Love Is Always Write Volume 4

rigid but only held on tighter. "Hon, I have to go help Derek out of a jam. Can we talk about this more when I get back?" Zeb's head nodded stiffly. "I think this could be a good move." And then he forced a laugh he didn't feel. "Come on, think about it. Sun, sand and no more snow. This could be a lot of fun! An adventure!"
    "Yeah." Zeb's one word reply did nothing to make him feel any better about leaving their apartment right now. But he'd promised Derek.
    "Zeb, I don't want to push anything. If this isn't what you want than just say the word. I'll support whatever decision you make. Will you just think on it and we'll talk more tonight." He received another nod, but that was it.
    When he got back, however, hours later since the lug nuts had been rusted on and a bitch to get off, Zeb's attitude had completely changed. He wasn't just upbeat, he was excited. And packing.
    Chad was soaking wet and irritable, and getting home to see Zeb so busy he barely acknowledged him wasn't helping. His boyfriend had obviously already gotten boxes from somewhere and had a large amount packed and stacked near the door. Watching him continue was like witnessing a tornado turn their cozy little apartment upside down.
    All he got out of Zeb was his enthusiasm on how right Chad had been, what a great move it would be, and how excited he was to see California. The whirlwind change left him so off kilter that he barely noticed when Todd, Abduction's bassist, showed up to help Zeb load boxes into a truck he had waiting outside. And he really didn't understand the strange smile on Zeb's face. At all.
    "Do you really have to leave now?"
    "Yep. We have a flight going out late tonight and a meeting set up in LA tomorrow morning."
    "But…" Chad didn't know what to say. He'd expected them to talk more. To make decisions about what it would mean for them, to look for an apartment and talk about finances. "What's the rush? I mean, are you sure this is really what you want?"
    Zeb handed Todd another box to bring downstairs. "Aren't you the one that just this morning said you wanted me to go? That this would be an adventure?"
    "Yeah, but…"
    "So what's the problem?" Now Zeb sounded almost snotty.
    "Well…" Chad stammered, "What about an apartment? Where will you stay?"
    "We have a hotel room for this week." Zeb moved around the room while he talked, not even looking at Chad. "When I called Todd earlier today to talk this over he said that after we got the offer he was so excited he'd called his cousin that lives out there. Turns out he's pretty sure he has a line on an apartment for us. It'll be a blast to room with Callie again," Zeb said with that same strange smile.
    "Wait… just wait!" Chad felt like the room was spinning.
    "What's the problem?"
    "What's the…" he trailed off. "What do you think? I thought we'd talk more about this."
    He watched as Zeb crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "Why beat a dead horse?"
    A dead horse? What the hell? He'd barely gotten two words from Zeb about it this morning. "I just…" Chad heard a noise behind him and turned to see Todd grabbing another box. "You don't need to be taking everything now, you know?"
    "I'm not."
    Chad sighed, for some reason relieved at Zeb's answer. Relieved until he saw Zeb and Todd each grab the last two boxes by the steps and both start to walk out. "Zeb! Zeb wait!" He saw them both pause, already a few steps into the hall, and turn.
    "What?"
    "Can't I just have a few minutes alone with you?" He turned a pointed look towards Todd and saw the man glare at him. What the hell's his problem, he thought, but figured the answer was pretty simple. He wanted to get a move on and here Chad was, having the audacity to ask for a minute of privacy with his boyfriend to say goodbye – a few kisses to tide him over.
    "Yeah, okay." Zeb nodded his head towards the elevator indicated Todd should go ahead. The tall blond bassist rolled his eyes before moving away down the hall. Chad backed up a few steps as Zeb walked back in the apartment, box still in his arms.
    "You weren't seriously going to leave like that, were you?" Zeb just tilted his head but didn't seem any more welcoming than he had over the last twenty minutes. "You seem pissed at me. Why?" Chad asked, worried he'd done something wrong, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what. Zeb put the box down, put his hands on his hips and looked down at the ground. There were some long deep breaths and Chad figured his lover had