I snort. “I don’t eat oatmeal.”
He shrugs. “Whatever. You’ve done a one-eighty in less than sixty seconds. You need sugar in your coffee or something?”
“I like it black.”
He grins. “Yeah, Max says that too. Swears up and down sugar’s a government scam. But I’ve caught him putting honey in his tea when he thinks I’m not looking.”
“Is that why you keep him around?” I ask, smirking. “To slowly corrupt him?”
Eli chuckles, warm and low. “Nah. I keep him around because he’s mine. The sugar thing is just a bonus.”
There’s a pause as he looks out the window, and for a second, I see it—the way his whole face softens just saying Max’s name. The way his shoulders relax, like even thinking about him is a comfort.
I glance away, swallowing hard. God, that must be nice.
To be so sure someone’s yours. To have it out in the open. No secrets. No need to lie or pretend.
I risk a quick look toward the back of the bus.
Todd’s already in his seat, head tilted toward the window like he’s asleep—or pretending to be. I know that look. I’ve worn it.
Eli’s still smiling into his drink when I ask, “Was it always that easy?”
He glances over. “What?”
“Being with him. Out loud, I mean.”
His brow furrows slightly. “Easy? Hell no. But worth it? Every second. We had to keep it a secret for a while, I’m sure you’ve heard at least some of it from Daniel.”
I nod, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. “You ever wish you’d kept it quiet? Just for a little while longer?”
He studies me, then shakes his head. “Nope. We wasted enough time already and not kissing him anytime I wanted to was terrible. I had to make up injuries to get alone time with him.” He laughs to himself at the memory.
I turn my gaze out the window, watching the blur of trees and signs pass by.
“Whoever he is,” Eli says casually, like we’re still talking about coffee or hockey, “don’t let the fear decide for you.”
Eli doesn’t push after that—just goes back to sipping hislatte and pretending he didn’t just unravel me as if it was no big deal.
Then his phone buzzes, and he lifts it with a grin. “Speak of the devil.”
He answers theFaceTimewith a smug smile. “Hey, handsome.”
Max’s face fills the screen, bleary-eyed and pillow-squished. “You left me.”
Eli’s grin widens. “Itoldyou I had a game.”
“You told me,” Max echoes flatly. “Didn’t mean I agreed.”
“You were literally snoring when I left.”
Max narrows his eyes. “That bed is cold as hell now.”
“Poor baby,” Eli croons, like this isn’t on speaker and the whole front of the bus can hear him. “Guess you’ll just have to wrap up in my hoodie and pretend I’m still there.”
Max doesn’t even blink. “Already did.”
The noise around us quiets, just a little—enough to notice how easily Eli wears this. No shame. No hesitation. Just…love. Big and open and stupidly warm.
