“Uh-huh.”
“I don’t have a point, I’m just observing. Well, and I wanted to make sure you weren’t actually annoyed, because we just spent all day bickering.”
“It was constructive. I’m happy with the design. It reflects both of us, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Although Grayson also recognized he was still finding his voice as a designer. He definitely knew, in his gut, what looked good, and he had preferences in terms of colors and textures, but he wasn’t sure if he could define what he liked as a coherent style. “Modern” was the closest description for it, but he also loved colors and patterns.
“I’m not upset with you,” Nolan said. “I’m… stuck in my ways. Comes with age, I guess.”
“I hear what you’re saying, but it translates as ‘stubborn.’ And I think what you really need is to have your old ways shaken up.”
“Oh, is that what I need?”
“Yes.” And Grayson realized he meant it. Not that he had any issue with Nolan’s year of hibernation. Grayson had never lost anyone that close to him, and he imagined it must be completely devastating. Nolan should take as much time as he needed. But now that he was back living in the world, Grayson intended to show him how to live again. And that meant reminding him what he was passionate about.
Nolan’s whole adult life had been dedicated to interior design. Heshouldget worked up about colors and vases and throw pillows.
“I gotta go home tonight,” Grayson said. “The shirt I want to wear for our first reveal day is there, and I don’t trust my roommates to water my plants. But tomorrow we should celebrate. I’m thinking a nice bottle of champagne followed by sex on your couch.”
Nolan laughed. “Okay. Reasonable plan. Should we have something to eat?”
“Food, schmood. Who needs it when your boyfriend is hot?”
“So noted.”
NOLAN THOUGHThe might throw up.
Hopefully future reveals would not trigger his nerves quite to this level. Although, in his defense, he had a lot on his mind. Angela had called the previous night.
He spent probably twenty minutes finding the perfect place for a ceramic hippo on a floating shelf in the den because he didn’t know what to do with his hands.
Grayson was popping around between the rooms they’d renovated, checking everything and second-guessing his pillow placement, so he was clearly nervous too.
“Fair warning,” said Grayson. “I’m probably gonna cry.”
Nolan glanced at him. “Really?” That seemed out of character.
“It’s a thing, I don’t know. You were there when that dog commercial came on the other day.”
Nolan nodded, because he had indeed witnessed Grayson crying at a commercial for… well, Nolan couldn’t remember now. But it had involved someone narrating over a video of a soldier being reunited with a very excited golden retriever. Nolan had reached for the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and noticed Grayson wiping away tears. When Nolan had asked about it, Grayson just said that sometimes sad movies and weddings and commercials with cute dogs got to him. Nolan found the fact that he seemed completely unselfconscious about this admirable. Grayson felt emotions deeply sometimes. He didn’t try to defend himself or have a crisis of masculinity about it. A lot of people saw tears as a sign of weakness, but Grayson was unbothered. It was part of his boldness.
“I mean,” Grayson said now, “especially if Carol cries. Watching other people cry is like turning a spigot for me.”
“The Robertses just pulled into the driveway!” called Helena from the front of the house.
As they’d discussed in advance, Nolan and Grayson jogged to the front door. “Big smiles,” Nolan said. Then he opened the door.
“Welcome to your new home!” Nolan said.
He hadn’t been this nervous about showing a design to a client… maybe ever. Part of it was just first-project-after-a-long-hiatus jitters, probably, plus the presence of the cameras. But he also really wanted this family to like what they’d done. Whether Nolan liked the design was really beside the point; the Robertses were the ones who would have to stay in the house.
As the camera rolled, Nolan instructed the couple to close their eyes. Then he led them into their new entryway, which was part of the new open floor plan on the first floor. On the left was their brand-new kitchen, and on the right, their new living room area, with a new TV and plenty of seating for guests.
“Open your eyes!”
Carol and George Roberts both gasped. Carol said, “Oh, my God!” Nolan couldn’t tell at first if the reaction was good or bad, but then Carol smiled and added, “I love it so much!”
“Let’s show you the features of your new kitchen,” said Grayson. He led her by the elbow into the space. Helena had made some suggestions for what he should say on camera, so he played right along. “Do you remember the old kitchen?”
