Page 88 of Ring Rust

“It’s about lunchtime now.”

“Wow. I haven’t slept that much in months.” He stretched gently. “I assumed retirement would involve a lot more sleeping than it has so far.”

Ignoring his guilt, Jasper changed the subject. “You must be hungry.”

“I am. Something smells good, are you cooking?”

“Yes!” Jasper got out of bed and extended a hand. “Do you need help getting out of bed?”

“Not really, but I’m gonna hold your hand anyway.” Ryan let Jasper pull him out of bed, waiting until they made it down the hallway and Ryan was seated at the kitchen table to let go of his hand. “Thank you. What’s on the menu for lunch?”

“Goulash.”

Ryan’s face fell for a split second before he painted it back into something pleasant. “Whoa, that walking made my stomach a bit queasy.”

“It did? Are you okay?”

“Yeah! Yeah, I’m fine. I just don’t know if I should have a big meal right now. I might just make some toast.”

“Really?” Jasper asked, trying to hide his disappointment.

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that…”

“You don’t even want a small bowl? You love this stuff. That’s why I made it.”

Ryan leaned forward in his chair and took Jasper’s hand in his. He stroked Jasper’s knuckles with his thumb and took a deep breath. “Um…”

“What?”

“I have to tell you something, and… I just need you to promise you won’t be upset. I don’t want to lie to you anymore, because I don’t want whatever is coming back to life here, what Ihopeis coming back to life, to start off with dishonesty.”

Jasper was taken aback. Of course, he felt the same way. He thought Ryan saw a shared future again the same way he did. But then he wondered what secrets they could possibly have—besides the time Jasper “accidentally” destroyed Ryan’s shortest trunks because they left nothing to the imagination, or the time Ryan glued Jasper’s favorite mug back together and didn’t admit he’d broken it until it leaked all over the coffee table.

True dishonesty was never part of their problem, and Jasper’s stomach lurched at the idea of new relationship hurdles.

“You’re freaking me out a little bit.”

Ryan’s lack of immediate comfort didn’t help ease Jasper’s mind at all.

“Ryan?”

Ryan closed his eyes. “I hate goulash.”

Jasper stood from his chair, nearly knocking it over. “What?”

“Well, I hate your goulash.”

“You hatemygoulash?”

Ryan let out a huge breath, like fifteen years of stress was leaving his body. “God, yes,” he groaned. “I hate it so much. Oh, man. It feels so good to get that off my chest.”

Jasper snatched his hand back. “What are you talking about? You love my goulash!”

“I do not. I never have.”

“You’ve eaten it dozens of times and never complained! How long have you hated it?”

Ryan reached for Jasper’s hand again. “I have always hated it.”