Paladin

There are smoky substances where inhalation is not advised, and something a President denied doing.

There are times when my inhalation is because my doctor puts a cold stethoscope on my back and says "take a deep breath.

People with coulrophobia abhor circuses.

Hmm Joint relationship therapy dealing with issues they each had before the relationship and brought to the relationship. Interesting.

Can we conspire to create it?

Like @Summerabbacat, I wonder about the legal matters Leonardo discussed with River and their implications for Zayn and hopefully not as positively for Veronica. Another thing I wonder about is River's crush on Zayn which predates the "contract". River is really holding back on his true feelings for Zayn, including the wall of pillows. Despite Harry (what do they say about first lover?) Zayn is falling for River. River needs to get over his jealousy and the contract and show Zayn how he really feels. After all, can Zayn complain that his boyfriend wanted to have sex with him.

I am continuing to enjoy seeing the story not only from the POV of the other characters but also filling in the gaps the other POV omitted. This is still entertaining reading, even knowing the outline and outcome. Outcome of this part, that is.

I think it is hard to believe that denying he kissed Jonah back was not deliberate. He quickly added "I didn't kiss him back" when telling Jack. I also can't accept that the account in the previous chapter is fake news. Nick felt very guilty about what had happened and extremely concerned abut telling Jack. He worked himself up into believing that telling jack that Jonah kissed him would be enough to destroy their boyfriend relationship. I can understand that he would believe that admitting that he had kissed Jonah back would definitely destroy the boyfriend relationship. Denying would seem to be his best choice. My point is that it is still a lie, and lies like that, tend to return and bite you on the bum. With all Nick's anxieties and, as has been commented, his unresolved grief, I agree that he badly needs significant psychological intervention. The medication serves its purpose of stabilizing Nick but it is not resolving his problems.

There's something in this chapter that concerns me and that's the way Jonah is painted as the one and the only one that has to apologize. I won't dwell on how it would look to someone who has a crush on you, if you turn up to their room wearing boxers and a wifebeater and get rid of their roommate. The kiss happens after some banter and a reference to Jonah's cute butt. Yes playful friendly banter, but not taking Jonas's crush into account. My concern is the Nick rewriting of the event. In this chapter Nick tells Jack that Jonah kissed him and he didn't kiss Jonah back but in the last chapter we were told: And I didn’t pull away. Not right away. For maybe ten seconds – just ten – I kissed him back, our tongues locked in a dangerous dance in our mouths. Next Nick tells Jack that he told Jonah to stop, but again in the last chapter: “You didn’t stop me,” he said quietly. and there was no reference to asking Jonah to stop. We don't know what Nick told Christian, but judging by what Jonah says about Christian's "bitching him out", Nick told the same alternate truth to Christian. Interestingly Jonah accepts that version of events, even though he must know that Nick kissed him back and that Nick didn't ask him to stop. It only stopped when Nick pushed him away. Nick is priding himself on being honest, when he is not, and when it paints Jonah in a very bad light. I agree with all of you that Nick needs to be seeing a psychologist.

I'm not sure about it being a win-win, My comment, like yours, indicated that Blake gave up more than he gained. The quartet got more than Blake out of the deal.

So much so that it is almost impossible to identify when reality becomes absurdity and even more worrying, when absurdity becomes reality.

Yes I forgot about her age. She does seem much older. When she's old enough she will still be scary so it will need a man who is prepared to put his balls on the line in the quest for her love and affection. Win or lose all!! That's assuming she's not lesbian.

Kyle is timid which is why he crumbled so quickly when interrogated by Blake. Timid won't get him what he wants. Not even a small bookshop, even if it does sell Blake's books. At the same time I suspect that Brian needs Kyle to achieve his own ambitions. I hope their love for each other allows them to unite and face the future together. Oh and also find it sexually satisfying. When does Lydia get a romantic interest?

There are things about the scene between Nick and Jonah that concern me, especially the kiss or kisses. What else we saw was how fragile Jonah is. Behind all the drama, theatrics and bravado is a frightened and fragile boy. He summed it up with “You’re the only person I’ve ever felt safe with.” A very sad situation. Jonah is confusing various types of love. What he really needs is to know that he is safe with everyone in his friendship group.

OK I'm an Aussie. I'd never heard of a Duck Fart Shot and had to google it. While i admired the skill in making it, I still wasn't tempted to rush out and try it, that's assuming I could find local a bar serving it. No the concoction I'll stick to tonight is a Syrah Sangiovense blend. A lovely red wine.

No murders, but murderous intent. In a rom-com context of course.

A beautiful chapter with Steve surrendering himself to Kenny and, through the ritual of washing, Kenny discovering Steve's body and its appeal. Once Kenny strips off his wet clothes and, overcoming a compulsion to rush all the clothes to the laundry, they can mutually explore the enjoyment of their respective treasures. Kenny's next hygienic challenge will be cleaning another pleasure centre ready for mutual enjoyment. Please leave the discarded brush, discarded.

A common and expensive concoction is the cocktail. It also happens to be a serious intoxicant.

There's something else in the "perfect" comment. Here, he's telling someone else (Lyn's mother after correctly reading the situation). In the present he is telling Lyn directly. I agree the name Blanche is taken from Blanche in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar named Desire,

To some extent I agree with you @Jjeffalch. I don't think that Blake had any right to impose conditions on the above the nail salon enterprise but in the end his conditions were basically things that were already in place. Importantly Lydia made sure that Blake gave up more than he gained. He gained a bit of self satisfaction in return for working for the enterprise and writing more in his book series and having to write Lydia into the next book to her satisfaction. He's screwed!!

A mixed chapter with Zayn and River drawing closer together in a real relationship rather than a financial one. And talking about financial relationship, Harry is revealed as the gold digger he is. Veronica is using Harry and we are yet to discover her end game. She reminds Harry that there's a "goal" and "Zayn's position in the family". We've been led to believe that unless Zayn can convince his father that he can be in a stable relationship he will be disinherited and won't have a position in the family. Leonardo could not have missed that Harry dumped Zayn as soon as disinheritance was mentioned. Veronica underestimates River by thinking River is standing up to her to be "clever". His standing up to her has a lot more to it than that. The scene around the changing room was wonderful.

In the end it wasn't just the chess game that ended in stalemate, but the whole situation. Through chaos, status quo was restored. Well sort of. 😆

What can I say? Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Come on. Fair go. Brian didn't know what was on the tape. He just wanted something, anything, to distract Lydia and save his boyfriend Kyle and his best bits,. Kyle obviously needs help getting over his DILF crush on Blake. I think Brian is already planning a crash crush cure. Anyway it worked in more ways than one.

Alcohol is a commonly consumed intoxicant. I'll drink to that!