Drew took another breath. “I want to be with you,” he said softly. “What we had wasn’t just a summer romance, not for me at least, and—”
Gabriel kissed Drew. It was the only thing that was right. Loving Drew was the only thing he knew how to do right now. Drew was here, and Gabriel was home.
“I love you,” he whispered. “Drew Moreau, I love you.” He wrapped his arms around Drew and rested his head on Drew’s chest. “Don’t leave. Please don’t leave. I’m sorry I didn’t ask you to stay before. I’m asking you to stay now.” It was the only thing he wanted. “Or,” he said, “if that’s not possible, ask me to go with you, and I will. I’ll go wherever you go, because this place only felt like home when you appeared. You’re my home, Drew. You’re my home.”
Drew kissed the top of Gabriel’s head very tenderly. “I’m staying,” he whispered.
Gabriel sat up quickly. “You are? Really? For how long?”
Drew shrugged. “For as long as I can. How closely do you follow hockey news?”
Gabriel raised his eyebrows. “I’ve been studiously avoiding it because any mention of your name made my heart ache.”
“I’ll take that as a sign of love. The Chicago Architects, your NHL team here, has a new winger.”
Gabriel blinked. “You?”
“Me.”
“What? How?”
“Estelle, my manager, negotiated a trade. I play for the Architects now.”
“Holy shit. Since when?”
“My first game is the next game. I moved here this morning. I have an apartment in River North, and the rest of my stuff arrives tomorrow.” He laughed ruefully. “I guess it was a big gamble, moving out here without telling you, but it was the right thing to do. I had to get out of Boston, and I had to find you.”
“How did you know I was here?”
“Evan DeVries. We’ve kept in contact. Did you know that he and Aubrey are already talking about getting engaged, by the way?”
Gabriel smiled. “Aubrey told me. We did that. We should be proud.” He shook his head. “I can hardly believe this. You’re really here. And you’re staying.”
“I’m staying.” Drew suddenly looked serious. “And I want you to understand that I’m not asking you to be a secret boyfriend. I came out the night I got back to Boston.”
Gabriel kissed Drew again. “I’m so proud of you. How did I miss that?”
“Well, if you’re avoiding hockey news, it wouldn’t be hard to miss. I’m out and I’m proud and I want the whole world to know that I’m in love.”
Gabriel couldn’t stop smiling. “Want to come to my Halloween party tonight?”
“I wouldn’t miss it. Josie’s already demanded I get a costume.”
“What are you going to dress up as?”
Drew grinned. “An NHL player.”
Chapter 24
Drew
It was easily the happiest day of his life, and hewondered if it would later be a day he looked back on as the start of his new life. He had moved to a new city, and he would be playing for a new team, but both of those things seemed irrelevant compared to the most important truth: he was with the man he loved.
The Halloween party was fun, though Drew was certain he could’ve gone anywhere and done anything, and, as long as Gabriel was with him, he would’ve had a good time.
He wore his hockey pads and an old Minutemen jersey to the party. He didn’t tell people he wasreallyDrew Moreau. Most of Gabriel’s new friends didn’t know or didn’t care about hockey, and that was fine with Drew. He didn’t mind the anonymity. Gabriel introduced Drew as his boyfriend, and Drew wore the title with honor. It felt right to be with him in this way.
The party went until midnight, and might’ve gone longer, but Josie got the idea for them to go out. Plans were made to tackle the bars in Boystown. Gabriel had hardly left Drew’s side, and he took Drew’s hand while everyone else was shouting over each other about which bars they wanted to go to or didn’t want to go to.
