a car.” He was too broke for a car.
“Carden, my boyfriend makes a lot of money; he can pay for it. You can’t just give your art away like it doesn’t have any worth or value,” Adam said not unkindly.
“It doesn’t feel right to charge friends for it.” He liked giving his art to a good home, and he was sure that Sebastian Winter would appreciate it. That it would make Adam smile every time he was staying over at Sebastian’s house.
“I’ll just ask Sebastian what he is willing to pay for it, okay?”
“I will be too much,” Carden said.
“Will it? If he thinks it’s worth that much, then that’s what your painting is worth, Carden,” Adam said.
“I hate it when you’re making sense,” Carden said.
“I’m older and wiser. Better get used to it.”
“You’re not wiser. I mean, I had to talk you down more often than not before you got your shit together with Sebastian and Chris.”
“And now I am repaying you for that. Because I do have my shit together, and you…”
“Urgh,” Carden said, waving it away. He didn’t need to hear the rest. “Sometimes I wish he wasn’t on his way to stardom, and I feel horrible for it.
I mean, if he said I should give up painting, I would break up with him.
” He closed his eyes briefly. “He asked me to be his plus one to the album launch party. Rich and famous people will be there. Influencers and the press.” People who were worthy of someone so brilliant and talented as Marius.
“You could say no. That is always an option in any relationship.” Adam took a sip of his tea. It smelled faintly like candy. Carden inhaled the aroma deeply.
“I don’t want to say no. I just…what if I will be found lacking by all these people? What if they wonder what this man even wants with someone like me?” He whispered.
Adam got up from the armchair and walked over to the sofa; he pushed Carden so he had space to sit next to him. Carden curled into his side. Adam smelled like candy, and he felt warm and solid. There was a gentle strength in him that Carden had always liked and appreciated.
“Do you think Marius will find you lacking?” Adam asked.
Carden shook his head. “No. Marius… Marius likes me. I think he is head over heels for me. I mean, sometimes when he looks at me, it feels like I am the only person in the world who could make him happy, you know?” It was a heady feeling and a tiny bit scary too.
“Yeah,” Adam said. Carden was pretty sure that Adam understood that feeling perfectly.
“Marius is not the problem then. So why do you stress about it all? What does it matter if some influencer thinks you and Marius don’t make a good match?
You don’t know these people; they don’t know you.
Their opinion isn’t worth a second of your time. ”
“I know you’re right, but still. I never imagined I would be in this situation. Citizen Clash is meant for the big stage. I want Marius and his band to make it. I want the fame and the money for them. I just didn’t think that I would be the arm candy on a rock star's arm.”
“You know Marius doesn’t think about you that way, right?”
“You haven’t even met the man, Adam.” Carden huffed.
“You’re right. We have to change that. We should all get together. Dancing and drinks.”
“What? What do you mean, all of us?”
“I mean my boyfriends and your boyfriend. I’m thinking Insider , because…well, they don’t bat an eyelash there.”
Which was true, of course. The staff at Insider just didn’t fucking care if you were famous or not. They would throw you out if you tried to throw your weight around.
Carden bit his lip. He wanted to. He wanted Marius to meet his best friend. The man already knew Pearl, after all, and Carden had been friends with Adam way longer.
“You won’t give him the ‘if you hurt him’ talk, will you?”
“What? I would never,” Adam said. “I know you can make your own decisions. And I’m pretty sure he’s a decent human being. I did watch some of his interviews.”
“He’s even better in person,” Carden said.
“You are head over heels for him too,” Adam stated.
Carden nodded. He didn’t feel like lying to Adam or to himself. He was head over heels for Marius, and yes, it was a bit scary, but mostly it felt good to feel this giddy and happy again. To know that the person you liked liked you back just as much or even more.
“I’m glad you’re happy,” Adam said.
“Thanks, Adam, I’m glad you are happy, too.”