Page 26 of Inevitable
* * *
Bas: At least tell me you’re safe.
Bas: There’s supposed to be a cold front approaching.
Bas: Have some holiday spirit, dude, and come here. I might even dig out some eggnog just for you.
Bas: Drew is worried about you.
Bas: I’m worried too.
Ezra: Cut it out with the emotional blackmail shit.
Bas: You could rent the guest room. In this economy, I could use the extra income.
Ezra: …
* * *
Drew frowned at the knock on the door. “Are we expecting anybody?”
Bas yawned. He’d been lounging on the couch, listening to a recording of something he’d been working on earlier in the day. His toes were buried under Drew’s thigh. He stretched himself as he got up.
“This floor is too damn cold,” he complained.
“Want me to go and answer the door?”
“I’ll get it. Might be free pizza. Or one of those game shows where they give you one million dollars just for answering the door.”
“Because that happens all the time?”
“Ye of little faith,” Bas threw over his shoulder as he disappeared into the hallway. Drew could hear the rattle of the chain and murmured words. Something thumped against the floor, and the door clicked shut.
“Was it somebody offering a check for a million dollars?” he called without looking away from the document he was reading.
“Better,” Bas replied.
Drew lifted his gaze at the exact moment Ezra followed Bas into the room. His jacket was covered in snow, and the tips of his ears were pink from the cold. He fiddled with the strap of his bag as he slowly lifted his eyes.
“If the offer still stands, I’d like to rent the room.”
Bas was the first one to spring into action. “Absolutely. We… well, we’d love to have you.”
Ezra licked his lips and shuffled from foot to foot. “About rent…” Ezra’s voice trailed off.
“I don’t need you to—” Bas started, but Ezra stopped him with a glare.
“I’m going to pay rent,” Ezra said with a tone that didn’t leave any room for arguments.
“Just pay whatever you did in your last place,” Drew suggested.
Ezra looked even more uncomfortable. “It’s not much.”
“Do you know how I paid for this apartment?” Bas asked. “I didn’t. My grandparents left it to me. I’ve done absolutely shit all to earn this place, so you don’t have to feel bad for not paying my nonexistent mortgage. Pitch in with the bills, and I’m good. I mean, we can have Drew find all the bills and make a couple of spreadsheets to calculate a fair amount, but it’s a lot of work, and you’ll end up just feeling bad for him when we lounge on the couch while he curses away behind his computer in the office.”
That earned the first genuine chuckle from Ezra. “Nah, I figure you’re both rich enough that you won’t try to screw me over.”
“I don’t know. I’m pretty sure at least one of us wouldn’t mind screwing you,” Bas said, earning himself an elbow to the gut from Drew.