Dirty Laundry: A Tucker Springs Novel #3

hair again. “I wouldn’t want to date him. I certainly wouldn’t order pizza for him by the pond, or be trying to decide whether or not I’d get arrested for fucking him there.”
    As he’d hoped, that made Adam lift his head. Warily, but he could see the interest there too, mingling with the doubt. “You’re just saying that.”
    “The hell I am. Adam, I’ve had that other guy. He’s fuckable, but he’s forgettable. This tic of yours you’re so embarrassed about, the people’s places thing? It might be the reason we’re sitting here right now.” Denver stroked his arms. “If I could have taken you home that first night, or the second, I probably would have fucked and run. Cute as you are, I would have said, nope, relationships are too hard, and I’d have stuck to my guns. But you weren’t normal, baby. You were something different. You were fussy and weird and fun and cute as all hell, and hotter than sin in an oven, and I wanted you. Maybe I would have stayed interested, I don’t know. You’re different enough it might have been okay. But I can tell you, the OCD helped. You’re telling me it’s who you are, that it’s part of Adam Ellery. Well, good. Because I like Adam Ellery, not-normal and all.”
    Adam’s eyes were damp, and he looked so sweet as he leaned forward and brushed his lips against Denver’s. “I like you too,” he whispered.
    Denver stroked his face. “Even without a high school diploma? Even though I was dumb as rocks and let people boss me around?”
    “You’re not dumb as rocks. Not even close.” Adam traced Denver’s mouth with his finger. “And just so you know . . . I think I’d be okay with being arrested. If you were there.”
    Something big and thick was lodged in the center of Denver’s chest, and his eyes were a little itchy. He smiled, a little bit of a watery one, and pulled Adam down to his mouth. “I’ll do my best to keep us quiet anyway.”

The next month went by for Adam in something of a blur. A happy, giddy, ridiculous whirlwind of one, but it was definitely a haze of happiness that carried him through his days. He had told Denver the truth, the whole truth, and not only was Denver still part of his life, he was actively working to help make Adam feel easier. The only fly in the ointment was the places thing.
    Denver had a plan for that too.
    “Is he pushing you?” This was the first thing Louisa asked when Adam told her about The Talk. “Is he trying to get you over it too fast?”
    “No,” Adam assured her. “In fact, he doesn’t want to get me over it at all. He wants to work around it.”
    He did, and the ways he tried to make Adam’s OCD at peace with a new place sometimes overwhelmed Adam nearly to tears. He’d started simply, telling Adam about his apartment, describing what it looked like. He took pictures and messaged them to Adam. This is my kitchen. This is where I watch TV. I’m kind of thinking about a new couch, but I need to make a little more money first.
    Other things came out in those texts too. Sometimes things that surprised Adam, made him hold still and remember he wasn’t the only one wading carefully into this relationship. Like when, shortly after the text about the couch, another one came through.
    I actually have a line on a good job. Really good one, doing exactly what I want.
    Adam had read that excitedly and replied, Oh yeah? What’s that?
    Working at the gym where I go . Before Adam could reply, Denver added, Thing is, I need to get certified.
    You could do that , Adam told him.
    But I’d have to get my GED first.
    Adam had almost—almost—typed back that this was no big deal, what was he waiting for? Then he remembered how often Denver referred to himself as dumb, how self-conscious he got around anything to do with school. For a moment, Adam wasn’t sure what to say and wanted to panic. But this was too important for that, so he forced himself to calm and to think.
    Well , he typed at last, as it so happens, I’m not a bad hand with studying. If you ever want to try for it, I’d love to help you.
    He was still Adam, so as soon as he’d sent that, he had to add, If that would be okay with you.
    Denver replied, Yeah, actually, that would be great. Thank you.
    Denver took him out a lot, hanging out in various places around the Light District every afternoon before he had to go into work, unless he had to go early. After the conversation about GEDs, he seemed to open a floodgate, telling Adam