Next Stop Funnel Cake by Heidi Champa Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Heidi Champa
Tags: Gay & Lesbian
tried to explain. "I know you won't understand this, but it doesn't feel right taking his money."
"Why? He's family and he clearly cares about you."
"I've cost my family enough money." I closed my eyes, trying to will the tears to go away.
"You have to know that wasn't your fault. Your parents' fight may have been over you, but it wasn't because of you."
"I know that money complicates things. No matter what. Nick pays me, which is more than enough. Anything more than that doesn't feel right."
"Travis, I think you should--"
I rolled away from him, more forcefully than I should have.
"I have to go to the bathroom, Andrew."
When I got to the master bath, I closed the door quickly and stood in the dark.
Chapter 7
----
It had been the day from hell. Nick had made me come in early because I'd apparently screwed up something with the payroll, which took me hours to fix. Then it was a long afternoon driving a train full of moody parents and even moodier children. I'd been hit in the head three times by flying toys and cleaned up after two kids who got sick. Then, after finally pulling the train into the last station to finish my shift, I found a dirty diaper in the last car.
By the time I got to Andrew's, I was barely hanging onto my sanity. After a wonderful home-cooked dinner, all I wanted to do was veg out on the couch. Andrew had other plans.
"Hey, there's something I have to tell you."
"Can it wait? I don't think I'm in any mood to be surprised right now."
"I think you'll be happy with what I'm going to tell you."
I sighed and smiled at him, deciding some good news might turn my night around.
"Okay, lay it on me."
Andrew gave me a quick kiss and tried to contain his excitement.
"I did some digging, and I think I found the perfect solution to get you back to college."
I was confused, but also curious. "What are you talking about?"
"I know you said that you didn't want to talk about it after our conversation last week, but I did some research on my own and found a great program that would allow you to finish your degree at your own pace, and it's not that expensive."
I was ready to interject, but he kept going.
"And, before you tell me that you don't have the money, I have that part covered, too."
That got my attention and I couldn't resist asking, "How?"
"You can borrow it from me and pay me back when you can. It's totally doable, and that way you don't have to worry about saving the whole amount upfront."
I started shaking my head and tried to keep calm. It was like he hadn't listened to me at all that night in bed.
"No. No, I told you before I can't let you do that."
"It's no trouble, honestly. I'm happy to do it. I did some checking at the bank, moved a few things around and it's all sorted out. The money's sitting in an account, getting hardly any interest. I was saving it for something special, and I think this is it. I want to put it to a good use. What do you think?"
I got up from the couch and started pacing around his living room.
"I think you're crazy."
"Why?"
"If I'm not going to take money from Nick, I'm not going to take it from you. It's way too much to ask."
"Like I said, the program is very reasonable. You'd be able to pay me back no problem. If it makes you feel better, we can draw up a schedule. Make it official so it won't feel like a gift. It's a loan. And you didn't ask. I'm offering."
He smiled at me, but I couldn't return it.
"I'm sorry, Andrew, I can't."
"You mean you won't."
"What's the difference?"
"You tell me. I'm trying to do something nice for you, giving you what you say you want, and you won't let me."
"It's too much. I mean, let's face it, we barely know each other."
"That's not true. We haven't been dating for long, but I know how I feel about you. And I know you're not happy only working at Downy's. You want more."
I stopped pacing and looked at him for a long time before I could speak.
"And you want to give it to me."
"Well, yeah. Why do you make that
"Why? He's family and he clearly cares about you."
"I've cost my family enough money." I closed my eyes, trying to will the tears to go away.
"You have to know that wasn't your fault. Your parents' fight may have been over you, but it wasn't because of you."
"I know that money complicates things. No matter what. Nick pays me, which is more than enough. Anything more than that doesn't feel right."
"Travis, I think you should--"
I rolled away from him, more forcefully than I should have.
"I have to go to the bathroom, Andrew."
When I got to the master bath, I closed the door quickly and stood in the dark.
Chapter 7
----
It had been the day from hell. Nick had made me come in early because I'd apparently screwed up something with the payroll, which took me hours to fix. Then it was a long afternoon driving a train full of moody parents and even moodier children. I'd been hit in the head three times by flying toys and cleaned up after two kids who got sick. Then, after finally pulling the train into the last station to finish my shift, I found a dirty diaper in the last car.
By the time I got to Andrew's, I was barely hanging onto my sanity. After a wonderful home-cooked dinner, all I wanted to do was veg out on the couch. Andrew had other plans.
"Hey, there's something I have to tell you."
"Can it wait? I don't think I'm in any mood to be surprised right now."
"I think you'll be happy with what I'm going to tell you."
I sighed and smiled at him, deciding some good news might turn my night around.
"Okay, lay it on me."
Andrew gave me a quick kiss and tried to contain his excitement.
"I did some digging, and I think I found the perfect solution to get you back to college."
I was confused, but also curious. "What are you talking about?"
"I know you said that you didn't want to talk about it after our conversation last week, but I did some research on my own and found a great program that would allow you to finish your degree at your own pace, and it's not that expensive."
I was ready to interject, but he kept going.
"And, before you tell me that you don't have the money, I have that part covered, too."
That got my attention and I couldn't resist asking, "How?"
"You can borrow it from me and pay me back when you can. It's totally doable, and that way you don't have to worry about saving the whole amount upfront."
I started shaking my head and tried to keep calm. It was like he hadn't listened to me at all that night in bed.
"No. No, I told you before I can't let you do that."
"It's no trouble, honestly. I'm happy to do it. I did some checking at the bank, moved a few things around and it's all sorted out. The money's sitting in an account, getting hardly any interest. I was saving it for something special, and I think this is it. I want to put it to a good use. What do you think?"
I got up from the couch and started pacing around his living room.
"I think you're crazy."
"Why?"
"If I'm not going to take money from Nick, I'm not going to take it from you. It's way too much to ask."
"Like I said, the program is very reasonable. You'd be able to pay me back no problem. If it makes you feel better, we can draw up a schedule. Make it official so it won't feel like a gift. It's a loan. And you didn't ask. I'm offering."
He smiled at me, but I couldn't return it.
"I'm sorry, Andrew, I can't."
"You mean you won't."
"What's the difference?"
"You tell me. I'm trying to do something nice for you, giving you what you say you want, and you won't let me."
"It's too much. I mean, let's face it, we barely know each other."
"That's not true. We haven't been dating for long, but I know how I feel about you. And I know you're not happy only working at Downy's. You want more."
I stopped pacing and looked at him for a long time before I could speak.
"And you want to give it to me."
"Well, yeah. Why do you make that