Chapter 85

As March came to a close, the weather became almost spring-like. Ryan began spending his afternoons out of doors, sketching. Shaun was off Thursdays now, as well as Mondays. He tried to spend them with Ryan whenever he could, going along on his drawing forays, going out to dinner or a movie in the evening.

It was almost April when Shaun noticed Ryan begin to withdraw into himself. He was less outgoing, less willing to touch or be touched. At first Shaun thought it had to do with the spring show, which opened the first Friday in April. When he asked, Ryan denied he was getting nervous about it. “I’m an old hand at them,” he said, smiling briefly before returning his attention to one of the drawings for the show.

Frustrated, not knowing how to reply, or change things, Shaun let it drop. Then, on his last day off in March, when he called to tell Ryan he was on his way over, Ryan told him not to bother. “I have too much to do. You’ll only be bored.” He sounded cold. Distant.