“I saw two young men who are clearly very much in love.”
I nod, jaw tight. I don’t trust my voice, worried it’ll push me into tears. I’mso sickof crying.
“You’re a man now, Hud, but it’s hard to look at you and not see my little boy. I’ll always want to protect you, even from a broken heart. I think I felt like I failed Hadley in that regard. And since Cullen was the link, he caught my ire. I’m so sorry.”
“I love him, Dad. I’ve loved him since I was thirteen. He’s it for me.”
“And I love him, sir.”
We both startle at Cullen’s sudden appearance.
“Sorry,” he mutters, stepping forward. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but they’re ready to take more pictures.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad you came over. I owe you an apology, too,” Dad says, turning towards Cull.
Cullen squares his shoulders as he steps up to my dad. “I think we both want to take care of Hudson and make sure he’s happy and healthy. I won’t always get it right, but one thing I’ll never do is make him feel less than, or guilty, because of his mental health.”
A lone tear slips down my dad’s cheek, the weight of his regret clear. “I think my son is in great hands, then. I’m sorry. To both of you.”
I pull him into a hug, blinking hard to fight off the tears threatening to fall. “Thank you, Dad.”
He clears his throat and steps back. “Alright, let’s get you two back to your friends. The moms want all the photographic evidence of the night they can get,” he chuckles.
We return to the group and go straight to Ella so we can knock out the picture-taking. Hadley’s eyes flick between Cullen and me suspiciously. I intercept it with the one thing she craves—attention.
“You look great, sis.” I hope that lie sounded sincere. Not that she isn’t pretty, Hadley could wear a burlap sack and still have guys falling at her feet, but this look is a lot. Even for her.
Thankfully, like with Ella’s compliments, she eats it up.
“Not so bad yourself, baby brother.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re only three minutes older.”
She smirks and turns her attention to the swarm of parents lifting their phones like it’s a red carpet event. Ella leans into me to pose, so I slip my arm around her and smile for the flashing cameras. Someone calls out for the group to scoot in closer, and Cullen takes the opportunity to press up against my shoulder and discreetly grab my free hand.
My smile widens at the contact, and just like that, the last of my dread fades away.
When the parents decide they’ve captured enough memories, our group cheers, ready to get the night officially started. I grab Ella’s hand and lead her inside to the Enchanted Forest-themed room, where fake trees and fairy lights frame the walls, and bass-heavy music pulses through the air.
“All right, assholes. Let’s party!” Matt yells, slinging his arm around my shoulders.
Ella tugs me away as we all laugh and dive into the crowd, a glittering mosh pit of sequins and suits crashing together, living out one of the best nights of our lives.
Thirty-Two
Cullen
Prom was an absolute blast. Everyone let go of any drama and just had fun. We danced in a huge group most of the time, except when a slow song came on, then people paired off until the beat picked back up and we all piled in again.
Ella even pulled me into a slow dance with her and Hudson. Hud and I exchanged a surprised glance, but she just smirked and said, “Enjoy the moment, boys.” She grabbed my hand, hooked one arm around my shoulder and the other around Hudson’s waist, creating a full-on throuple dance. We weren’t the only ones doing it either, so we didn’t totally stand out. I don't know if Ella realized it or not, but the gesture meant a lot.
Unsurprisingly, Hadley won prom queen, and Archer won prom king. They did their obligatory slow dance under the spotlight, and when the emcee suggested they finish it with their dates, Hadley hesitated. She’d come as a fifth wheel with Maggie, Katie, and their dates, and if we hadn’t broken up, I would’ve been there with her.
I made a split-second decision and walked over, holding out my hand. I halfway expected her to tell me to fuck off, but she surprised the hell out of me when she took my hand with a grateful smile on her face.
We danced next to Archer and Theo, who didn’t give a single fuck that they were the only same-sex couple there. They got catcalls and cheers from the crowd, which made me happy. It gave me hope that maybe when Hud and I go public, we’ll get the same kind of support.
When the song ended, Hadley thanked me for stepping in to dance with her and left it at that. I can’t say that she forgives me yet, but I can see that maybe we will eventually get there.
