They started down the sidewalk, and Travis was more aware of each step he took. The cold soaked through his shoes in moments, assisted by the layer of snow covering the concrete. Warmth brushed his hand and he glanced down just as it was engulfed by the other man’s and Travis hesitated, but didn’t say anything. If he was honest with himself—and what was drinking for if not for uncovering the truth—he needed the support right then. Worn sneakers weren’t the best for traction on the slick ground.
They walked in silence for a moment, and with every step they took, every breath Travis sucked in like icy needles, his head cleared a little more. He didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed, but then the hand around his would squeeze and he’d forget.
They paused by the coffee shop, and the blond ducked his head in that direction. “Want coffee?”
Travis narrowed his eyes. “Why do I have the feeling that when you said ‘getting out of here’ you meant something completely different than what I thought?”
His lips danced as he twisted them to keep from laughing. “Probably because I did. Come on.”
Coffee would have to soothe his sore ego. Fine.
The warmth of the shop and the sharp scent of ground coffee beans comforted him as he stepped through the door held open for him. The shop was a little less crowded than the bar, but only marginally. It was done in warm colors of grays and beiges and browns, and stylishly decorated with private booths and tables, as well as a coffee bar. As he took it all in, Travis hardly noticed the stares of the patrons as they made their way to the counter.
Travis ordered a black coffee, which seemed bland next to the vanilla chai whatever latte the blond ordered. They moved to the bar and sat to wait for their coffees, and silence fell between them.
It was comfortable though, not pressured. He didn’t feel the need to fill the silence with chatter. It was… nice.
But the coffee was even nicer, the cardboard cup warming his still freezing hands.
Travis tried to peek at the name stamped on the cup’s label when the blond reached for his cup and smirked at the short name. “Bay?”
“That’s me,” he replied simply, and then smirked at the way Travis was cuddling his cup.
“You’re gonna need a new wardrobe if you’re gonna stay a while. The sweater was a nice try, but it’s a different kind of cold here. You guys in the city probably aren’t equipped for it.”
“You’d be right about that,” he muttered. “It’s sixty and sunny all the time where I come from.”
“And do you all have such terrible taste in footwear?” he teased with a pointed glance at the dangling sole of his shoe over the edge of the stool.
“These are my lucky ones,” Travis stated, as if that explained everything.
“Huh.” Bay sipped his coffee as he studied him with an arched brow.
Rolling his eyes, Travis grumbled under his breath, “Hope Amazon delivers out here.”
Bay apparently thought that was a joke, and Travis could only stare as his lips curled up in a grin and a few chuckles escaped him. The smile reached his eyes, making them glimmer in the low lighting of the coffee bar. His Adam’s apple bobbed with each chuckle and Travis shifted on his seat.
“So why’d you rescue me from the bar if it wasn’t to take me home with you?” Because you totally still can.
“Who said I rescued you from the bar? I rescued the bar from you,” he quipped, and bumped his shoulder against Travis’s.
If there was a joke in that statement, Travis didn’t get it, and he turned a frown on his late-night companion. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
His question went unanswered as the barista sat a plate down in front of him containing some kind of open-faced danish with striped white icing.
“Uhm, I didn’t—”
“You should eat,” Bay interjected before he could tell the barista he hadn’t ordered it. Travis was starting to understand he was missing something, but with alcohol still making his head swim he dismissed it. Besides, the pastry did look delicious.
He kept his suspicious gaze locked on Bay as he took the first bite, and goddamn was this town just filled with secret top-notch cooks or what?
“Oh my god,” he mumbled through a burst of tart raspberry, buttery pastry, and sweet cream cheese icing.
Bay’s low chuckle was as warm and smooth as the confection. “David does all the baking. That’s one of my favorites.”
“I can see why,” he responded around another bite of heaven.
Travis finished eating in silence, and Bay seemed content to drink his coffee and study the tabletop, his cup, and the rest of the shop.
His head was a little clearer by the time the plate was empty, and the coffee was perfectly bitter as it washed away the after taste of the pastry.
David appeared to take his plate away and glanced between them. “I’ll be closing up in about thirty minutes, just a heads-up.”
“No problem, we’re heading out anyway.” Bay waved him off and slipped off the stool.
After Travis declined a refill, he stood too, and was even steadier on his feet. Clasping his cup between his hands, he followed Bay out the door and sucked in a sharp, icy breath at the change in temperature.
“Shit, is it always this cold?”
Bay let out a short huff of amusement that appeared in a cloud of air. “It gets worse as the night goes on. Lucky for you, it’s still kinda early.”
“It gets worse?” Travis asked in disbelief. Pulling out his phone, he glanced at the time and blinked when it showed only the ten o’clock hour. It seemed much later.
“It is early. I hadn’t even realized.”
“Days are shorter up here, especially when it’s the thick of winter.”
“I guess I really will have to buy a new wardrobe,” he mused to himself.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bay turn and stare for a moment before focusing on their white path ahead. “So I guess you’ll be staying a while then?”
“You sound surprised.” Travis was the king of non-answers. He had the press and interviews to thank for that.
“Well… won’t you get bored here? I mean…” He trailed off and blew out a breath that expelled itself in the form of a cloud.
“I know what you mean.” He brought his hands up, coffee cup clutched in one, spread his fingers and then separated them as if uncovering a headline. He changed the tone of his voice to match. “Travis Cherry Holed Up In Small Town. What Chaos Can He Reign?”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I just wonder what made you wanna come here.”
Travis pursed his lips as he considered whether or not it was too soon for the truth. Then again, who was this small-town guy gonna tell all his secrets to? The rest of the world who already knew?
“In the beginning, when I was still touring at small bars and five hundred cap venues, I did a show in this little place called Trayville. It’s like an hour or so away from here. Anyway, I loved the vibe of the place, and won’t ever forget that it was one of my favorite shows.” Travis blew out a breath and tried to ignore the pang in his chest. Would he ever find himself playing arenas again? He missed the energy.
“Why was it your favorite?” Bay inquired, as they turned the corner to lead them to the inn.