“Yeah?”
“Yes, very much.” He pulls me closer. “I don’t want to hide this.”
The words crack something open in my chest, something warm and overwhelming. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him down to me.
“Me neither,” I whisper against his lips.
18
Marshall
Three weeks pass, and here I am, standing on the porch with Gabriel beside me, watching the driveway like it might explode. My shoulder brushes his, and he shifts closer, the contact grounding me through the nerves crawling up my spine. We agreed last night that we’re telling our parents today. But knowing what you’re going to do and actually doing it are two different things.
The past few weeks have been the best of my life. We’ve spent every day together, exploring nearby towns, eating our way through local restaurants, and having so much sex that I’m surprised we haven’t broken the bed. I wake up with Gabriel in my arms and fall asleep the same way, and every morning I have to remind myself that this is real. That he’s mine and I’m his.
Except we’ve been hiding it from the people who matter most.
Gabriel’s hand finds mine, our fingers threading together, and he squeezes once. I squeeze back and glance at him. His jaw is tight, his eyes fixed on the empty driveway, and I can see the tension in every line of his body.
“They’re going to be fine with it,” I tell him.
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.” I squeeze his hand again. “They love us.”
Gabriel doesn’t respond. He just keeps staring at the driveway, and I know he’s running through every possible disaster scenario in his head. I want to kiss him, pull him close and remind him that whatever happens, we’re facing it together. But I settle for keeping our hands joined and waiting.
The sound of tires on gravel makes us both straighten. A taxi appears around the curve, kicking up dust as it approaches. It pulls to a stop in front of the villa, and the back door flies open before the driver even cuts the engine. Audrey bursts out, her long hair flying behind her, and she’s running toward us before I can even process that she’s here.
“Marshall! Gabriel!”
She hits me first, launching herself into my arms with enough force that I have to take a step back to catch her. I wrap my arms around her and lift her off the ground, spinning once, and her laugh is bright and loud in my ear.
“Hey, kiddo.” I set her down and take a good look at her. She’s taller. A lot taller. The top of her head comes up to my chin now, and when did that happen? “When did you get so big?”
“I’m sixteen, Marshall. People grow. It’s a whole thing.” She grins at me, then turns and throws herself at Gabriel with the same enthusiasm.
Gabriel catches her and staggers slightly under the impact. He lifts her up, his arms wrapped tight around her waist, and when he sets her down he’s shaking his head.
“I can barely lift you anymore,” he says, his voice fond.
Audrey laughs and steps back, her hands on her hips. “You guys are just getting older. It’s not my fault.”
I raise an eyebrow at her. “Watch it.”
She grins wider, completely unrepentant, and I can’t help but smile back.
The taxi doors open again and Mom and Philip climb out, looking tired but happy. Mom spots us and her face brightens, and seeing that expression makes some of the tension in my chest ease.
I move forward to meet them, Gabriel right beside me, and Mom pulls me into a hug first. She smells like her perfume and coffee, familiar and comforting, and I close my eyes and let myself sink into it for a moment.
“I missed you, honey,” she murmurs against my shoulder.
“Missed you too.”
She pulls back and turns to Gabriel, wrapping him in the same tight hug, and I move to Philip. He claps me on the shoulder and pulls me in, his grip firm.
“Good to see you, son.”
