She walked out of the End of the Rainbow Rescue Center, wearing a pair of borrowed scrub tops from the vet clinic next door. “I spent a stupid amount of money on that ugly Christmas sweater, and I’ve worn it twenty minutes so far this month. Why is it so fucking hot outside two days before Christmas?” She glanced over at Diego, who couldn’t help chuckling. “Do you know Jessica turned on the air conditioning today inside the office? It’s December 23rd and we need air conditioning,” she added, hissing the last two words.
Diego held up his hands. “Don’t look at me, sis.” Then he dropped an arm around her shoulder. “I bet it’s colder in Nashville today than it is here.”
Diana’s eyes narrowed, and she pointed a finger at him. “We’re not talking about this now.” She turned and walked past Ash, holding kittens in both of his hands, and made her way toward the information table to greet a family who’d just arrived at the adoption event.
Ash turned back toward Diego and cocked his head. “She’s still pissed at you?”
Diego exhaled a deep breath. “I thought she’d have gotten over it by now. I don’t understand why she’s mad. Moving to Nashville was always a possibility. We’ve talked about it for months. Fuck, I even suggested before that she move with me.” Then he noticed one tiny black kitten climb up Ash’s shoulder. “Let me get that one.” Diego plucked the little cat and set him against his own chest. “Never mind that. How’s it going over there?” he asked and pointed at the set of cages and carriers filled with cats and kittens available for adoption.
Ash’s face lit up. “It’s amazing. I know it was a hassle to move everything out into the parking lot at the last minute. But we’ve had some people stopping by on their way home from Christmas shopping who might’ve missed us if we were inside the rescue office. We’ve had several adoptions, and other people who picked up information about our group so that they can come back after the holidays once they’re done traveling and stuff.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Diego was happy for his new friend and glad that he’d been able to bring Ash together with his friends at the End of the Rainbow to team up for this event. “It’s the least I can do after bailing on you so soon after you moved in. But I promise, I’m paying my share of the rent until the lease ends this summer.”
“I appreciate that.”
Diego and Ash walked toward a large wire pen set up in a grassy area in the parking lot. They dropped the kittens there, with their littermates, and stood a moment, watching them play.
Ash turned to Diego. “I know I haven’t known you that long, but I wish things had turned out different. I mean, I’m glad you’re heading to Nashville with the band. You guys are great and probably gonna be famous one day. But—” Ash shrugged, a sad smile on his face. “I wish things had worked out with you and that cutie you used to date. Call me a romantic, but I wanted a happy ending for you.”
“Sometimes happy endings are just things you read about or watch on a movie.”
“Maybe.” Ash reached into a cooler and pulled out two bottles of water, handing one to Diego. “I guess I’m just mad that these awful people are making decisions that affect your life. That this isn’t what you wanted.” He glanced over at Diana. “I think that’s why she’s mad, too. She’s worried this isn’t what you really want to do.”
Diego nodded, his eyes following to where his sister stood. She had been furious when he told her about Brody’s aunt, but it was her sadness and regret that he and Brody had broken up that surprised him. “That’s how life goes sometimes. And that’s why I’m moving. It’s time for me to focus on what I need to do to be successful. I need to live my life for me for once.”
Ash smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You gotta do what feels right. I, for one, can’t wait to go visit you once you’re all settled. Supposedly the Nashville club scene is wild. I want to try some of that rugged, Smokey Mountain man dick.”
Diego laughed. This kid had wormed his way into Diego’s heart. “I’ll see what I can do about finding you one of those.”
Diego hadn’t had a Friday night all to himself for some time; his evenings were usually taken up with work, playing music with his band or, more recently, hanging out with Brody. But that evening, he headed over to Troy’s house for pizza and a movie.
“D! I’m so glad you're made it. My plans have changed since the last time we talked, so I won't be able to make it to my dad's house for Christmas this year.” Troy offered a small, poorly wrapped gift in his hands towards D. “I wanted you to have this as a token of my appreciation for everything you’ve done for me and the band. I know it's not much, but hopefully it'll let you know how grateful I am.”
“You didn’t have to.” Diego grinned as he carefully unwrapped it. He loved gifts, both buying and receiving, and briefly wondered if the small acoustic guitars he’d wrapped and sent to Jace and Jonah had made it to Cielo Springs in time to go under the tree on Christmas morning. “Troy, this is sweet. Thanks, man, but you shouldn’t have spent money like this on me.” He held up the woolen knit hat with the logo of his favorite orange soda, then popped it on his head. “I love it.”
Troy rolled his eyes. “You’re worth every penny. Besides, I’m not spending my money now, am I?” He dug into his pocket and pulled out a credit card. “A little gift, or rather, a bribe from my mother. It’s a long story,” he added as they walked to Troy’s sofa.
“A bribe? Is this related to you not being at your dad’s house for Christmas?”
Troy frowned. “Yep. Mom needs me,” he said, as if he knew those words explained it all—and they did. Diego understood Troy’s conflicted relationship with his parents; his father was in a serious relationship with a man the same age as his son, and his mother flit in and out of dalliances with a string of men interested in her money. “She made plans for Christmas in New York and finds herself suddenly without a companion.”
“But what about Emma?” Diego asked. “Is your girlfriend okay with you leaving her alone at Christmas too?”
Troy’s shoulders dropped. “We’re not seeing each other anymore. She didn’t like the idea of a long-distance romance, and I can’t really blame her, even if Nashville is just two hours on a non-stop flight. But it feels like it’s too much for her right now. Maybe if we had been seeing each other longer but—” Troy shrugged again. “It is what it is.” He tapped Diego on the shoulder. “We can both start fresh up there, right? Find us someone special?”
“I don’t care about any of that.” Diego was unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. “Being with someone again is the last thing that I want.”
Troy said nothing for a moment, but he didn’t turn away from Diego’s face. “Diego… are you sure—”
“Don’t start with me, Troy. You’ve been telling me for almost a year that this is the smart move. This is what we need to take the band to the next level, right?” Diego’s conflicted emotions sat just under the surface, and he wanted to stop talking about Brody. He wanted to stop thinking about Brody.
He wanted to stop wanting Brody.
Troy’s eyes dropped. “It’s the right move. I just wish you were happier about it.”
“That makes two of us,” Diego snapped softly, then fisted his hands. “I need to move on from that guy.” Diego stood and paced around the room. “I don’t know what I was thinking. We hadn’t been together that long, but part of me was ready to uproot my whole life for a man who admitted to me that I’d never be his priority.” That wasn’t exactly what Brody had told him, Diego knew, but in Diego’s hurt and pain, that was what he’d heard. Worse yet—it was the right answer to their current situation. Those boys had to come first, no matter how much it hurt Diego.
The silence between them since that phone call—no calls, no texts—all cemented those feelings inside Diego. It was over. “I knew better than to fall in love again. I let my guard down and got what I deserved.”
