Page 50 of Falling Faster
"Cody, wait." Looking contrite, Patrick cuts a path through the room. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier."
The hoop in his brow glinting in the overhead light, Cody eyes him warily. "All right."
"I mean it." He meets him on the stairs and lays a hand on our shorter friend's shoulder. "I was out of line. Can I still stay with you?"
Cody's gaze bounces from Patrick's face to where his hand rests and back again. Hurt still haunts his features. "I'm not too extra for you?"
"You're just the right amount of extra." Warmth tinges Patrick's words and affectionate tone.
I slowly tread closer to the guys. It seems we all hold our collective breath as Cody wages an internal debate. If I have to play referee again so soon…
Finally, Cody nods. "You can stay."
Devon appears in the doorway, holding a steaming mug. The scent of coffee drifts toward me. "Glad everyone's friends again. Let's try to keep it that way. Hey, Craig, I think I might keep this house as a rental property. You could stay here when you're in town."
"That works out. I was thinking you could stay at my apartment in LA when I'm here." I tuck my phone in my pocket. "But I wonder if Ty might like visiting LA more often. I hope we can spend more time there together."
With a dramatic sigh, Cody sags against the railing. His black nail polish is a stark contrast to the white painted wood. "Well, if you're all going to be in LA, I don't want to be the only one here."
"Wait, you want to move back to LA?" Patrick gapes at Cody. But there’s more behind his gaze, like maybe everything hewants is within his grasp.
"If we're getting a chance to relive our dream, and you'reall going to be there together, at least for half a year, if Craig splits his time evenly, then I don't want to be left out, missing out on things again."
"I get that." And I do. He was the first to leave, and had to listen to us talking about practices and gigs, band drama and trauma, setting aside his dreams to take care of his dad. He deserves to experience every single second of this opportunity.
"My dad's not sick anymore. He's been dating Sylvia for two years, so I don't have to worry about him being alone, or feel like I'd be abandoning him." Cody frowns at the mic stand, his brows drawing together in concentration. "I don't want to deal with being a landlord. I can sell my house, hopefully find someplace to rent in LA, and then maybe when I come back here for visits, I can stay at Devon's." He glances at me. "Would you mind if we were here at the same time?"
"Fine with me." It all seems so easy, and eagerness bubbles up inside of me. Eagerness to see where our band goes. Eagerness to be with the men who have been such an important part of my life for so long. Eagerness to have something real, something more with Ty.
Devon's expression takes on the same animated glee as when we first moved out to California. "We could rent a place in LA together."
Cody’s head bobs up and down with enthusiasm as his smile threatens to take over his entire face. The tension in his shoulders dissolves. "I'd like that."
My head feels like it's spinning. I went from telling them I think I need to be bi-coastal for my relationship, and now both Devon and Cody are moving to LA. If I could have Ty there too, then all the most important people in my life would be in one place.
Devon takes another sip from his mug. "I know you'vebeen in my house a million times, but if you do end up living here, you might want to look at it again through fresh eyes. Want to do that now?"
"Sure." I've always liked the feel of his home. Even more so with the renovations he did after he bought the house from his parents when they moved to a retirement community in Las Vegas. "Let's do it."
"We'll come too." Cody's voice rings out, accompanied by a flourish as he gestures at himself and Patrick. Then he glances at Patrick, lowers his arm, and his shoulders round as he shifts to a lower step. "Unless you want to go yourself, Craig, and just walk through with Devon."
Needing to fix the still-healing wound, I clamp a hand on both Patrick's and Cody's shoulders. "Are you kidding? I need all of you with me. Plus, if you're staying here on visits, you need to decide where you'd want to sleep."
We climb the steps to the first floor. The house, the only one on the block that has three stories, doesn't fit with the styles of the rest of the split-levels on the street. It's unique.
Devon stops by the coffee pot and tops off his mug. Either he or Cody set out three other mugs when they were up here earlier. "I had a new roof put on last year and a new HVAC system. The appliances are only a few years old, and the hardwood floors are in great shape."
All fine and good, but I'm more drawn to the carved moldings, hidden pocket doors, and the natural light spilling into every room. The house has charm and character.
I walk into the dining room, but can easily see the space converting to a music room. Having my piano along the far wall. The guitars and amps set on one side, and space for a desk and a comfortable chair.
One door down is the room Devon uses as an office. Light spills in from large windows on three sides, bathing theroom in brightness, perfect for Ty to create art. I can picture him huddling over a drafting table. Sketching. Painting. Being there. Sharing my space. "It's perfect."
Patrick turns away from his study of the room and slings his arm over Cody's shoulder. "Yeah, I can picture the two of you here."
Anxious to share this with Ty, my fingers itch to grab my phone and call him. "The music room and this one here are what really matter."
Cody tentatively rests his head on Patrick's shoulder, and relaxes degree by degree, until he's leaning against Patrick's side. "You should bring Ty over. Let him get a feel for the space."
