Page 86 of How Not to Date a Griffin

Oh. Reid recognized this, suddenly.

Nolan was freaking out, just like Reid was. Just like that first night, when he’d been freaking out about Reid staying the night. Now he was fretting about leaving.

Or maybe it’s the fact that, oh, I don’t know, his dad just got arrested?

“Are you okay?” Reid finally asked.

Because this wasn’t about him, wasn’t about how he wanted to keep Nolan, too. This was about Nolan and how his entire life was about to change. Reid wanted to be there for him however he could, even if it looked differently than how he desired.

Nolan paused, one hand in his bag, facing the closet, shoulders tense.

Reid’s throat hurt, and he hoped his eyes weren’t as shiny as they felt when Nolan slowly turned around.

“I think I’m still processing. It hasn’t really hit me yet, even though I have a meeting with my lawyer as soon as I get home.”

“You did the right thing,” Reid said, because it felt right, even though he may not have been an unbiased voice.

“Oh, I know.” Nolan nodded sharply, gaze trained down at the floor as he chewed his lip. “I don’t doubt that. He deserves whatever he has coming. It’s just… I never thought I’d be here. Staring down a future without him. Even though we don’t have the best relationship, he’s always been there, even if it was just as a voice in the back of my head. I don’t hear it anymore, and it’s a little scarier than I’d thought it would be.”

Reid’s chest ached at the hurt in Nolan’s words, the fear in the admission.

“He’s still your dad. I get it.”

“But he’s still a terrible person,” Nolan added. “And I mean, now that he’s not here anymore, I can do what I want to do, instead of what’s expected of me. I mean, he’s not here to yell at me about it!” Nolan inhaled, a high-pitched little gasp, and he lifted his head to Reid. “I’m… I’m going to adopt a pet. A cat!” he exclaimed. “Now that I won’t be traveling all over the country at his whim, I can finally have a cat,” he rambled. “And my father would’ve hated it, which is honestly even more of a reason to finally get one. It’ll most certainly make my apartment feel less lonely.”

Right. Nolan’s home, across the entire country.

But what about us? He wanted to ask, but choked the words down a throat tight with emotion.

“What will you name him? Or her?” he asked instead.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Nolan shrugged. “It’ll depend on their personality. And most cats from shelters have names already. I wouldn’t want to change it if they’re elderly. Too confusing for them. It’ll be so nice to have a cat around, though, Reid! My apartment is so quiet, too quiet. I hate it there. It’s nice, but the cat will make it feel so much better. I have a view, too, and the birds!” he rambled. “The cat will love seeing the birds in the window.” Nolan collapsed on the bed beside Reid. “Oh, I can’t wait to show you, I mean, pictures don’t do it justice, but I do have a really lovely view of the sunrise—”

Reid couldn’t help it – his breath caught, the sound almost a squeak as he tried to silence it.

Nolan turned his head at the noise, caught sight of Reid’s expression, and pushed himself up. “What is it?”

If Reid said anything he was probably going to cry, so he shook his head and swallowed.

Nolan’s frown deepened. “Wait, we’re not – did you think we were breaking up?”

From Nolan’s tone, the correct answer would be no.

“Are we?” Reid whispered anyway.

Nolan shook his head, so vehemently Reid wondered if his brain rattled. “What? No! No, of course not.”

Relief filled him so immensely he couldn’t breathe. “Oh,” he managed.

“Reid, we just saved your restaurant!” Nolan cupped his cheek and pulled them face to face. “Why would I ever want to break up?”

“I don’t know,” Reid admitted. “Because of what I did?”

Nolan’s fingers tightened around his jaw and gave him a little shake. “Don’t worry about that. Are you in love with me, like you said?”

Reid nodded, eyes burning with the threat of tears.

It was hard to resist them, especially when Nolan beamed at his admission. “I love you, too.”