Page 149 of The New Guy
I get up to open the door and find Davey Stoneman on the front porch wearing his trademark lopsided grin. “Yo, Gavin! How’s it hangin’?”
“Uh, doing well, Stoney. What’s up?”
He holds up a bottle of red wine. “Thought you and Noogie might want a glass.”
Yeah, that nickname stuck. And Stoney’s timing isn’t the best tonight. But Stoney has great taste in wine. I enjoy big, plummy cabernets almost as much as I enjoy this man’s sense of humor, and the way he’s embraced me as his teammate’s family without a moment’s hesitation.
On the other hand, I haven’t seen Hudson in a week.
“Come right in,” I say, opening the door a little wider. “And if you were hoping for some leftovers, I can help you out.”
He brightens even further. “How did you guess?”
“Perpetually single guy who’s been out of town for a week…It wasn’t that big of a leap. Sit down, I’ll fix you a plate, and fetch you a wineglass.”
“You’re the best, Gavin.”
I head to the kitchen, and when I come back, he and Hudson are standing by the front window, peering out into the darkness. “Whatcha looking at?” I ask.
“DiCosta,” Hudson says.
“What’s he doing outside?” I ask. “Shouldn’t you let him in?”
“It’s not like that,” Stoney says gleefully. “He’s moving in to the place across the street.”
“Really?” I set down Stoney’s plate on the coffee table. “Does he need any help?”
“Nope!” Hudson laughs. “I’m not touching that. Look.” I move to the window and stand beside my boyfriend, who wraps an arm around me. “See? He’s got help.”
As I watch, DiCosta and another man stand arguing on either side of a giant fir tree that’s stuck halfway into the front door of the townhouse across the street. “They should have taken that in the other direction,” I point out.
Hudson gives me a squeeze. “Pretty sure they realize that, baby.”
“Who’s that guy?” I ask.
“The decorator,” Stoney says. “DiCosta is goin’ upscale.”
“Thatis hard to picture,” Hudson scoffs.
Outside, the two men are arguing. I’m just about to suggest that we offer to help, when DiCosta waves the other guy off the stoop. He warily backs up onto the snow-covered yard.
With a shout so loud I can hear it through our double-glazed windows, DiCosta gives the tree a mighty shove, and it pops out of the doorway like a champagne cork from a bottle and lands in the snow.
The three of us crack up.
“Daddy? Hudson?” Jordyn’s voice comes from the top of the stairs. “What’s so funny? Is Stoney here to eat leftovers again?”
“Oops, busted.” Stoney clamps his hand over his mouth. “Sorry for being loud, sweetie!” he calls up to her.
“He’s not staying very long!” Hudson adds, giving Stoney a nudge toward the couch. “Eat your dinner, you freeloader.”
“I’ll go tuck her in,” I say, heading for the stairs. “You two behave. And pour me some wine.”
* * *
Hudson
Ninety minutes later I’m toweling off from the thirty-second shower I needed after saying a very thorough hello to my boyfriend.
