22
A knock on the door made Ezra look up from where he’d been staring into his third mug of mulled wine, nowhere near drunk yet, but pleasantly tipsy, the hard edges knocked off the world until all that was left was the warmth and family and the happy glow of Christmas. If he held his breath, he could almost tell himself that nothing hurt.
“I’ll go,” May said. “The rest of you look like you’d fall over in the attempt.”
Oscar chuckled beside Ezra, leaning back in his chair and stretching out. He yawned widely, arms raised over his head and fingers laced together to crack the knuckles. When he settled back down, he looked like he was just about ready to fall asleep.
Which meant their day was coming to a close. Which meant that sooner or later, Ezra was going to have to go home, and curl up in his cold bed. He wouldn’t even have his mom to go home to—she was staying with aspecial friend, and Ezra was thrilled that she was out there looking for love again, but…
It did kind of suck that his love life was the least successful of everyone he knew. Not that it was a competition. Just that it would have been nice to be happy.
Ezra watched May go, wondering who the hell would be dropping by at this hour. It could have been someone she knew, though he hoped like hell that it wasn’t a donor. The last thing Ezra was in the mood for was putting on a bright smile and being upbeat and enthusiastic in front of anyone, especially a stranger.
Oscar gave him a tiny, warm smile as he turned to him. “Hey, if it’s too much… stay here the night. I’ll even kick Ryan out of the bedroom and we can paint our nails and gossip about boys.”
Ezra snorted. “Tempting offer,” he said, wanting desperately to finish up withbut I’ll be fine.
Except he wouldn’t be fine, and he could really have used a hug.
But as nice as Oscar’s hugs were, he wouldn’t be happy again until he got one from a very specific person. Or until he gotovera very specific person.
In the kitchen doorway, someone—a man—cleared their throat.
Ezra looked up, blinked, and then stared.
“Mike?” he murmured, shocked at what he was seeing. Mike washere.
He’d come back.
Ezra’s heart pounded in his chest, stomach swooping, every nerve ending on high alert.
Mike wasback.
“Hi, Ezra,” Mike said, looking around the room at everyone present and then taking a deep breath. “Listen, I… I screwed up.”
“It’s okay,” Ezra responded automatically, because he desperatelywantedit to be okay, and surely that was enough?
Mike shook his head. “No, it’s not okay. It’s not okay that I walked away from you again, not when I… I…”
He paused, looking around the room again. Ezra knew without glancing around himself that everyone was alternating between staring at each of them.
But this was his family. They could see him like this, and it was okay.
“We’ve had a great time together,” Mike started again. “I lost that once by running away. I can’t lose it again.”
Ezra swallowed.
“Told my parents the truth. That I was about to kiss you. That I… love you,” he finished softly.
The whole room drew a breath at once, Ezra included.
He’d already forgiven Mike. That much, he was sure of.
The fact that he was willing to come here—tochooseEzra, this time—meant the world. How could he do anything other than grab Mike with both hands and never let go again?
He rose from the table, setting his mug down with a clunk, and worked his way around the tiny, overcrowded kitchen to get to the doorway. After a moment’s consideration, he pushed Mike back, pinning him against the hallway wall, and leaned in to kiss him, moaning happily as their lips collided.
Cheers and wolf-whistles erupted from the kitchen, and Ezra could feel Mike blushing, but he didn’t care. He hadMike.
