Max hummed, finally summoning the motivation to grab the blanketand pull it over both of them. He was right on the edge of sleep, but theexcitement of having Connor in his arms, asking him to move in, was keeping himawake.
“Oh, and, uh… I’d like that. To move in here,” he said, realizinghe’d never actually given an answer. “As soon as I can.”
Connor raised his head from where he’d been resting it againstMax’s chest, his eyes shining with tears. Happy tears, though.
“Good,” he said. “Because I’m never losing you again.”
“Ditto,” Max said, tilting his head to brush his lips againstConnor’s.
For the first time in a long time, he felt like everything wasgoing to be okay.
ChapterTwenty-Nine
“This smells amazing, Mrs. Evans,” Connor said as Max’s motherbrought an aromatic dish over to the table and set it in front of him and Max,going back to grab the other two plates.
“Thank you,” she said. “And you call me Sarah, okay? Or mom.You’re family now.”
“I like mom,” Connor hazarded. “If that’s okay?”
Sarah grinned at him. “It’s perfect. I haven’t had the energy tomake butter chicken in a long time, so I hope it’s good.”
“It’s gonna be great, mom,” Max said, smiling across the table atConnor.
Zoe had insisted on sitting next to him, but that worked just finefor Connor. He could still nudge Max’s feet under the table, and he didn’t wantmore than that at a family dinner.
He hadn’t had a family dinner in a long, long time.
“You really shouldn’t have gone to so much effort,” Connor said.“I would have been thrilled with a frozen pizza or something.”
“Oh no,” Sarah said, smiling at him. “Max has told me you’re quitethe cook, so I wasn’t going to embarrass myself in front of you. Besides, thisis about thanking you for helping us all get our lives back.”
Connor blushed, looking down at his plate. It really did smellgood, and he couldn’t wait for the steam to clear so he could get started.
Max obviously didn’t feel the need to wait, judging by the way hewas separating a piece of chicken out with his fork.
“You don’t need to thank me,” Connor said. “I got a pretty gooddeal out of this.”
This time, Max blushed.
“And that’s the other reason you’re here,” Sarah said, finallysitting down. “I want to know your intentions toward my son.”
Connor looked up at Max. “I was planning on loving him with all ofmy heart.”
Max glanced up at Connor, his face glowing red, but a smileturning up the corner of his lips.
“Are you guys getting married for real?” Zoe asked.
Max’s eyes widened as he turned to stare at her, horror writtenall over his face.
Connor chuckled.
“Can I come to the wedding this time?” Zoe continued, apparentlynot caring how much she was embarrassing her brother.
Connor understood that was more or less how little sisters weresupposed to be. He liked Zoe already, and he felt at ease in Max’s home.
Max’s mom had insisted they all sit down to eat before Max movedout, probably to assess whether or not Connor was suitable for her son.
Connor didn’t think he was half the man Max deserved, but no onecould love him more than Connor did. Every single time he saw him, the wholerest of the world melted away. He felt a little more in love with Max everyday.
