Page 72 of Sight Unseen

Cody’s hands brushed hair from my face. “Sure. Let me get the broom.”

He disappeared and I heard him rummaging around. He was back in seconds then the broom moved across the floor. “Actually,” Cody drew out the word, his tone reflective. “This isn’t as bad as you thought. Yeah, part of my face is missing but a lot is still intact, mostly the skull part. It looks cool. Surreal.” He huffed. “I still can’t believe you can get a lump of inanimate clay to look like this. You have serious talent, baby, but you know that.”

He pressed what was left of the bust into my hands, cradling them tenderly. “Feel it, see what it looks like. Maybe you should keep this piece, think about it differently.” He hesitated. “Maybe the part of me that’s missing in this piece now is you. This is me, unfinished, before we got together.”

I hadn’t wanted to cry again, but those words, uttered so simply and yet cutting to the core of what that piece had been about, made me weep. Cody wiped more tears from my face and tut-tutted.

God, I’m an emotional wreck. I need to man up.

“Did anyone ever tell you you’re a really sensitive soul?” my man teased as he left the sofa to clean the shards off the floor. I cradled Nate’s Folly close to my chest, hoping that perhaps all was not lost.

Perhaps, with the right motivation, anything could be salvaged with a bit of TLC and a whole lot of love.

***

The next three days we spent in sheer, hedonistic bliss as we shut the outside world out and simply enjoyed each other.

We’d made love in virtually every room in the house, anointing every surface. The shower stall had never seen as much action. Texts from friends and family were ignored after we’d told them we were fine but were switching off for a while.

One thing I’d insisted during our “hibernation” had been for Cody to refund my father’s money. Cody had argued that it was my right to keep the bastard’s cash but I’d refused. I wanted nothing to do with his fucking blood money. When I’d offered to settle a future commission since Artisana had lost money through the refund, Cody had simply glared daggers at me. Wisely I’d let it go.

After our self-indulgent, sex-fueled few days, Cody left to visit his family. The last week had been overwhelming, and to be honest, we both thought we needed a little space apart before Cody moved in.

Ordinarily I accompanied Cody on the trip to Topanga Canyon to see his family—they were my family too after all—but this time, I thought he needed alone time with them. I’d insisted he take time out, go surfing and spend time with his folks. He’d hemmed and hawed but finally agreed to see them without me.

We’d kissed each other good-bye, hot, wet, sloppy kisses with so much need in them—then he’d gotten into his car and driven away.

I missed him already.

***

I wasn’t surprised when the doorbell rang the next morning. I’d switched my mobile on the previous day to find a load of concerned texts and voice mail messages. I opened the door, and found a party of three on the doorstep.

Suzanne, Dev and Blu had come to visit, no doubt to bolster up my spirits and get nosy about what was going on after we’d gone into silent mode.

“If this is an intervention, you’re too late,” I said, dead-panning as I let them in. “I’ve already kicked him out. He’s gone back to his folks.”

There was dead silence.

“You threw Cody out?” Suzanne gasped, voice incredulous. “Oh God, Nate, why?”

I shrugged, fighting back the grin on my face. “The dude snores and farts enough to cause a tornado. And he leaves the toothpaste cap off. Who the hell can live with that?”

I couldn’t help chuckling as she punched my arm. “Asshole,” she exclaimed. “I thought you guys had broken up or something.”

She moved away, muttering the word “asshole” again under her breath.

I found myself drawn into a hug, and recognized Blu’s familiar scent.

“Hey, buddy, we hadn’t heard from you in a few days. We were worried when neither of you stayed in touch.”

I hugged my friend back. “We had some stuff to work through. He’s gone to see his folks but he’ll be back in a couple of days.”

Dev was a little more reticent. He shook my hand. “Hey, Nate, good to see you. You’re looking good.”

I got everyone settled out on the deck with drinks before I sat.

Time to face the myriad questions I knew were coming my way.