PAUL STARTS TO TIDY up at one. It’s not as harsh as turning on the lights to kick everyone out, but it does the job. His hands are full of other people’s beer bottles when Alex finds him again but says nothing. Paul asks him to stay, despite every instinct telling him that he has to let Alex run the show. But this is, after all, his house, and Alex can perhaps have no power over him if Paul doesn’t invite him in first.
Alex nods, and for a moment says nothing. Then, “Do you want some help?”
Together, the task goes faster. When they’re more or less done, Paul is happy to show the last stragglers out the door and note that Alex’s is the only car remaining besides his. Paul smiles to himself. He won’t have to deal with hungover colleagues coming to retrieve vehicles in the morning.
He turn
