Mike followed, turning toward where he remembered Ezra’s bedroom being. He’d only been in there a few times, usually tapping his foot and waiting for Ezra to just pick a goddamn sweater so they could get going—either to the sanctuary, or out to dinner or a movie or whatever.
He wished now that he’d been more patient. That he’d beenbetter. More of a friend.
Then maybe he wouldn’t feel like he’d just taken too much at this point, or like asking for forgiveness was a step too far.
All the same, he had to try.
Ezra’s bedroom was exactly as he remembered it, a little untidy but not a disaster, stacks of books scattered around the place but no bookshelf, and a perpetual pile of laundry in the corner that Mike knew he just picked his clothes straight out of instead of putting them away.
He’d defended that asefficientonce, and Mike hadn’t really had a comeback. It was efficient. That just wasn’t the point.
“Listen, I’m gonna cut right to it. I screwed up, and I’m sorry, and you don’t have to forgive me for that, but I’d like it if you did.”
Ezra sighed, standing in the middle of the room with both hands stuffed into his pockets.
“What are you apologizing for, exactly?” Ezra asked.
Mike raised an eyebrow. “It waslast night. You can’t tell me you don’t remember.”
“No, I remember,” Ezra said. “What I’m asking is… are you sorry for kissing me, or are you sorry for running away?”
A knot pulled in Mike’s stomach.
That was the question, wasn’t it? The question he didn’t have an answer for yet.
Except hedid. He knew what the answer was. He just didn’t know whether or not he was brave enough to say so.
“Ezra, listen-” Mike began, but Ezra cut him off with a look.
“It’s a simple question,” he said. “I’ve never asked you for anything. All I want is to know where you stand. Wherewestand. I don’t mind what the answer is. I just need to know.”
Mike’s tongue darted out to wet his suddenly dry lips. He paused to scratch the back of his neck, stomach so tight it hurt.
This was it, wasn’t it? He had to decide which way this was going to go. Or he’d lose Ezra forever, which didn’t seem like an option.
So either he closed off the path he’d run away from last night…
Or he tried it again.
“I…” Mike began, and he hadn’t been sure what he was going to say until he opened his mouth, until he took in the look on Ezra’s face. But now he was. Now he knewexactlywhat he wanted to say.
“I regret running away.”
