AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What is it?”
“A gift.”
“Why?”
Joq looked at him. “Because I saw it and thought of you.”
Chris took it, his fingers brushing Joq’s in a gentle caress, just a forefinger stroking his. Joq returned the touch, before taking his hand back and stepping back as well.
“Thanks,” Joq said, tucking his hands in his pockets and turning to go.
“Hold on,” Chris said.
Joq raised an eyebrow and oh, Chris had fucking missed that; he smiled.
“Don’t you want to watch me open it?”
“I,” Joq said and stopped again. He looked broken.
Chris clutched the package in his hand so he wouldn’t reach for him. He looked down, felt Joq waiting, and opened it. He smoothed the brown paper aside and recognised the tartan wrapping paper immediately. He huffed a laugh and pulled it open. A crest kilt pin. His crest.
“Where did you get this?”
“Antique shop, but ah, it’s not an antique. It was cheap, nothing special, but I thought you’d like it ‘cos, you know, it’s yours.”
Chris nodded along and smiled at the insignia—FORTIS ET FIDUS—‘strong and faithful.’
“It is,” he turned it over in his hands before looking up, “thank you.”
Joq cleared his throat. “You’re welcome.”
“Well, I better—”
“How’s Delia?” Chris asked.
Joq glanced back and smiled, something real in it. “Still pretty mean, but you know, good. Missing you.”
“I miss her too,” Chris said because he did. “She going to be alright with the move? She can stay in the house if you like, no reason not to let her have it—”
“Chris,” Joq smiled fondly at him. It was still sad, but it was getting warmer. “You can’t leave a house to a cat.”
Chris cracked a smile. “I can do whatever I want, I’m an eccentric billionaire.”
Joq laughed and Chris loved it. Still loved him.
“She’ll adjust,” Joq said.
“She shouldn’t have to,” Chris murmured.
“Yeah, well, her owner’s a fuck-up, so,” Joq shrugged and smiled wryly. “I better,” he waved his hand up the path. He went to go again, but then stopped, took a deep breath and met Chris’ eyes with more confidence than he had so far. “But for what it’s worth?”
Chris eyed him warily. “Yeah?”
“What I felt for George?”
He tensed at that godforsaken name and waited for him to go on.
“Not even close to what I felt for you.”
