Page 87 of Private Exhibit
He tried to squirm, but his body wouldn't cooperate beyond a twitch in his right shoulder. Devon panted. He had to get out of that bed.
But Andy had been up late too many nights in a row, and Devon had seen it written all over the man's face. Andy was exhausted. Devon couldn't bear to wake him up.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the vase of snapdragons on the nightstand. They were still there, right where they'd left them.
The sight should have cheered him up, except the flowers were already starting to wilt. Devon squeezed his eyes shut, but he couldn't stop himself from bursting into tears.
He didn't want to have the flowers thrown out, discarded as though they meant nothing. But he also wanted it over with. He couldn't bear to watch them slowly fade away.
“Dev?” Andy groaned. He gave a big yawn, then pushed himself up, hovering over Devon. “Baby? What's wrong?”
Devon choked out a sob.
“Baby?” Andy gasped, sounding more alert.
Devon shook his head, but he didn't say anything. His brain was so full of too many things bombarding him at once that producing words seemed impossible.
Andy wrapped himself around Devon. “It's gonna be alright, sweet boy. It'll be alright.” He pulled away and coughed, then threw back the covers, giving Devon a hint of relief from the stifling heat. Andy touched him all over, the contact assessing and clinical. “Come on,” Andy murmured. “Let's get you a bath, and then we'll have some coffee.”
Devon was silent as Andy went through the motions of picking him up, carrying him to the washroom, getting him undressed, and setting him in the bath to wash off all the sweat. Andy made the whole process look effortless but also so wholly impersonal. Devon inwardly cursed. He didn't want to be Andy's patient.
But it was over before he knew it. Andy had him dried off, dressed, and in the wheelchair in no time at all. A few minutes after that, he was parked at the dining table with a mug of coffee sitting in front of him.
Of course, Andy had to help him drink it since Devon couldn't pick up the mug himself.
Oliver padded into the room, covering a yawn. “Morning.”
“Morning,” Andy replied. “Help yourself to whatever you want.”
Oliver paused. “Mind if I make breakfast?”
“Please,” Andy said, gesturing at the kitchen. “By all means.”
Oliver wandered off and started hunting through the cupboards, pulling out a frying pan and a carton of eggs.
Devon watched him in silence. It wasn't so different from the way things had been at their apartment. Oliver had always done all the cooking and most of the chores as part of their arrangement, but this felt foreign. Alien. Devon looked around and winced. He wasn't used to his surroundings yet. Hells, heprobably wouldn't get the chance. Even if he did, he couldn't imagine getting used to Andy's place. It was so empty. So lifeless.
“Dev?” Andy asked. “You want more coffee?”
Before Devon could answer, Oliver's phone beeped. Oliver rushed over to the table and snatched it up, his eyes going wide at whatever was on the screen.
“What's wrong?” Devon asked.
“Nothing,” Oliver answered a little too quickly. He glanced at the stove, then blurted out, “Be right back.” He ran off towards his room.
Devon frowned.What was that all about?
“Dev?” Andy asked.
“He's keeping secrets from me again,” Devon mumbled, staring at the spot where Oliver had rounded the corner and vanished from sight.
“What do you mean?” Andy asked. He picked up the mug and held it to Devon's mouth, helping him take a few sips.
Devon carefully swallowed, then shook his head. “Shit. Dannika. I still haven't told him.”
Andy tilted his head. “You mean that file you looked up?”
“Yeah. Oli had been trying to figure out who drove her to kill herself, and he was real secretive about it. I saw him acting strangely and leaving the apartment at a moment's notice with no explanation, but he never told me where he was going or why.” Devon frowned. “It wasn't until he wrongly accused Thomas and the whole thing blew up in his face that I finally learned what was going on.” Devon looked back in the direction Oliver had gone. “I thought he'd given it all up. He's been so depressed, not having any answers, but that big blow-up took all the fight out of him.” Devon paused. “Or at least I thought it had.”
