Rhys drains the rest of his drink and sets it down on the table. He takes the half-eaten plate Angel’s holding and sets it down too. “Come on, I feel like dancing.” Grabbing Angel’s hand, he jumps to his feet and leads the way toward the open area that’s been designated the dance floor.
I settle back on the couch, cuddled next to Hayden. “Rhys asked how you’re feeling about meeting my family next week.”
He leans into me a little harder. “I just don’t want to… you know… while we’re there.”
Have a depressive episode, he means. “You haven’t had one in a bit.”
He shrugs. “Yeah, but it could happen again.”
I cup his cheek and turn his face toward me to plant a kiss on the corner of his mouth. “Then we’ll deal with it. Just like we’ve done this whole time.”
He looks at me with so much love, it feels like I’m being physically swept off my feet. I forget to breathe. The world around us fades away. And I have to pinch myself to make sure this isn’t a dream.
The music changes to something slower and softer. “Want to dance?” Hayden asks.
I cast a look out toward the dance floor. “I don’t really know how.”
“Neither do I,” he says, standing up and holding out his hand. “But Rhys says all you have to do is sway side to side.”
I think I can do that. We take up a spot next to Rhys and Angel on the dance floor. Hayden’s arms wind around my waist, his hands settling warm and weighty on the small of my back. I slide my hands up around his neck so I can fiddle with the delicate hairs at his nape.
We gaze into each other’s eyes. It’s hard to believe we’re here. That only a couple short months ago, we were total strangers shoved together to share an apartment. And now… he’s the love of my life.
He’s someone I can have fun with. But he’s also someone I want to go through real-life shit with. Because neither of us will give up when it gets tough. We’ll just lean in closer and get stronger together.
EPILOGUE
HAYDEN
“Denny! Tino!” Rhys waves his arm over his head as we step out of the train station in Staten Island.
My heart twinges a bit at Rhys calling Santino by his nickname. It means Rhys thinks of him as one of the guys, as part of our chosen family.
Rhys throws his arms around my neck in a big hug and I let myself sink into it for a moment. I miss Rhys and the relationship we used to have. I think I always will. But Dr. Tina says we’re entering a new stage in our friendship. We might not spend as much time together as we used to, but there are other ways we can be close. So I’ve been making a point of reaching out to Rhys more often and telling him what’s on my mind, even if we don’t see each other for a couple weeks at a time.
Rhys lets me go, then pulls Santino into an equally tight hug. Santino hugs him back like they’ve known each other for years rather than months. The two of them have kind of teamed up against me—in the nicest way possible. They’re always giving each other updates on what’s happening with me and if one ofthem is having a hard time getting through because I’m too deep in the darkness, then the other one will try.
Although, the darkness hasn’t been as much of an issue lately. It’s been three months since I started medication, and while I’m not a hundred percent back to my old self, I’m noticeably better than I was at my lowest point. Dr. Tina says I might never be Old Hayden, though. Old Hayden didn’t know what it’s like to have depression. Old Hayden didn’t need to fight through any of that. And, I guess she has a point… but I’m not giving up.
“Come on, our house is this way.” Rhys takes off down the street and Santino and I hurry to keep up. “Angel’s at home. He’s so excited about having you guys over. We don’t usually have guests because, you know, we live so far away. So he only ever gets to cook for his family. I swear, he’s been in the kitchen for like, two days straight.”
I don’t know if Angel’s actually been in the kitchen that long, but I do know he’s been planning this meal for at least a week. I have a dozen messages on my phone from him to prove it.
“I told him you guys are cool and you’ll eat anything, but he really wants to impress you, Denny. Shh, don’t tell him I said that.” Rhys winks at me.
“You guys should totally have a cook-off!” Santino jumps in. “Like you both make a bunch of dishes and the rest of us can be the judges.”
I bump him with my shoulder. “You just want to eat all the food.”
“Hell yeah, I do!”
I laugh as gratitude and love fill my heart. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I’d find someone like Santino. Someone who makes me smile and laugh, who wants to listen to me talk about all the random things I read in my books. I can play video games with him or hang out at the parkwith him. We talk late into the night, never running out of things to say. Or we cuddle together in silence, simply enjoying each other’s presence. Most days, I still don’t think I deserve him. But that just makes me want to be a better man for him.
We flew out to California and spent a week with his family. His sisters are exactly like they sound on the phone—really fun and supportive—and they welcomed me into their family without a second thought. His dad is really chill too and I spent a lot of time helping him with the barbecue in the backyard. His mom, though… she wasn’t bad. She was nice to me and all that, but I definitely felt like she was keeping me at arm’s length. Santino, on the other hand, she barely let him leave her side. She wouldn’t even come downstairs to say goodbye on the morning we left.
The house Rhys and Angel live in is a duplex. Angel’s mom and sister are in the downstairs apartment while Rhys and Angel are upstairs. The second the door opens, we can smell the mouthwatering aroma of home-cooked Italian food. Santino’s jaw drops and he practically drools.
“Teddy bear! We’re home!” Rhys takes our jackets and hangs them up on the hooks by the door, then leads the way into the kitchen.
