Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 127213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Ezra grunted, hiding his face in Frank’s chest. “Now you’re making it sound silly!”
Was it silly? A similar plan had worked out for his mom… to a degree.
Frank chuckled, hugging him tightly. “No! It was… a plan.” He snorted anyway. “If you’re willing to give me a shot at making your dreams come true, I’ll sure as fuck try. Once we settle things with Paul, we can assess what you’d need. I don’t know much about those creams you love so much, but they matter to you, and that’s all I care about.”
It was ridiculously sweet. Frank clearly had no idea what kind of investment this type of venture might entail, but maybe if Ezra decided to scale down his plans and instead of fucking his way to success took out a loan or tried another alternative route, he might still succeed. Then again—
“It’s not really about the creams, as you call them,” Ezra said and gave Frank’s nose a gentle pinch. “I like skincare, but that’s something I can do for fun. What I really wanted was… something stable for the future, so that I didn’t end up tied to someone the way my mom is to Dad. They signed a prenup, and she doesn’t really have anything of her own, and she won’t divorce him, because that would mean… well, leaving behind not only the lifestyle she got used to but also financial security.”
Frank nodded with a growing smile. “Okay, so when we get married so you can live out your trophy husband dreams, there will be no prenup.”
Was Frank being serious or joking? Ezra couldn’t tell and got flustered the moment Frank nudged his jaw up, helping him shut his mouth. “Um… that ring better be something special,” Ezra quipped back despite already envisioning Frank all dolled-up for their imaginary future wedding. Did he even own a suit?
Was it naive of him? Probably. But for once he wanted to stop worrying about the possibility of pretty words obscuring lies. “You’ll regret that decision once I’m wrinkled and no longer as religious about working out.”
Frank pinched Ezra’s cheek. “Mutually exclusive. You won’t have wrinkles if your cheeks get chubby.”
Ezra snorted. “Nothing a juice cleanse can’t fix.”
Frank cleared his throat. “Sweetie… um… I can’t think of a good way to ask about this, but… you know you don’t need to be so focused on being fit, right? I mean, exercise as much as you want, eat a quarter of an avocado if that’s all you have appetite for, but sometimes you seem very… anxious about this, and I was wondering if I can help you somehow?”
Ezra frowned. “Help me? I give my body exactly what it needs,” he said and raised his torso off Frank to show off toned muscle he worked hard for every day. “A body like this doesn’t come from starving myself, if that’s what you’re suggesting.”
Frank put his hands on Ezra’s waist. “I know, and you look amazing. I’ve just been around bodybuilders, so I know things can get out of hand with all the counting, and the regime. People sometimes forget they’re allowed to enjoy things.”
Ezra swallowed hard as discomfort thrummed under his skin. “I don’t know, it gives me peace to know I’m on board with the plan, you know?”
There was so much understanding in Frank’s dark eyes when he nodded. His calming presence could be an anchor keeping Ezra steady even in the fiercest storm.
“I just think it would be good for you if you gave yourself more leeway for when life gets in the way.”
Ezra swallowed, lowering his face back to Frank’s chest, which was warm as a comforting cup of coffee. “Like that time we went to the lake and the store didn’t have the right products?”
Frank hugged him with a soft sigh. “Yeah. Like that. You seemed a bit… panicked, and all that because you forgot to pack wheatgrass and couldn’t find it in the local store. There has to be some wiggle room in your meal plans, so you don’t go crazy when things don’t work out.”
“Well, they only had snow-white bread and no fresh produce at that store. Chips are not a substitute for boiled potatoes either,” Ezra mumbled, even though in hindsight, he could see that Wheatgrassgate had been an insane situation Frank should have probably dropped him over. But while the single store close to the lakeside cabin only carried convenience foods and offered nothing Ezra would normally buy, their trip had lasted two days, and it wasn’t like his perfect bloodwork would permanently take a dive if he once ate a snack cake for breakfast.
Frank cleared his throat. “I guess I want you to know that you can relax a little. The food you cook tastes much better than my microwave meals did, but if you worry about how what I’ll think about you if your abs are slightly less toned, don’t. You’re perfect to me.”