I loved Fox with all myheart in a million ways, but Ashley was everything I’d never known I wanted.
The kind of love that mademe giddy whenever he looked my way, that made me happy when I was with him andleft me counting down the hours until I could see him again when we were apart.
The love of a lifetime.
“This is thanks to you,” Isaid belatedly. “Those dance lessons you took him toreallypaid off.”
Ashley moved like water whenhe was relaxed and happy, grace in every twitch of his hips, his sequinsshimmering just the way he’d showed me they would when the dress came in.
It really wasn’t just mestaring at him.
“He’s good, isn’t he?”Grandma said, pride shining in her eyes.
I’d forgotten he could sing,too. He didn’t bother to disguise his voice on stage, not when he was singing.
I’d woken up every morningthis week to hearing Ashley sing this song in the shower. His excitement wasinfectious, and I’d spent the whole week waiting to hear him in his naturalhabitat.
It was embarrassing, howmuch I loved him. How much I loved watching him doing the thing he enjoyed mostin the world.
I was turning into Gray, orFox, who never shut the hell up about their boyfriends.
He looked sohappyIcouldn’tstop grinning at him from the moment he took the stage to the moment he leftit, the last act of the night.
The crowd roared for him ashe walked off with a final wave, blowing them a kiss before disappearing intothe dark again, ankle-twisting heels click-clacking on the stage.
How he didn’t fall and breakhis neck in those things was a mystery, but Ashley didn’t evenwalkin heels. Hestrutted.
Everything about him wasincredible to me, and I didn’t think that was ever going to change.
Since I had SpecialBoyfriend Privileges, I got to head back to the dressing rooms to wait for him,listening to him giggle with Gabe behind the door for a few long moments,enjoying his happiness before I knocked.
“How naked are you two?” Icalled through it.
“Stripped bare and oiled up,”Gabe called back. “Come in any time.”
“Gabe’s wearing pants, don’tworry,” Ashley added.
I opened the door,half-expecting Gabenotto be wearing pants, but not all that worried. I’d seen men nakedbefore.
“I actually don’t spend alot of time worrying about the covered or uncovered state of Gabe’s ass,” Logansaid. “Just didn’t wanna burst in unannounced.”
“He’s so well-trained,” Gabeenthused to Ashley, peeling a fake eyelash off in the mirror. “Did you see Troyout there?”
“Talking to Peter. Umm.Amanda?” I corrected. I was stilltryingto get the hang of it. “Might’vementioned something about your birthday coming up. I’m terrible at gifts, so ifyou wanna make a request…”
“Can I borrow you for anight?” Gabe teased, wiggling his eyebrows. “Ashley has so many nice things tosay.”
“Uh.”
“No,” Ashley responded forme. “All mine. You’ve got your own.”
Gabe huffed, poutingdramatically in the mirror. “You’ve given me the best gift I’ve ever had,” hesaid after a moment. “Ashley’s happy.”
I scratched the back of myneck, embarrassed. It was good to hear, and I hoped it wastrue, too.
All I wanted was for Ashleyto be happy. And that included getting along with his friends, who I didactually like.
“Gift card it is,” I said. “Ashley’llhelp me figure it out. You ready to go?”
