Page 60 of The New Place

No, Ned wouldn’t be impressed at all with how Abbot hid in Zürich, his focus on Reto and as far from Geneva as he could keep it.

“Tell me,” Ned says.

Any desire to do so has cooled and Abbot shakes his head. “Another time.”

“Tell me about Beverly then,” Ned says and oh, he’ll like that version of Abbot even less.

“Our trip,” Abbot says. “If we go to Switzerland in June, we could fly back with Liesl and bring her to Cape Cod for that first week of July.”

“I’ll have to see. And it’s down the Cape.”

“To the Cape,” Abbot says automatically. Ned has to see what? About the job, Abbot is sure he means, whether he’ll still be interviewing, still searching and applying to various positions. “We do have internet in Switzerland, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“All those cows scrolling through their phones all the time? And it’s down the Cape. I have to start on Liesl now, since you’re a lost cause.”

“Well, she’ll be here soon. Get ready, because I think I’m simply an accessory to her visiting you.”

“I can’t wait.”

“You might be able to, given her newfound adolescent attitude.”

“Not my Liesl.”

“No, she’ll likely be perfectly cheerful for you.” And unpredictably irritated with Abbot, given how his last visit went. “She wants to teach you how to make caramelköpfli.”

“As long as it doesn’t involve Peggy hiding candy in her room. I think I found it all, at least.”

“I suppose we should tell Sandy that a requirement is a kitchen set up for baking.”

“Have you thought about it? What you want?”

What Abbot wants? He wants to be here. Closer. As close as can be. “Some.” He hesitates, nerves washing through him, but the idea of a shared spot is just too sweet. “Have you thought at all about living together?”

“Course I have.”

There’s relief in that. More than Abbot knew he was hoping for. “Really?”

“Sure. I mean, we will, right?”

Right. Ned makes it sound so simple. “Should we take Steve up on his offer of a house?”

“Wouldn’t that end up being funny.” Ned brushes his fingers over Abbot’s cheek. “But seriously, you move down here, we get our feet under us, and then we have all the time in the world to figure out the rest of life.”

Oh. That’s not now, in his answer. That’s waiting for more time to pass by them.

Though it’s Ned, and didn’t Pat just say it takes him ages to come around to a new idea? What really matters is that Ned is different from any man who came before him. The simple assumption that there’s a future for them to move toward and that they’ll continue to be together when it comes.

Abbot leans in and kisses him. We will, Ned said, just as easy as that. Moving in together is a matter of when and not if, and Abbot can’t help his smile. “Will I have to formally ask Baxter if he wants to move in, as well?”

Ned grins. “Yeah, there’s an entire application process. References too, and probably a sacrifice of at least one pair of shoes for him to chew up.”

“And an endless supply of bones.”

“Yeah, we’ll be busy.”

Abbot shifts so Ned is under him. “Perhaps we should start now.”

Ned leans back into the pillows. “Yeah?”