23. Nash

CHAPTER 23

NASH

"Your best friend is a jackass," Damon said as they climbed into Nash's car.

"I feel like it's half our fault for not telling everyone about us sooner."

Damon scoffed. "Why? So then Colby could really tear into him for fucking around with me?"

Nash took a deep breath. He didn't want to be mad at Colby, but the anger and the hurt were both there, sharp like porcupine quills digging into his heart. This was why he'd wanted to keep everything between him and Damon away from the Bennetts. Lines would be drawn. Sides would be taken. And Nash didn't want to lose any of them. But if he had to lose someone, it wasn't going to be Taylor.

Nash had no idea what he was going to say to Colby. He'd been out of line, that much Nash knew. But if Colby was so concerned about things, he should've approached Nash, and Nash would have been honest with him. Yes, he was with Damon. Yes, Taylor was also with Damon. And as for the guy at the hotel…well, maybe Colby should try talking first.

His anger hadn't abated when they pulled into the Bennett's driveway, especially since Taylor's car was absent. They got out and headed around back of the house like always, but this time Damon grabbed Nash's hand and laced their fingers together.

Out back, Ethan stood at the barbeque. Jonah and Spencer were sitting at the nearby patio table drinking hot chocolate. Milo stepped outside and noticed Damon and Nash, then poked his head inside. "They're here."

Spencer started to stand, but Nash shook his head, not trusting himself to say much just yet. Milo stepped aside when Colby came outside. He looked like shit. Like a guy who knew he fucked up but would still make the same dumb decision that had led him to this point if given the chance.

And Nash still didn't know what he wanted to say to his best friend. Colby was a protective person—he knew that. He also knew that he had to lighten up, but what could he say to Colby that would make him listen but wouldn't fracture their friendship? Maybe it was already fractured. If it wasn't, why did Colby go to Taylor with his accusations instead of discussing his concerns with Nash?

"So you are together," Colby said, staring at their joined hands.

"We have been for a while," Damon said to him. "We didn't want to tell anyone."

"It wasn't exactly a secret, though. Right? I mean…we suspected." Jonah pointed to himself and Spencer. "And nothing gets by Dad. And Colby clearly guessed, though he had to go and be an asshole about it."

"Well, it wasn't anyone's business. But now it is, because Colby saw fit to shove his face where it doesn't belong." Damon squeezed Nash's hand tightly, as if the only thing keeping him from going toe to toe with Colby was Nash anchoring him in place.

"Nash is my best friend. And if you're screwing around on him with my baby brother, then yeah, I think I should say something."

"Yeah—to Nash. Like an adult. Like someone with real concerns for people's feelings. But you just ran your mouth to Taylor, talking a bunch of shit you know nothing about. Is he really the type of guy who would do the things you accused him of? Think real hard on that, Colby."

Colby was blessedly silent. Eventually he shook his head.

"Taylor is with both of us," Nash said. He ignored the suddenly wide eyes and the shocked faces and didn't give them a chance to protest. "He's with us, and we don't care what you or Jonah think about it. Until today, he was happy. We were all happy."

"What about the hotel? I saw him with a guy."

"In the parking lot." Damon took over again. His voice was sharp and swift like the crack of a whip. "He was helping a friend. That's all you need to know. And even if there was something going on there, it's not for you to know, especially if you're only concerned with jumping to conclusions. Your hero complex is getting really fucking old."

"I don't—" Colby stopped when Milo put a hand on his arm. He looked stricken until Milo gave him a smile and a gentle squeeze.

"Is Taylor okay?" Milo asked.

"He's upset. He'll be fine, though. Nash and I will look after him."

Colby looked at Nash and he could see the regret swimming in his eyes.

"I just wanted to?—"

"Help me? Protect me?"

Colby nodded, looking more and more miserable.

"I'm an adult, Colby. I don't need your protection, especially if it means you're going to lash out at other people and make stupid assumptions. Maybe instead of being in hero mode all the time, you could try being supportive. The people in your life don't need you to rescue them. Just…listen, okay?"

Damon gave Nash's hand a tug to get his attention. "I'm going to wait in the car."

He cut his gaze over to Ethan. "We're not staying tonight. I'm really sorry."

"There's a cake in the fridge. You should grab it and take it with you. It's Taylor's favorite. Tell him to text me, and I can cover the diner tomorrow if he wants the morning off."

Damon pulled his hand out of Nash's and slipped past Colby into the kitchen. Milo gave Colby's arm another squeeze, then stepped over to where Jonah and Spencer sat. He took a seat next to Jonah and suddenly it was just Nash and Colby staring at each other.

"I'm sorry," Colby said.

"I know you are, but—" Nash took a deep breath. "It's not my forgiveness you need."

Colby shoved his hands in his pockets. "I guess I don't get to have the whole ‘hurt him and I'll bury you' conversation after the shit I just pulled. Just…look after him, okay?"

"We will." Nash flicked his gaze to Damon as he came out the door carrying a cake. "We're going to go now."

"Tell Taylor that we're happy for the three of you," Jonah said. Spencer, Milo, and even Ethan all added their well wishes to Jonah's. Damon looked at Colby as if he were challenging him to object.

"Me too. Not that it means much now," Colby muttered, then turned and headed into the house.

Nash watched the door swing shut and then Damon's hand was on his arm, gently steering him away. He guided him back to the car and tucked him into the passenger seat, trading the cake for a set of car keys.

The scene at the Bennett's had gone both better and worse than Nash imagined. Worse, because he'd never have wanted any of this to happen in the first place, and yet here they were. Knee-deep in bullshit. But Damon had stood up for him. For them. To Colby. He'd been the one to give him hell about it. Laying claim to Taylor and Nash and telling Colby off, sparing Nash from having to find the words to do it.

"Thank you," Nash said. "For what you did. For talking to Colby for me."

Damon flicked on his turn signal and pulled into the parking lot of the building, and Nash was stunned to find that they'd already arrived. Either Damon had broken some serious land-speed records, or Nash had been lost in his own head.

"You'd do the same for me if it was Jonah who pulled this shit. Or other boneheaded shit."

"I would," Nash agreed. "But still, it means a lot to me. You sticking up for me. For us."

Damon pulled into Nash's space and killed the engine. His face was half hidden in the streetlight, but Nash could still make out his soft, adoring smile.

"I'd do anything for you. I didn't want this to fuck up your friendship with him."

"I don't think it will. I think he caught shit from everyone tonight. Did you see the look on Jonah's face?" Nash unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed out of the car. "Come on, I want to go check on Taylor."

Once inside, Damon unlocked the door for Nash, who had his hands full carrying the cake. He left it on the counter and stepped further into his quiet apartment. They found Taylor curled up on the couch in one of Nash's shirts. His hair was damp from the shower and he looked serene, sitting there scrolling on his phone. The fire log channel was on the television, and Taylor was buried under Damon's blanket, nursing a beer.

Taylor had shown up in a state and Nash half expected him to still be upset, but he looked okay.

"Hey, scooch over," Damon told Taylor, who obediently shuffled into the middle of the couch so Damon could take one side. Taylor patted the empty spot next to him and looked at Nash expectantly.

"Dare I ask how it went?" Taylor stopped scrolling through his phone and set it aside.

"Well, Damon yelled at Colby a whole bunch. In front of everyone. Turns out that Nash and I weren't as subtle as we thought and everyone knew about us the whole time. Or at least suspected. We sort of outed the three of us to all of them, though."

"That's fine. It had to happen."

"For what it's worth, I think Colby has learned his lesson." Nash slid an arm around Taylor.

"Doesn't matter, my mind is made up. I think I need to move out."

Damon looked at Nash, but kept his mouth shut.

"I work with my dad and I live in his basement. My brothers are over on a regular basis, both to the diner and the house. I don't have any privacy apparently because, for better or worse, this is the second time in recent months that Colby has jammed his nose face-first into my business." Taylor let out an annoyed growl.

"It's a lot of togetherness," Damon agreed. "I imagine it gets frustrating."

Taylor flopped sideways and leaned into Damon's side. "Plus, now I have two really hot boyfriends and what if I wanted to have them over to my place one night? I can't very well do that if my dad is upstairs." Taylor shuddered. "No way."

"We can help you find a place to rent, if you'd like," Nash offered. In his head, Taylor would move in with him and Damon whenever Nash found a place to buy. That would leave Nash's current apartment vacant. It made the idea of buying the unit in the same building more appealing than moving closer to the diner. They couldn't talk about any of this yet. Not tonight. Taylor's emotions were too raw, and so were Nash's.

The idea of losing Colby was only overshadowed by the idea of losing Taylor. Never in a million years had he imagined his love life would take such a turn, but here he was, cuddling on the couch with his boyfriends. Plural.

"I'll probably take you up on that." Taylor yawned, covering his mouth. "But not tonight."

"Oh, your dad said to tell you he can cover the diner in the morning if you want," Damon said, stroking his fingers through Taylor's hair.

"Nah. I can make it in." Taylor burrowed into Damon's side and closed his eyes. Nash put a hand on Taylor's ankle and held it. Taylor wiggled his toes, smiling slightly when Nash took the hint and started to massage his foot.

Taylor was asleep in less than ten minutes, and Damon and Nash shared a look. No matter how badly the night had started, it had ended pretty well. They let Taylor drift off between them and only roused him to get him to bed.