Florian jerks his head to Troy. “You are here.”
“I am supposed to have a massage!”
Florian glowers. “I need to have a conversation with Mateo.”
Troy glances at me.
Florian marches over to Troy, then he hauls him off of the massage table. Troy’s mouth rounds, and his eyebrows to do some sort of lifting thing.
“Uh, Florian?” Troy exclaims.
And then Florian lifts Troy into his arms, bridal style, as Troy kicks and squirms, then he carries Troy out of the massage room.
I follow them into the hallway.
The team is staring at Florian and Troy.
“Florian?” Luke’s mouth drops open. “You’re back?”
“Temporarily,” Florian says. “For a very short time actually.”
Axel and Enzo and Luke and Jason and Noah and Finn and Vinnie and Evan gape.
“Dude,” Axel says. “Why are you here?”
“I’m in love,” Florian announces, still carrying Troy in his arms.
“You’re in love with Troy?” Axel exclaims. “That’s not cool.” Axel glances at me. Sympathy is evident on his face. “I’m sorry, Mateo. That’s got to suck.”
“What?” Florian asks.
Axel gestures to Troy, then Florian looks astonished. “I am not in love with Troy!”
Florian’s nose wrinkles. He shudders. He looks exactly like he’s not inlove with Troy.
Troy shuts his eyes. “I’m straight, guys. Of course he’s not in love with me!”
“He’s in love with me,” I say.
Florian gives me a relieved glance, then he deposits Troy onto the floor.
“Let’s go inside,” I say.
“Good idea,” Florian says hastily, then follows me into the massage room.
“Florian?”
“We are alone now.”
“Uh, yes.” I shift my legs. “Is this where you tell me that you are not my best friend again?”
“Yes.”
Right. I blink. Florian is…
“You are the man I love.”
“Oh.” I smile. Something warms inside me, like Florian is swaddling me in his heated blanket and he is tucking his hot water bottle underneath my feet. “I love you too.”
