Page 11 of Stand By Me

So much for taking that chance.

Maybe it was for the best, though.

For a moment, Clay seemed like he wanted to protest, but then he clamped his mouth shut and nodded.

"Thank you for everything. It was good to see you."

Mario swallowed. "You, too. Don't be a stranger," he added, walking backwards a few steps before bumping into someone. "Sorry," he muttered and quickly disappeared behind the first door he could see.

Before it clicked shut, he could feel somebody's gaze on him, but it could have been anyone. Carina, for example, watching it all unfold from the front desk.

Oh, God.

If that was the case, he was never living this down.

CHAPTER FIVE

Clay watched Mario go for a moment before turning back to Jake.

Fuck. What a mess.

"It's not your job to do this and it would be weird to request you by name," he said, tamping down on his irritation at having his moment with Mario interrupted. It was his own damn fault for not telling Jake he was going to be here in the first place.

Jake crossed his arms against his chest and looked down for a moment before meeting his gaze.

"You didn't even mention it, though. Are you avoiding me or something?"

Ouch. Of all the places Clay thought they'd have this conversation, the museum foyer wasn't one of them.

"I've been focusing on the new job." Which wasn't even a lie, but he made himself say the other part, too. "And I was working on that healthy distance I've heard so much about."

He softened it with a brief smile, and Jake offered him one as well, but it seemed like he did it despite himself.

"I'm telling Troy he'd gotten through to you, too."

"Well, he might have made a good point. Which, let's be honest, doesn't happen a lot."

Jake chuckled. "More than you think. But this," he waved between them with a frown, "this sucks."

"Yeah, it's… an adjustment."

"Healthy distance is one thing, but I don't want us to go too far in the other direction."

Something clenched hard in his chest and Clay had to keep himself from crossing his arms against it.

"I don't want that, either. But since the codependence is all we know, we're bound to mess up on our way to being healthy. Or something." He shook his head. "I don't know, ask Troy. Or better yet, your therapist."

"I'm pretty sure I can guess what I'd hear." There was a shadow of a smile on Jake's face again, but this time it felt more real. "How about you come over tonight, or tomorrow? I'm sure even according to all the healthy standards it's been a while since we hung out, just the two of us."

"I could do tomorrow." Clay nodded. "What about Troy?"

"We're capable of spending time apart, you know," Jake told him, then frowned at Clay's disbelieving look. "We are!"

"I'm sure," Clay said, fighting a smile. "Since Troy is so against codependency and all."

"I hate you." Jake unwound his arms only to punch Clay in the shoulder lightly. "If you must know, Troy has some work thing."

"Fine." Clay checked the time. "I need to go now, my partner's waiting for me outside. I'll be there tomorrow at seven, okay?"

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