It wasn’t quite five when the doorbell rang, and Noah glanced out the window. The sun had set almost fifteen minutes earlier, and now it was dark and the streetlights were on. It was still early, though. Maybe Gabriel was as anxious to see him as he was to see Gabriel? He hurried to the front door and flung it open.
Only it wasn’t Gabriel. “Ted? Um…happy Thanksgiving? Are you okay?”
His friend looked like he was about to fall apart. “His last boyfriend was there—apparently his folks had invited him without telling Larry. They made it obvious they preferred him to me. Larry just sat there looking uncomfortable. He let them gush over that…that bear. I couldn’t stay.”
“Shit.” Noah grabbed Ted’s arm and pulled him into the house. “Go sit down in the living room.”
“Why’s there blood on your
