Todd’s familiar boots appear beside the car. “Dude… come out.”
“I’m busy,” I mutter.
He lets out a knowing laugh. “Why are you hiding?”
“I ain’t hiding. I’m working. You should try it sometime.”
Todd hums, ignoring the defensive snap in my voice. “I’ll get back to work when you get out.”
I sigh, knowing he won’t leave me alone. I slide out and sit up on the creeper, staring at the ground. “Yeah?”
Todd hauls me up and pulls me into a very rare, very tight hug. I freeze for a second before I hug him back.
“Happy for you, man,” he says, voice rough. “You’ve been through a lot after Lorna. If Andrew makes you happy… then there ain’t nothing wrong with that. He’s twenty now, he’s grown into a respectable young man… going to college, getting his own car, working on himself at the gym, keeping his head down and out of trouble. You’re clearly good for each other.”
We pull apart and I just stare at him, the words hitting me square in the chest. The heavy weight I’d been carrying for months suddenly lifts, like someone just took a steel plate off my lungs. For a second I can’t even speak.
“Really?” My voice comes out rough and a little unsteady. “Just like that?”
Todd shrugs. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve beenentirelyconfused all weekend, but yeah… it’s no big deal.”
Larry wanders over. “Same here, man. Whatever Todd just said.”
I laugh despite myself. “Did you even hear any of that?”
Larry grins. “Not a word.”
We all laugh, the tension finally cracking.
I clear my throat. “Right, well… bugger off then. It’s still your day off.”
Larry shakes his head, still smiling. “See you tomorrow.”
Todd claps me on the shoulder. “I’ll get started on the Ford.”
I nod… and just like that, my friends know. Sure, they’ve probably been freaked out all weekend, but having those days away from me with their wives clearly helped them process it. I can’t wait to get home and thank Andrew for taking that step for us. Maybe I’ll leave work early, cook him a proper meal, turn it into a little date night. I grin to myself, pleased, relieved, and completely in love.
The realization slams into me so hard it actually steals the air from my lungs. I knew I felt it… I’ve known for weeks, maybe even months, but I’ve never let myself put a name to it… not even in the privacy of my own head. Now the word is there, loud and undeniable, filling every corner of my chest.I’m in love with him. And suddenly all I can think about is getting home so I can finally tell him.
Epilogue
Andrew
I pull into the driveway and immediately frown when I see Slade’s truck already parked there. He shouldn’t be home for another hour at least. I’ve been enjoying this new little routine I’ve built for myself… getting home first, having a long shower, and starting dinner so Slade can walk in after a long day at the garage and actually relax. It feels like the least I can do after years of being nothing but a burden to him.
I kill the engine, grab my backpack from the passenger seat, and sling it over one shoulder as I climb out. The bag is heavier than usual today, stuffed with notes from classes. It was a good day. I spent most of it sitting with May and Brett in the common area between lectures. They’re solid people… funny, smart, no drama. I told them straight away that I have a boyfriend, even though Slade hates that word. They were totally cool with it, no weird looks, no questions. Honestly, I only said it so early in case they decided they didn’t want to be friends once they found out. Turns out they’re even better than I hoped.
I head inside, kicking my shoes off by the door. Something smells incredible… rich, savoury, and warm. Is Slade cooking? That’s not a surprise, he’s always cooked for us, but I like to think I’ve been pulling my weight lately.
I walk through to the kitchen and my eyes go wide. Slade’s standing at the stove with no shirt on, just a pair of loose grey sweats riding low on his hips. The sight of him… all that bare muscle and the way his back flexes when he stirs something in the pan… still hits me every single time. Thankfully he’s got the sweats on, or I might actually malfunction on the spot.
He’s also set the table nicely, and there’s a bouquet of flowers in the middle, deep red roses mixed with some white ones I don’t know the name of. My stomach does a little flip.
“Are we having a date or something?” I ask, unable to keep the smile out of my voice.
Slade turns around, and the grin that spreads across his face is so bright and open it makes my chest feel too small. He doesn’t answer with words. He just crosses the kitchen and scoops me clean off the floor. I let out a surprised laugh and instinctively wrap my legs around his waist, arms looping around his neck to hold on. My backpack slides off my shoulder and thumps to the floor, completely forgotten.
“Slade…” I start, but he cuts me off.
