Brad Lipski could appreciate beauty, and at that moment, he wasn't just looking at a perfectly chiseled face bathed in the glow of the setting sun—he was witnessing an extraordinary play of light in Colin's eyes.
Golden and crimson reflections flickered within them, making them shine like twin torches, or like meteors just moments before striking the earth.
And that earth was Brad's heart.
"Did you want to tell me something?" Stone's voice was soft and sweet, though with a slight tremor. So different from their first meeting, or from that night at the bar when he had taken control of the situation. It was as if Brad was looking at an entirely different person.
Different, yet somehow… even more magnetic.
This Colin Stone didn't seem like he belonged to this world at all, but rather to some mythical realm of light and pleasure.
Something strange was happening to Brad—his mind, his body.
"Me? What gave you that idea?" His voice came out a little awkward.
"You're standing in front of my door. Or did you need something? Want to come in?"
He wanted to.
He could feel his body responding instinctively—his muscles tensing, ready to move, as if all he had to do was accept the invitation and step inside.
But he stopped himself.
He swallowed, surprised by his own impulse.
"You were just heading out," he noted.
"That can wait."
"No, no, I just…" He couldn't exactly blurt out that he was gay and ask if that was a problem, could he? "I was just wondering if you had any particular breakfast preferences?"
"Oh…" Colin's eyes seemed to dim for a second—was it just the sun sinking lower, casting fewer reflections? "No, I don't have any preferences. Really, you don't have to worry about me. Actually…"
"What?"
"No, never mind." Colin shook his head and closed the door.
"Are you sure?"
"Actually, I can make my own breakfasts. I'm not a great cook, but I can manage sandwiches. Lunches are dinners…"
"But as a doctor, don't you think something warm for breakfast is better than just sandwiches? Making breakfast for three or four people isn't much of a difference. Unless…"
Should he ask directly? Maybe Stone felt uncomfortable spending time with the loud Lipski family?
"You're right," Colin smiled warmly. "I just didn't want to be more of a burden than necessary. I really appreciate your hospitality—it's just that I'm used to eating on the go. You know, the habits of a busy ER doctor. But since I'm here now, I should probably adjust, right?"
"Definitely!"
So that was it.
A sudden warmth bloomed in Brad's chest, not the fading glow of the evening sun barely pushing back the twilight, but a brightness like a cloudless July noon.
Stone's explanation actually made sense.
The doctor probably hadn't even had time for breakfast in his previous life.
There was something sad about that. A young man—clearly intelligent, ambitious, determined enough to follow the path of a doctor—yet so recklessly neglecting his own health. As if his body was just a tool rather than a part of himself. Maybe it wasn't even a choice, but a necessity? Maybe choosing such a demanding career dictated a lifestyle that wasn't always healthy.
Some choices change our reality completely and demand sacrifices.
Brad knew that all too well.
"You know what, Doc? You're going to be here for a year," he said firmly, though with a friendly tone. "During that time, you can afford to indulge in homemade breakfasts. So if you ever have a craving for something specific, just let me know, okay? Otherwise, you're stuck with my specialties—pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and eggs, or hot sausages."
Colin was silent.
The last rays of sunlight bathed his face in a soft, purplish glow. He looked…
Brad swallowed.
The doctor bit his lip. A tiny gesture, yet it gave him an unexpected air of seductiveness.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
Silence grew between them—not a heavy, uncomfortable silence, but a tense one, like the air just before a storm. Only the leaves above rustled gently, as if providing a melody to the moment.
"Uh," for some reason, Brad's cheeks felt hot. "I won't keep you, Doc. Unless you need a ride somewhere?"
Colin Stone shook his head. "I feel like taking a walk."
"Then have a nice evening!"
"You too!"
Brad walked a few steps away but suddenly stopped and turned back. He just couldn't resist the urge to look at Colin Stone one more time.
The doctor's silhouette was fading into the evening gray, yet to Brad's eyes, it remained sharp. Stone had something mesmerizing in the way he moved—a balance of strength and grace. It was… beautiful.
Colin stepped onto the sidewalk, and Brad suddenly realized that their gazes were about to meet. He quickly turned toward his front door, hoping Stone hadn't noticed his sudden movement.
Brad chuckled to himself.
Had he really just acted like a shy teenager trying to hide his crush?
Shaking his head, he stepped inside.
If Angela was right and the doctor wasn't straight…
Well, that would change a lot.