Chapter 10

They sit for a while in silence, listening to the night insects, the wind, the distant rumble of thunder, far across the lake. Heat lightning flashes every now and then. Finally, Jake turns to Gregory and asks, “So, what’s bothering you?”

Gregory looks up from his beer, startled. “Who said anything was bothering me?”

“You didn’t have to. The quiet interest you take in that beer says it all.” Jake leans a little closer and Gregory can feel his arm draped across the back of the swing, almost but not quite touching him.

“Am I that transparent?” Gregory takes another swallow of beer, staring out into the night, not wanting to look at Jake, for fear of what the other man will see written on his face.

“People have a way of letting it show when something’s wrong. I’ve always been able to pick up on it pretty quickly. Want to talk?” Jake turns his head to look at him, expectant.