“Keep an eye on Josh for me, okay?”
“I promise. You be safe. Watch out for crazy fans.”
“I will.”
They kissed once more, and then Benji practically flew out the front door. Joshua lingered long enough to hug Van tight, promising to see him soon. He followed Benji outside. Van watched from the window as they piled into Joshua’s car and drove away.
“I love you,” he said. “I didn’t want to, but I do.”
Please, God, keep them safe for me. I can’t lose them, too.
TWENTY
Benji had saidgoodbye to Joshua many times over the years, but today was the hardest yet. He’d clung to Van until it was time to leave or stay forever, and a small piece of his heart stayed behind. Benji sulked the whole drive back to the beach house. As much as he loved his career on stage, leaving Joshua and Van truly sucked in the worst, most painful way possible.
“I guess I don’t have to ask if you’ll be staying here for the winter, or going back north,” he said.
Joshua gave him a funny look, then turned onto their side street. “I came down here only expecting to stay a few months, but as long as Bobby and Danielle don’t mind me subletting a while longer, I definitely hope to stay. Good reason to now.”
“No kidding.”
“Are you jealous?”
“No.” Benji watched the house grow larger, an ominous sign that this trip to the shore was nearly over. “Like I said before, I’m glad you guys will have each other while I’m gone, and I mean it. I’m in mourning, I guess.”
“Mourning?”
“The three of us have lived in this wonderful little bubble for the past week, and now we’ve got to pop it and let the real world inside. So much of it feels like a dream.”
Joshua parked on the street in front of the house, then turned to Benji. His lovely face was so, so sad. “It wasn’t a dream, babe. It was the most amazing week of my life, and I cannot wait for the three of us to spend time together again. And not even for sex. As much as I dislikeGlee, I love watching you two watch it, because you both love it and it shows. I love eating with you both, sleeping with you both.”
“We can make this work, right? The three of us?”
“Yes, we can, and we will. I promise.”
Benji leaned across the console to kiss him, one last private kiss before the more public goodbyes began. Lincoln and Emmett were likely inside to wish everyone well. Benji couldn’t help a small pang of guilt over not spending more time with Lincoln. Lincoln battled every single day with the effects of his head injury, and he craved the attention of his friends. Benji had failed a bit in being a good friend this week. He’d make it up to Linc somehow.
The usual suspects were in the living room eating delivery pizza, the band’s equipment in a pile near the front door and ready to be loaded into the van. Benji and Joshua fielded the usual greetings. The pizza smelled great, but Benji’s stomach rebelled at the idea of all that grease and bread. He was wound too damned tight over leaving to be hungry.
“Glad you’re back,” Lincoln said. “Dominic wanted us to call when we were all together.”
“Something wrong?” Benji asked, immediately on alert.
“No, I think he wanted to talk about his parents’ anniversary next month.” Lincoln swiped across his phone, then set it on the coffee table.
The speaker blared as the phone dialed, then Dominic’s cheerful voice said, “Hey, bitches!”
A chorus of greetings went around. “So what’s up, dude?” Lincoln asked.
“Trey’s here with me, by the way, but you probably figured. Anyhow, I finally got all my siblings on board with the second weekend in November, that Sunday, to pull a surprise party for our parents. Thirty-five years is a big deal, and all of you guys are invited if you can make it. Who’s actually there, by the way?”
Lincoln laughed out loud. “Me, Em, Benji, Joshua, Andy, Dani, and Bobby.”
“Awesome. If there’s anyone else you guys want to bring along, feel free.”
Benji glanced at Joshua, whose expression seemed to say the exact same thing:Van.
“Taisha found a conference hall at a nearby senior center that we’re renting,” Dominic continued, “so I’ll send you the coordinates. She’s getting Mom and Dad there under the ruse of a neighborhood chicken and dumplings dinner, and Dad can never resist those.”
