by Elouise East
“What do you mean?”
“Pro bono for friends.” Johnson winked.
“No, you can’t. You hardly know me!”
“Logan has vouched for you. That is more than enough to know you are now a friend of mine also.”
Craig knew his mouth was open and his eyes were wide, but he could not fathom how Johnson would be willing to do this with no recompense.
“Seriously, Craig. Go home. Rest up. I’ll speak to you soon.”
Not knowing what else to say, he thanked Johnson and drove home. Walking through his front door, he froze, surveying his surroundings. He was finally feeling like himself. While being with Darren, he’d become an introvert without his knowledge. With that in mind, he marched to his bedroom and flung open the door. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he dialled.
“Hey, Sean. I wondered if you would be able to help me out?”
Two hours later, Sean arrived at his house, surprising Craig with a Max-sized tagalong.
“I hope you don’t mind, but when you told me your idea, I thought we could use the help of the interior decorator variety.”
“Not at all. Thanks.”
“Okay, show us what we have to work with.” Max rubbed his hands with glee.
“You can tell he loves his work!” Sean rolled his eyes.
Craig led the way to his bedroom, grateful he’d thought to tidy it up a bit before they arrived. There was plenty of light coming through the window, and it made the red with black accents appear drab and, he supposed, porn-like. He’d never considered it before, but now, standing and surveying the room, that was his first thought.
“It’s not been decorated since after Darren moved in.” He chuckled. “I never realised it presented itself similar to an old-fashioned boudoir until now.”
“Nah, pornstar bedrooms are the in thing nowadays!” Max rested a bag that Craig hadn’t seen him bring in on the chest of drawers with a snicker.
“Max!” Sean smacked Max in the shoulder.
“I’m joking. God, chill already.” Max pulled out his laptop and set it up. He picked up a tool Craig assumed was for measuring and promptly sized the room, inputting the details onto the program. “Okay, Craig. Come closer, and we’ll have a play around and see what you like and what you don’t.”
Doing as asked, Craig focused on the screen. There was a rainbow wheel of colours front and centre.
“What colours do you like?” Max studied Craig, eyes narrowed.
Craig struggled to answer the question. He hadn’t had to choose anything in such a long time. Examining the colour wheel, his gaze was drawn to the royal blue colours, and he told Max.
“Okay, let’s add it in there,” Max spoke as he did his thing on the laptop.
Craig watched as the bedroom took shape before him on the screen. Max had yet to colour the walls, but the accents were blue.
“Now, for the walls, I would suggest something pale which would make use of the amazing natural light you get in here from the huge window.” Max pointed. “Colours which complement the blue would be gold, yellow, ivory and grey. Personally, I would suggest a light grey. What do you think?”
Craig exhaled roughly. “I have no idea.”
“Would you like to see the choices on screen?”
“Yes, please. It might make it easier to visualise.” Max went through each colour scheme before Craig was able to choose. Max had been right, grey was better. “Gold made it tackier than it is now.”
Max chortled. “Yeah, sometimes complementary colours make certain rooms look awful.” He pressed a few more buttons and asked what Craig thought.
“I like it. It appears lighter and bigger.” Max had added in furniture which he said was antique pine wood. All in all, it made the room appear huge compared to now.
“Okay. We know what we want to do in here. Let’s get a few things organised, and I’ll come back the day after tomorrow to start it all if that’s alright?” Max closed his laptop and pushed it back into the bag.
Between them, they managed to get the chest of drawers into the spare bedroom and the wardrobe pushed close to the door, ready to be moved next time. Craig wanted to go all out and buy new furniture, and Max gave his recommendations for places to find what he was searching for.
“Would you like to stay for dinner?” Craig glanced at the clock, seeing what time it was.
“I’d love to, but I need to get back to Asher. Thanks for the offer, though.” Sean looked worn out.
“I have to get back to Trent, too. Sorry. But I will be back day after tomorrow. When I get here, we’ll get a plan of action in place and get started.”
“Thanks. Both of you. I appreciate this.”
“No problem at all. It’s a job I love, after all. And helping friends do it is heaps better.” Max clapped him on the shoulder and picked up his bag. “See you in a couple of days.”
****
The following day, Craig concentrated on clearing out his bedroom. He’d be sleeping in the spare room for the next few days, and it would also be the dumping ground for all his stuff. It might give him the chance to check through it all as well.
He struggled a bit when it came to Darren’s things. After several minutes of contemplation, he decided to head into town and pick up some boxes while he was doing his errands. When he got back, Darren’s stuff could be boxed up. He had no idea what to do with it, a question for Johnson.
Starting with the first shop Max had recommended, he instantly found a new chest of drawers and matching wardrobe he liked. Everything ticked the boxes for both him and Max, so he paid for them to be delivered in two days. It should hopefully give enough time for the room to be completed. If not, the furniture could be piled up in the spare room until needed.
None of the beds in the second or third shop took Craig’s fancy, but when he entered the fourth one, he found it. It was a king-size bed with antique pine head and footboards with a complicated pattern embossed into them. Craig fell in love and ordered it straight away. The shop had wanted it delivered the next day, but Craig explained he had nowhere to put it until the room was done, and they agreed to deliver it in four days. It could be too far ahead, but he might be able to bring the delivery forward if they were ahead of schedule—whatever the schedule would be.
Craig had been enjoying himself until he remembered he had to get boxes. It brought a slight shadow to his good day, but once it was done, he’d hopefully never have to deal with it again.
Last thing on his list was paint, and Craig carried it all back to his car and drove home.
When Max returned to start the job, he’d brought with him several of the other guys: Sean, Zak, Ethan and Josh. He’d seen Josh several times at Crush but hadn’t spoken to him. He knew Josh was close friends with everyone.
When Max saw what Craig had achieved the previous day, Max was amazed. He said he’d been expecting everyone to get to cleaning out the room first, but Craig had made things easier. Max ordered Josh and Zak to get dismantling the wardrobe because it wouldn’t fit through the door. Sean and Ethan were charged with taking apart the bed. Craig was issued with removing the curtains, the bedside tables and the chairs.
Once the room was empty of everything, Max held out cloths to everyone, and the floor was covered. Setting the paint tins in the middle of the room with rollers and everything else, Max instructed everyone what he wanted them to do.
By lunchtime, the ceiling had been painted, and several paint-splattered friends sat on the floor in the living room, munching the club sandwiches he’d made and talking about their families and friends.
“Craig, why did you decide to redecorate?” Ethan asked. Craig watched Zak nudge him and shake his head, and Ethan shrugged back, his expression confused.
“No, it’s fine, Zak.” Craig inhaled and lowered his sandwich. “It has come to my attention recently that my ex-boyfriend is an asshole.”
Everyone could hear a pin drop in the ensuing silence before Sean, Max and Zak howled
in laughter. Craig knew those three would understand his comment because he’d briefly—very briefly—explained his situation when they’d been out one night.
“What are you laughing at?” Ethan asked, frown lines deepening in his forehead. Josh stayed silent but raised his eyebrows.
“My ex was abusive.” Craig paused. Every time he had to admit he was stupid for putting up with it, he felt ashamed. Something he would eventually have to get over or put up with. “I hadn’t understood how bad it had become. When he tried to kill me, and almost succeeded, everything became clearer. And with the help of people from the hospital.”
“Like Casey and Alex.” Sean nodded.
“And Logan.” Craig couldn’t forget how much Logan had helped him. “I’m redecorating because I want my house back. It used to be mine. Until Darren moved in. Now I want it back again. I need it back again.” Craig stared at his sandwich, unsure if he wanted to finish it.
“Well, this will make you laugh.” Ethan had kept them amused all morning with his jokes. “A girl went home happy, telling her mum about how she earned twenty pounds by climbing a tree. Her mum said, “They wanted to see your pants!” The girl replied, “See, Mum, I told you I was smart. I took them off first.””
“Oh my god, you are the worst, Ethan.” Zak threw a piece of bread at him while the rest of the group chuckled under their breath.
Craig studied the people surrounding him. Here were five guys he’d not known long, and they were helping him redecorate, distracting him and making him one of them. He wasn’t sure if he should laugh or cry. So, he sat there instead, basking in the feeling of having friends again.
Chapter 27
Alex
The gossip through the grapevine about Craig’s redecorating blitz had Alex tagging along when some of the guys went to help him. Alex could tell Craig was unsure having him in his house, Craig fidgeted, dragged his hands through his hair and glanced at Alex several times during the first few minutes of him being there. He considered asking Craig if he wanted Alex to leave but couldn’t bring himself to do it and lose the chance at spending time with Craig, even if it had to be with others around.
Their task was helping to build the furniture that had arrived. Alex paired up with Trent to build the wardrobe, a gorgeous antique pine monstrosity, which would no doubt need several of them to lift when it was assembled. While he paid attention to what they were doing, so neither ended up with nails or screws somewhere where they shouldn’t be, he knew exactly where Craig was at every point of the day.
When Craig left with a mention of getting started on lunch, Alex took a chance and followed him.
“Craig?” Alex kept his voice quiet, so he didn’t startle Craig.
Craig twisted around, biting his bottom lip as he stared at Alex, wide-eyed.
“Shall we go on a sandwich shop run instead of making them?” Seeing Craig was about to decline, Alex sweetened the pot. “We could choose some cakes and goodies for after.”
Craig exhaled audibly. “Alright.”
“Great. Let’s grab everyone’s orders.” Alex exited the kitchen and strode back to the bedroom, pulling out his phone to note it all down. Max, Trent, Sean and Asher were straightforward. They knew exactly what they wanted; Ethan and Zak were another matter. They spent several minutes debating the intricacies of a Greek salad before Sean threw a cloth at them and demanded they make up their mind or starve.
All orders received, Alex and Craig headed for the cars.
“I’ll drive if that’s okay. It’s most likely easier for me to get out than you anyway.”
Craig nodded and followed Alex to his car. They were silent for the first few minutes until Alex spoke up.
“My new nephew is going to be a handful, I reckon. Seems to have his mother and grandparents wrapped around his little finger. As if they weren’t with Danny, already. When I went to visit them last week, they were fighting over changing his nappy, for god’s sake.” He rolled his eyes. “Who does that? Yeah, alright, fight over something cute, sure, but changing a nappy? No way, no how.”
Craig snorted, and Alex beamed.
“And sleeping in the single bed I had as a teenager, in a room still decorated as if I was that teenager? Not comfy. At all.” Alex shook his head in mock annoyance. “You would have thought my parents would have had a midlife crisis by now and redesigned one of the rooms into a gym or something. But no, I have to have the sentimental parents, don’t I? The ones who keep everything the same.”
They arrive at the sandwich shop with Craig not having said a word, although his behaviour showed his uneasiness had abated. Placing the orders, they settled in to wait at a table by the window, both seemingly watching the passersby, whilst in honesty, Alex was watching Craig.
He was unsure how to break the silence, but the reason for his arrival at Craig’s house was on the tip of his tongue. He didn’t know how to broach the subject without Craig potentially retreating. Alex knew there was no way his words were going to be taken lightly.
“Um, Craig?” Alex hesitated, gaze on Craig’s reflection in the window, despite not being able to see his expression easily.
Craig glanced at him, eyebrows raised.
“I’ve been dancing around this for months now but want to bring it to your attention in case you’ve missed my intentions.” Alex cleared his throat, palms sweating as he veered his head to face Craig straight on. “I’d like to get to know you better. Without all the hospital stuff in the middle.”
Alex tried to read the expressions crossing Craig’s face but couldn’t. Craig stared at him, so long, in fact, Alex was concerned he wasn’t going to say anything.
“I don’t,” Craig coughed, “know if it’s a good idea.”
“If you’re worried about Heath, don’t be. I broke up with him.” Alex swore he could see a flicker in Craig’s eyes, but it could’ve been a trick of the light. He didn’t add the ending on that sentence he wanted to—for you—because Craig was gaping at him enough as it was.
Their essentially one-sided conversation ended when their order was called, and they headed to the counter. Alex paid for the order, eliciting a complaint from Craig.
“They won’t let me pay for their time. It’s the least I can do!”
Alex countered his words after they collected the three bags full of food. “No. What you can do is hang out with them. Invite them for dinner. Go when others invite you. They don’t need you to pay them to be there. They want you in their lives. Same as I do.”
The journey back to Craig’s house was quiet. Alex didn’t feel inclined to fill the silence this time, allowing Craig time to think through what Alex had said. When Alex parked the car, Craig pivoted towards him.
“Can we be friends for a while? Hang out and such?” Craig worried his lip between his finger and thumb.
“Of course, we can.” Alex was more than happy with his answer. It was something he could build on.
The next few hours went by in a flurry of laughter, banter and friendship. Alex had never been so content, and Craig had joined in several times, too. Unfortunately, the time for him to leave came too quickly.
“Right, sorry to love you and leave you, guys, but I have to get ready for work.” Alex stood, brushing off his jeans.
“Oh god, Alex. You shouldn’t have done all this work if you had to go to the hospital. I feel awful.” Craig tunnelled his hand through his hair, agitation evident on his face.
“You didn’t ask me to do it, Craig. I wanted to help.” Alex glanced at Max. “Hey, guys, when are you next going out?”
“Friday, as it happens. My sister, Livvy, is coming up for her birthday. We’re doing dinner at Romano’s then refreshments at Crush. You’re more than welcome to join us. It’s a free for all.” Max grinned.
“Perfect. I’ll see you all Friday.” Alex shuffled out of the bedroom and headed to the front of the house. Craig saw him out.
“Thanks for your help, Alex. I appreciate it.” Craig gave a small,
nervous smile.
“You’re welcome.” Alex hesitated but did what he wanted to. He leaned in slowly, advertising to Craig his intentions. He brushed his lips against Craig’s cheek, immediately withdrew and pivoted to leave. He was sure his long night shift at the hospital would do nothing to remove the smile from his face.
****
Friday rolled around quickly, even by Alex’s standard. He’d worked three night shifts, followed by two day shifts, and when he woke Friday morning, he couldn’t fathom how it had happened. He’d had no contact with Craig since the previous Saturday and no clue whether he would be with the guys tonight. Alex would go anyway. If Craig wasn’t there, Alex would enjoy the time with his newfound friends.
Entering Romano’s, Alex realised he had no idea who had booked the table. Luckily, he could see Max was already seated with Trent and a woman whose manner and appearance was decidedly similar to Max, except with longer and curlier hair. He waved away the server, striding over to the table with the flowers and card he’d picked up on his way. He hadn’t wanted to arrive empty-handed.
“Alex! Glad you could make it.” Max stood, giving him a half-hug in greeting. “This is my sister, Livvy.”
“Happy birthday, Livvy.” He presented the gifts to her with a smile.
“Oh, they’re beautiful. Thank you, Alex.” She rounded the table and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“You’re welcome. You’re looking good for…what was it, Max? Ninety-three?” Alex sniggered, along with Trent, at the glare Max gave him.
“Thank you, kind sir.” Livvy focused on Max. “Well, if I’m ninety-three,” she smiled sweetly, “that would make you ninety-eight.” She frowned. “Damn, you look good.” She bussed a kiss on Max’s cheek and ruffled his hair.
“Alex, would you like a drink?” Trent’s question rose above the sibling back and forth as Trent smiled at Max like a lovesick puppy.
“Lemonade would be great, thanks.” He knew Romano’s sold only wine, and he wasn’t a fan.
