In Plain Sight

Before, Nash did not believe in love at first sight.

He doesn't even know if he believes in love.He believed in lust, he believed in sex, he believed in many things, such as friendship, companionship and cooperation.But as long as these things are added to a long distance, they will immediately fail, and two thousand miles is still a long way.

So Nash really had no choice.He came to Bell Lake County, Idaho, to lead a week of intensive, hands-on FBI training.Courses cover everything from behavioral psychology to the impact of community relations on local police departments.He stayed two more days because he didn't want to leave...but time ran out, and Nash made the journey back to Quantico anyway.In other words, wait a few more minutes before he is about to set off.On the radio came the message that flight 2359 was starting to board, and he was going to be on the plane in a few minutes.

①The seat of the FBI Academy, located in Virginia.

But first, he had to say goodbye.

He looked at Glenn—Inspector Glenn Harlow of the Montpellier Police Department.Glenn seemed to feel Nash's gaze, and he raised his eyes and looked straight over.The color of his pupils is similar to that of smoke, and also like the sky covered by dark clouds.He twitched the corner of his mouth, but it wasn't a smile.Glenn wasn't smiling, he didn't even bother to pretend to be.However, during the past week, they have often laughed at all kinds of little things.In Nash's memory, he has not smiled like this for many years.But now, they couldn't laugh anymore.

Glenn continued to stare at the electronic screen showing the arrivals and departures of the flights. All the flights were on time—everything was going smoothly.

For a few seconds, Nash stared at Glenn unabashedly and carefully.What is there to mind now?He could look as much as he wanted—he liked looking at Glenn that way.He liked Glenn's unruly brown hair, slightly curly behind the ears.He liked Glenn's sculptural, straight, perfect nose.He liked his thin lips, and the way Glenn's mouth drooped slightly when he suppressed a smile.He liked his hearty laugh, the color of his pupils and the smell of his lips.hell!He didn't even mind that Glenn used Old Spice aftershave, and the next time he smelled it, he couldn't help thinking of Glenn.

②OldSpice, a men's personal care brand of Procter & Gamble.

An unintelligible announcement echoed in the lobby: "Please board now for Delta Air Lines Flight 2359."

Glenn looked at Nash again, and the dark pain in his eyes pierced Nash's chest, disturbing his internal organs.His heart was trapped in a tight corner, bound by pain, and could no longer beat.

Don't keep me.

He almost said it, but Glenn didn't say a word.Neither of them was going to speak—what was there to say?This kind of request is absurd... It is impossible for him to stay.

Between them... nothing.

No, it's not right...it's not fair, the relationship between them is real.A week earlier, he had stepped off the plane to find Glenn, a tall, dark-skinned man, waiting for him in the same lobby with a serious face.At that moment, Nash had a feeling of heartbeat.

What is that instant telepathy called?Just a gut feeling, right?

Typically, law enforcement and the FBI interact within a single state, but practical training varies.As special agents, Nash and his colleagues are invited guests by the police departments of various cities and counties. They often go to different states for training and share various practical knowledge from the FBI National Academy with the trainees.In this kind of lecture tour, as long as you have strong professional skills, you can easily gain a group of active and enthusiastic audiences-and Nash happens to be a very capable agent.There were only nine people in the Montpellier police department, so it was no wonder that the arrival of the FBI agents was such a joy to them; A real surprise in travel.

They felt that wonderful attraction when they first met.Despite his familiarity with behavioral science, Nash couldn't explain where this strong and immediate sense of fit came from.It's not just chemistry, or sexual tension.Even in law enforcement, where heterosexuality is the absolute mainstream, Nash is no stranger to these two feelings.After all, he is a healthy and experienced single male.But this time, he felt something new, unexpected, unusual, more complicated, maybe a sense of fit.Yes, that's it - a sense of fit.

Nash suddenly felt that parting was a very bad thing, and he had such an idea for the first time.

Glenn took a deep breath, "Then..."

Nash choked up and said, "If one day you want to find a tour guide to take you around Quantico..."

"If you want to fish for rainbow trout..."

Fishing was already Nash's excuse for the delay.Idaho has some of the best fishing in the west, but they never get around to fishing.Nash didn't even like fishing.

Glenn never left Idaho either.

So, that's the farewell.

A public farewell, although they had had private farewells, not the "goodbye" kind.During their second love affair that afternoon, their limbs intertwined in a quiet and tender farewell.

Nash switched his travel bag to his left hand, then extended his right.Glenn held his hand tightly.They held for a long time, and both laughed.Nash heard a tremor in his voice.

"Damn it." Nash cursed in a low voice, then put his arms around Glenn's shoulders and pulled him closer.They hugged each other, but Nash let go and walked away.

He dared not look back.

***

Nash had 10 minutes to spare while connecting planes in Salt Lake City. He bought tuna tacos and a beer at a bar called The Squatter, read his mail, answered some important ones, and Click on the text message.

There was no text message from Glenn, and Nash didn't expect Glenn to contact him so soon.He was annoyed - what's there to be disappointed about?What else could be said between them?

For the next 15 minutes, he fought back the idea of ​​calling Glenn.There is no mistake!Only two hours had passed since they parted.

Heck, why not just call and say thanks again for the great time?Well, that would be too obvious and lame to say his intentions.But what law says he can't call Glenn to say hello?What law prohibits them from chatting?

If they lived closer, they would definitely be friends.

And their relationship won't just be friends.

Nash dialed Glenn's number—he saved his number so he could use it someday, right?

The phone rang for a while, then went straight to voicemail.Nash cleared his throat and said in a gruff voice, "Uh...hey, I just wanted to tell you...you know," the announcement of connecting flight 7429 boarding suddenly came on the radio, "I have to board I'll probably call you tonight."

Or Glenn would call him so Nash wouldn't feel like the stalker he'd been telling other law enforcement to beware of.

He fell asleep on the flight to Washington, D.C. He hadn't slept much in the past week, neither of them had much sleep.After all, both he and Glenn felt that a moment of spring night was more important than anything else.

When Nash arrived in Washington, he collected his luggage and drove to Fredericksburg.He stopped only once in the middle, still to buy milk.

When he got home, he put down his luggage, listened to the message on the phone, checked his phone, washed his clothes, checked his phone again, checked his email, and checked his phone a third time.

Nothing at all.

It seems that Glenn understands the meaning of the word farewell better than Nash.

But then Nash remembered the look on Glenn's face at the airport.No, he couldn't believe that Glenn didn't want to hear from him.They all agree that long-distance love cannot last long, but the fact is: they are no longer just friends with benefits.Of course, there can be no future between them, because this relationship is more short-lived than a flower that leaves a branch.But from another perspective, although the life of flowers is short, the process of their blooming is extremely gorgeous.

Oh, my God, he must be deficient in vitamins when he is so poetic.

But it is definitely not "vitamin S③"!

③VitaminS is a slang term referring to sex.

Thinking of this, Nash smirked. He found Glenn's home number in the address book and dialed it.After waiting for a while, the phone was connected.

"Hey?"

"Is that Glenn?"

"Who are you?"

The voice was not Glenn's.It's sharper and more nasal, and actually—fuck—it's like Sergeant Ryan Walker's voice.In the past week's training session, Nash could often hear the voice of Officer Walker.Walker is a man who thinks he knows it all, and his little personal experience is actually irrelevant to others, but he seems to refuse to accept this fact.

Nash was confused and annoyed to hear Walker's voice on Glenn's phone: "Is Glenn there?"

"who are you?"

Nash asked directly: "Officer Walker, this is Agent West, where is Inspector Harlow?"

There was a sudden silence on the other side, which made Nash feel very uneasy.

Walker did not show any weakness: "Oh, Agent West, we all want to know where he went."

"What do you mean?"

"It means that no one knows the whereabouts of Inspector Harlow—he's missing."