Noah watched as the other man scooped eggs onto two plates, walked over and set one in front of Noah. It was strange how comfortable it felt sitting with Cooper. Almost, as if no time had passed, at all.
“You should eat. You’re supposed to take your pain pills with food.”
His stomach growled as he looked down at the food in front of him. Until Cooper sat the food in front of him, he hadn’t realized how hungry he was. “Thanks, man. Mind if I get something to drink?” Noah stood.
“What do you want? I’ll grab it.”
“I’m not helpless. Point me in the right direction, and I can do it.” Noah didn’t like having people take care of him. Didn’t like to cross those lines of getting too close. Not anymore. He’d broken his own rule when he got semi-serious with David, and look where that left him? Not that Cooper would be someone he’d end up in a relationship with, because he was pretty sure Cooper wasn’t gay, but he wasn’t up for letting anyone in again, either.
“Third cabinet over for the cups; drinks in the fridge.” Cooper sat down, and started to eat.
Noah poured himself some orange juice, trying not to wince with each of his movements. Maybe, he was hurt more seriously, than he thought. Definitely time to get another of those pain pills. Well, depending on what they were.
With slow steps, Noah walked over and sat back at the table, drinking down half of the orange juice with one gulp. “Thanks, man. I really appreciate you bringing me here, and for breakfast. We don’t really know each other anymore—”
“I hit ya. It’s the least I could do. Your car’s outside too. She’s a beauty. Not running, but, she sure is pretty.”
Noah laughed, and when he did, a sharp, stab of pain went through him. He grabbed his side. “Shit, that hurts. Don’t make me laugh.”
“How long are you planning on hanging around?” Cooper asked, before taking a bite of his eggs.
Wasn’t that a good question? All he’d known was that he needed a fresh start, and Blackcreek had called to him. “I don’t know. I’m thinking for good. Like I said, just packed up and left.”
Cooper nodded. “And like I said yesterday, I have a room. Might as well rent it out to you rather than someone else; if you’re interested.” Cooper set his fork on his empty plate, and leaned back in the chair. He had stubble along his jaw, his dark blond hair, cut short. His blue eyes were full of mischief, like they had been when they were kids. Hell, they’d caused some trouble together years ago.
Looking at him, he realized how much he’d truly missed his friend. Sure, he’d known it as a kid. It had pretty much wrecked him. Noah had isolated himself for a long time after that, but seventeen years had passed. He wouldn’t have thought seeing Cooper would still mean so much. But given that Cooper had been his one real friend from when he was a kid, it made sense.
And renting a room was probably a smart idea. It would be a whole lot less than getting an apartment. Again, he had the money, but he also wanted to get his furniture business off the ground.
There was only one problem. He had no idea how Coop would react to him being gay. It wasn’t a problem for him. They would only be roommates, but that didn’t mean Coop would be comfortable with it.
“You don’t mind sharing a house with a gay man?”
Cooper was taking a drink right as the question left Noah’s mouth. He immediately started choking on his OJ, and coughing like crazy.
Well, he guessed, there was his answer. “You okay?” he asked.
Coop was still hacking away, but nodded his head, before he took another drink to calm himself. “Jesus, way to spring that on someone.”
A ghost of a memory from the day before snuck into his head. “I’m pretty sure I told you yesterday.”
“You could hardly speak straight.” Coop’s blue eyes widened. “Not straight, straight. I mean, you were all messed up because of the pain meds. I didn’t…I wasn’t…”
Another laugh jumped out of his mouth. He tried to hold his ribs, but it didn’t stop the pain from shooting through him. He’d never seen Coop so flustered in his life.
“Asshole,” Coop grunted. “It’s not that funny.”
Maybe it wasn’t, but Noah needed to laugh. It felt good, too. Well, besides the killer pain in his ribs. “Shit. You’re right. I’m sorry, but pain meds or not, people don’t say they’re gay, if they aren’t.”
Cooper crossed his arms, and with that movement, the laughter left the room. This was game time. Where he’d find out if his friend would want him to leave, all because of who Noah was attracted to. He couldn’t read the look in Coop’s eyes. Didn’t know him well enough anymore, to know what his intense stare meant.