Archer wanted to ask why—why the man who left him would want to make Julian miserable after insisting he show up, but he couldn’t pretend to understand the social dynamics of a family he didn’t know. His parents had always been wealthy, but they had also been honest. Archer knew that he wasn’t a miracle baby. He had been an unwanted accident, and he doubted that if there was an afterlife, they had any regrets leaving him behind.
He didn’t get a chance to reassure Julian though. The man grabbed his night clothes and walked across the room, shutting the bathroom door a little harder than was necessary. After a beat, Archer took a breath, then explored their small space. A wide counter with a sink held a coffee maker and a mini-fridge. Beside that a wardrobe with a TV behind two doors, and directly to the right of that, a sliding glass door that led outside.
There was a porch attached to it, with a small table and two chairs, and he had a feeling the views come morning would be gorgeous. As it was, he loved that he could lean against the railing and let the sounds of the waves soothe him. The coast wasn’t a place he ever wanted to end up, but he still loved the ocean.
He loved clear nights, with the width and breadth of the winter constellations overhead. He loved looking up at the twinkling lights and knowing what they sounded like when he turned that light into sound. He liked watching the moon, heavy in the sky, pushing and pulling in her tidal orbit.
He missed home fiercely right then, but he felt oddly like he was exactly where he was meant to be.
Archer didn’t move until he heard the door open behind him, and then Julian stepped out. He didn’t stand close enough to touch, but Archer could feel the heat pouring off him anyway.
“Will?”
It took Archer to remember that was supposed to be him. “Ah. Yes?”
“I really do apologize if this week turns out to be a mess.”
Archer let out a small breath and turned to face his companion. “Not to sound crass, but you’re paying me not to care. You’re the one who reminded me of that in the car.”
Julian winced. “I didn’t mean to be cruel.”
“You were being honest. I have no place trying to tell you how to feel about all of this.” Archer waved his hand in a lazy circle toward the rest of the cabins. “I think you’re a good person who doesn’t deserve any of it, but you have five days to change my mind.”
For the first time, Julian let out a genuine chuckle and he shook his head. “I don’t plan to change your mind. I’m a coward more than I’m not—so I let my mother bully me into these situations. Ilan has been trying to convince me to pack up and put real distance between me and her for years, but…”
Archer waited, then when he was met with silence, he nudged the other man. “But?”
“It’s complicated.” Julian’s tone said he wasn’t willing to give more, and Archer wasn’t going to press. “I want my ex to regret leaving me because I’m worthy of his love—but that’s not going to happen. So instead, I want him to choke on his regret when he realizes that he married down.”
Archer blinked, then laughed and leaned in so their shoulders brushed. “I can do that. And you’re right about the bed.”
Julian hummed in curiosity. “How so?”
“We have to make it seem like we’re in love, right? That I’m head over heels, lucky to be here at your side?”
Julian stiffened, but he didn’t pull away. “Right.”
“If we can do that, we can sleep next to each other in a king-sized bed without changing the physics of the universe.”
Julian snorted and shrugged. “Good point. I’m actually going to turn in, but feel free to shower or do whatever. Just don’t keep too many lights on.”
Archer caught his arm as he moved toward the door. “I don’t want to keep you up.”
“I take my hearing aids out. You’ll be fine. Just careful with the lights.” He gently pried his arm away, moving back through the door, and it shut with a firm click.
Archer felt the moment he was alone like a heavy weight—confusing, not impossible to bear, but too present to be able to forget. He really didn’t know what the fuck he was doing, or how it