Home to Whiskey Creek by Brenda Novak

Author:Brenda Novak
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: mom 03/21/2014
ISBN: 0778315452
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Published: 2013-01-02T06:00:00+00:00

16

Noah had never felt more awkward in his life. He wasn’t even sure why, after Addy left, he’d gotten up, showered and driven over to Baxter’s Victorian. His relationship with Bax could never be what it was. As far as Noah was concerned, the very nature of who Baxter was had changed. So what did he have to gain by coming here?

Maybe nothing. But Baxter had been part of his life for so long, he couldn’t remain angry.

He hoped they could find some middle ground, some way to continue as friends, even if things were a bit uncomfortable for a while. And he figured it was better to get this first painful confrontation over with as soon as possible. If he put it off, or they weren’t able to work through the strong emotions the incident at the cabin had provoked, the rest of their friends would pick up on the strain and it would become a big issue, possibly dividing the whole group.

Learning that Baxter had a crush on him was hard enough to deal with; Noah didn’t want to challenge his other relationships at the same time.

“I’m surprised to see you.” Baxter didn’t open the door very wide, didn’t invite Noah in.

Noah shifted from one foot to the other. He’d never seen his friend’s eyes so red. He’d never seen him this unkempt, either. Somehow Baxter managed to look his typical stylish self even when he had a hangover. But not today. Today he had on the clothes he’d worn last night, sleeves rolled up and shirttails hanging out. And his skin was unusually pale beneath the dark shadow of beard that covered the lower half of his face.

Noah guessed he hadn’t been to bed. “I’m surprised to be here,” he admitted.

“Why’d you come?”

He shrugged. “We’ve been friends all our lives. I guess that’s why.”

Baxter said nothing.

“Does anyone else know?” Noah asked.

He winced. “About last night?”

“That you’re gay, Bax. Let’s start with that.”

“Are you kidding?”

“No, I’m not kidding! I mean…” Noah gazed off into the neighbor’s yard before looking back. “Am I the only one who didn’t know?”

Somehow the thought of that bothered him as much as all the rest of it.

“No. I haven’t said a word to anyone. Except Callie.” He leaned into the door. “And only because she kept badgering me about it.”

Baxter had spent a lot of time with Callie this summer, while she was sick. Noah could see why he might confide in her, but that made him feel betrayed by both of them, as if they were keeping this great secret from him. Callie was his friend, too. She could’ve warned him. Instead, she’d allowed him to be blindsided.

“You should’ve told me.”

“You didn’t want to know.”

Noah couldn’t refute that, which made it hard to blame Callie, too, so he continued listing his grievances. “You pretended to be straight! You talked about girls. You…you played football. You took showers with us. You went skinny-dipping at the water hole whenever we went. Hell, we got laid for the first time on a double date the week we moved into our dorm at San Diego State.

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