Chapter 34

“I came up to tell you dinner’s ready,” Merrick said.

Ryan winced. “It’s that late? Sorry.”

“Not a problem. I know you’re pushing to get everything done. It’s only three weeks until the opening.”

“Had to say that, didn’t you,” Ryan replied, shaking his head. “I’ll be ready. I only have to finish this idea, now that you’ve shown me where I was going wrong. Then add all the monsters to their backgrounds. Everything else is ready, since they’re drawings I had in storage, thank God.”

“Then take a break and come eat.” Merrick waited until Ryan closed the pad, then put his arm around his lover’s waist as they went downstairs.

Dinner was already on the dining nook table, along with glasses of wine and, much to Ryan’s surprise, candles. “What’s the occasion?” he asked.

“It’s been five months to the day since we first met in the park, so I decided to celebrate.”