Page 35 of Can't Stop Now

“I haven’t yet, no. I did mention the other night, though…” Will trailed off.

“The massage?” Jacob asked.

“…Yeah. I had to tell someone, the day after. Is that okay? I’m sorry,” Will said, apologetic.

Jacob sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, thinking. So someone else knew that he had done that with Will. He wasn’t mad – he didn’t even know Maya. But now it’s all he was going to be able to think about when he met her.

He took a deep breath, shaking his head. “Okay then,” he said.

“Jesus, you’re actually upset. Jacob, I’m really sorry. It was before we had really even gotten to know each other, and I thought I’d never see you again after a couple days. For what it’s worth, Maya of all people certainly isn’t going to judge you,” Will said. He held out his hand, hesitantly at first, and then placed it firmly on Jacob’s arm, giving it a rub. “I’m sorry. I haven’t told her anything else that we’ve done, and I won’t if you don’t want me to. I can tell her you’re straight as an arrow and I just took advantage of massaging you that night.”

Jacob thought about what Will had said.Straight as an arrow. Jacob hadn’t really thought about it, but I guess he couldn’t really be described that way, not now, not anymore.

Jacob glanced quickly over at Will. “It’s okay. I’m not mad, I’d just prefer if our business could be kept to ourselves. I sure as hell haven’t told anybody, and I don’t plan to,” he said, squinting his eyes at the road in front of him.

Will took his hand off Jacob’s arm. “Okay,” came his response, “nobody will know.”

Will went silent, staying that way until they stopped for food and gas, in a tiny town somewhere in the middle of Nebraska.

As they were eating lunch, Jacob tried to get Will to talk.

“So, what’s the plan for tonight?” he asked.

“Well, we will head to Maya’s. Maybe hang out for a bit, catch up with her. Then she was saying she wants to go to this club with some of her friends. I said we could come along,” Will said, looking up at Jacob.

“Okay, sure. I don’t think I’m gonna be good for much drinking and dancing, but I’ll come,” Jacob said. He didn’t really feel like drinking again after last night – he hadn’t had too much the night before, but he tried not to make drinking a daily habit.

“Alright. Are you excited to meet Maya?” Will asked.

“Yeah, I am. I hope she doesn’t think I’m an uncultured idiot, though, what with knowing nothing about art,” Jacob said, smiling.

“Oh, it’ll be fine. She’ll love you,” Will said, and then finished his sandwich.

Looking at Will, Jacob felt the same deep affection and attraction he had felt last night. But he was so uncertain; he didn’t know how Will felt about what they had done, what Will wanted going forward.What do I even want going forward? Is there any “forward” after this road trip? Jacob thought. The only thing he was sure of anymore is that he loved being around Will. For the last few days of the trip, at least he could have that.

Twenty

Will

“Mayaaaaa! Hey girl!” Will shouted, pulling the keys out of the ignition of the car and bursting out of the driver’s side seat and into Maya’s arms. They had pulled into the driveway of her house in Boulder, Colorado, in the early evening.

Will and Maya wrapped their arms around each other in a huge hug.

“Gah, I missed you!” Will said, hugging Maya tight, her long black hair with a huge pink streak in it spilling onto Will’s shoulders.

“I missed you too! I saw you like three weeks ago and it feels like it’s been a year. I am so fucking stoked that you’re here,” Maya said.

Finally, they let go of each other. Will turned back to the car and saw Jacob getting out of the passenger side, stretching and yawning as he got out. He smiled, walking over to Maya.

“Hi Maya, I’m Jacob. I’ve heard so much about you,” he said, smiling and holding out a hand.

“Hi, Jacob! Oh come on, I don’t do handshakes. I do hugs,” Maya said, bypassing Jacob’s outstretched arm and going in, wrapping her arms around Jacob instead. Maya faced Will as she was hugging Jacob and mouthed the wordcuteto him silently.

“Ok guys, come on in. I’ve gotta give you the tour. This house is so adorable it almost makes it worth still living with roommates,” Maya said, heading toward the front door. Will loved the house already. It was in a quiet but modern neighborhood, the kind of place where he could see settling down eventually. He walked up the front steps, following Maya, with Jacob close behind him.

Maya gave them a tour, showing them the kitchen, living room, bathrooms, and finally they went upstairs and she showed them the room they’d be staying in.

“So this is the room for you guys. It’s got the queen-sized bed which I of course put clean sheets on, and the air mattress there on the floor. You guys get to duke it out to see who gets which bed,” Maya said, winking at Will.