“Well,” Maurice said, voice low, “that makes me really damn happy.”
David cleared his throat loudly. “Okay, I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear any of that.”
Theo waved a hand. “Let them have their moment.”
Maurice shot them both a look. “You two can leave.”
David stood immediately. “Gladly.”
Theo grabbed his bags. “We’ll be in our room. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
Maurice muttered, “That doesn’t narrow it down.”
When the door finally shut behind them, Finn stood looking at Maurice.
Maurice stood, walked over, and cupped Finn’s cheek gently. “You really told them about me?”
Finn nodded. “I wanted to.”
Maurice leaned his forehead against Finn’s. “Good. Because I want you in my life. For real.”
Finn’s heart did a full somersault.
“Also,” Maurice added, pulling back just enough to smirk, “I can’t wait to see you in that wig.”
Finn laughed. “You’re gonna love it.”
Maurice kissed his forehead. “I already do.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Finn
Finn followed Maurice downthe hallway the next morning, the hotel buzzing with early parade energy. From the open windows near the elevators, he caught the smell of the bay drifting in salt, seaweed, and the faint sweetness of pastries from the café across the street. Outside, the city hummed with noise: cable car bells, distant cheering, and the low thump of music from someone’s portable speaker.
They knocked on David and Theo’s door, and Theo swung it open with a grin. “Perfect timing. Bathroom’s ours.”
Finn laughed as Theo grabbed his wrist and dragged him inside. The bathroom counter looked like a glitter bomb had gone off, with makeup palettes, brushes, and two wigs waiting like small, colorful animals.
Theo held up their matching outfits. “Okay. Rainbow shorts and midriff tops. We’re going full chaos today.”
Finn pulled on the shorts—bright, loud, impossible to ignore—and the matching top. The fabric shimmered under the bathroom lights. “We look like walking confetti.”
“Exactly,” Theo said, already dusting glitter across his cheekbones. “Pride is not the time for subtlety.”
Finn opened his bag and handed Theo half of his bracelets. “Here. We should match.”
Theo slid them onto his wrist with a dramatic gasp. “Friendship bracelets but make it gay.”
Finn snorted and tugged on the pastel-blue wig. It settled over his hair surprisingly well. Theo adjusted the bangs for him. “Cute. Very cute. You look like a pop star who got lost on the way to rehearsal.”
Theo pulled on his own pink wig—bright, fluffy, and somehow perfect for him. They leaned close to the mirror, adding glitter, eyeliner, and a few tiny star stickers near their temples.
When they stepped out of the bathroom, they struck a pose in the doorway.
David burst out laughing. “Oh my god. Look at you two.”
Maurice clapped once, grinning wide. “You’re gonna steal the whole parade.” Maurice snapped pictures of them with his phone.
