Page 18 of New Year

Chase huffed and crossed his arms, puffing out his chest like a petulant child. “I wouldn’t want you anyway. You’d smother me into an early grave.”

“Glad we agree. Look at the applications.”

“Yes, dear.” Chase glanced at the bedroom. “Are you giving him a key?”

“No, we agreed that he could be here when I’m home, but during workday hours, he’s out.” Zack grunted at the idea of Nat wandering the streets, working, instead of safe inside of a regular 9-5 job. But there was only so much Zack could do for him. “I told him no guests, no drugs, and no alcohol. He seems amendable to my rules.”

“Anyone would be amenable to a night off the streets. The real test will be if he comes back tonight, and he’s sober.”

“True.” Zack would place his bet on Nat being sober later tonight, based solely on a hunch and his own judge of character. But Zack had been epically wrong before. “Are you feeling up to hanging out at the bar today?”

“No, I called Dr. Crain’s office, and he was able to squeeze me in for an emergency session at one o’clock.”

The hair on the back of his neck rose. Dr. Crain was Chase’s psychiatrist of the last six years, but he’d been seeing the man more frequently since his diagnosis. Chase was an active, engaged person with a huge personality. Knowing what he was facing…Chase had admitted he’d been suicidal more than once.

“You had a bad night?” Zack asked, moving to once again sit beside his friend. “You didn’t call me.”

“You were working, and I got through it. I’m going to see my shrink later today. I’m a big boy.”

“You’re impossible, and that’s why I love you.”

A shadow shifted, and Zack looked up. Nat stood in the bedroom doorway, the clothes he’d slept in folded neatly in his hands, expression uncertain. Zack stood again, feeling a bit like a jack-in-the-box this morning. “Hey, I didn’t get the chance to introduce you two earlier,” Zack said. “Nat, this is Chase Sampson, my landlord and dear friend. He also owns River Bistro I and II. Chase, Nathaniel Hawking.”

“It’s always a pleasure to meet a handsome young man,” Chase said. He struggled to stand but managed on his own.

Nat approached and shook Chase’s hand. “Nathaniel. Nice to meet you.”

Not Nat, but the nickname was apparently reserved for friends.

“Feeling up for breakfast, Nat?” Zack asked. “I’m afraid I don’t have much to offer except bagels or a protein bar, but I did get that box of pastries last night. Please, help yourself.”

“Thank you very much.”

While Nat inspected the pastry box, Zack asked Chase, “How are you getting to your appointment?”

“Ride share, obviously,” Chase replied.

“Okay, but who’s going to be with you before and after? I have to be at the restaurant.”

“I’ll be fine at the appointment, you worry wart. Watch out for this one, Nathaniel, he’ll mother hen you even when you don’t want him to.”

“You love it.”

Nat had an apple fritter in one hand, and he was casting about for something. Zack figured it out and grabbed a napkin from his takeaway stash. “Do you need help getting somewhere today, Mr. Sampson?” Nat asked. “I can go with you, if you need an assistant. I don’t have anything else to do.”

Zack blinked several times at the out-of-pocket offer, then turned to meet Chase’s equally baffled stare. “You want to help a boring old fart get to his shrink’s office and back without face-planting or otherwise embarrassing himself?” Chase asked.

“You aren’t old,” Zack snapped back. Forty-five was hardly old, even if Chase looked at least ten years older than his calendar age. The ravages of a degenerative illness.

“I’d like to help,” Nat replied. “I mean, I don’t have a job to get to, and I really do like to help. If you’re Zack’s landlord, then this is me thanking you both for a place to sleep last night.”

“Do you have a valid driver’s license?” Chase asked before Zack could properly parse Nat’s generous offer.

“Yes, I do. I’ve never gotten a speeding ticket, and I was in one fender bender two years ago that wasn’t my fault.”

“You’re certainly a verbose one, aren’t you?”

“If you mean I talk a lot, then yeah, my mouth can get away from me sometimes.” Nat tried to hide a flinch, but Zack noticed. He was probably thinking about the ex he was running from.

---