“Thanks for the invite. We snuck out of class to be here.” Dane wiggles his eyebrows at us like we’re playing hooky in junior high, but really we’re on a planned absence.
We went to the Dean when school returned to session and told him we were all dating. Dane offered to quit but the Dean refused, knowing how impactful Dane was the first semester.
We explained everything to him, even how we met in Paris and I think he may have had some type of minor heart attack when we tried to define our unique relationship, but he composed himself enough to figure out how to get through the last semester without the school board getting on our case.
All my assignments were assigned to three different professors and re-graded. I also had to retake the final so that they felt comfortable with allowing my full credit for the class.
After the reevaluation of everything, I ended up with an even higher grade.
Can’t say I didn’t gloat about that for a few days.
Ethan didn’t have to do any of it because he dropped his last class and decided to not go for his masters. He could havecontinued but I think that was a finalfuck youto his father and I supported whatever he felt like he needed to do.
I wanted him to focus on what he wanted for himself. It was the first time he’s had a choice and I’m grateful that he’s taking the chance on himself. He’s applied to different accounting and financial jobs that I think he feels is the right thing to do for us, but I’m not sold that it’s something he really wants.
It’s comfortable and something he knows how to do, but it doesn’t set his soul on fire. That’s what I want for him.
We know we’re staying in Seattle because Baker VanBuren has offered me a position at VB Technologies after I graduate. I’m going to lead the project with my ASL platform and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. I get to continue to work on my code, building the platform and utilizing the resources of one of the biggest tech companies in the world.
Win-win for me and more than I could have ever dreamed of.
Hudson steps toward Ethan, giving him the same palm slap and chest bump over the railing between the field and the stands.
“We’re warming up for the exhibition game against the Dust Devils and they’ve got some young hot catcher from their minor league playing today. Jett James. Have you heard of him?” he asks Ethan.
“Jett James is…here?” Ethan glances around the field. “His speed, power, and arm strength is unmatched. He even had a higher RBI than you did when you were in the minors and outranked?—”
“Okay, okay, that’s enough of that. Come on. Jump over the railing. You’re coming to the dugout,” Hudson says, waving him over, already heading that direction.
Ethan eyes blow wide as he looks at both of us in shock, then swings two legs over the railing as he jumps onto the field.
He breathes out a stuttered breath as he looks down at hisfeet, rubbing the souls into the dirt, then back at us with a boyish expression. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been on a field.”
“GO,”I sign with a smile as I tip my chin up at Hudson who’s already half way to the dugout.
“Love you guys,” he screams back as he jogs forward to Hudson. I watch the way his body moves and I’m met with the flashback of seeing him on the field like when I used to watch his games.
He doesn’t have a uniform on but he looks just as good. It’s the way his jeans hug every part of his thick legs and the back muscles that peek through, even under the dense fabric of his Smasher’s jersey. Then, when I think he can’t get any sexier, he grabs the rim of his hat, turning it backwards as he always would the moment he dips into the shade of the dugout.
Old habits die hard I suppose.
“Ethan on a baseball field might be my new favorite sight,” Dane says, his eyes glued to his ass before he rounds the corner into the dugout. “I bet we’ll get to see more of it.” He winks, like he’s up to no good. But before I can ask, he grabs my waist, hoisting me closer to him and we plop down on the seat with me in his lap.
He gently grips my chin, pulling my eyes to his and I feel so grateful for how far we’ve come and what he’s done for us. Just by being him.
I press my lips to his and he moans, as he usually does when we kiss. He always says how much he loves my sounds, but I crave his just as much.
When it’s both him and Ethan, well that’s a melody I’ll never be able to live without.
He deepens the kiss, pulling me closer to him and I feel so alive, so fulfilled in every aspect of my life. Because I might be silent, but with these two, I feel so heard.
I pull away, giving him a curious look.
“So…what’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
But the smug look on his face as he avoids my eye contact tells me he’s a big fat liar.
