Page 101 of All the way home

“Like, to see if I’d do anything about it. But I had no idea—I thought maybe he was just trying it out. Or maybe he wanted it to be a secret.”

“But did you?” Kieran asks. “Do anything?”

He laughs. “Not even close. I got the flu and was out for a week, so I missed the cast party. While I was puking my body weight, he was hooking up with his costar, who was a girl, so. Probably the single most devastating thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“If I’m remembering correctly, you’ve literally died.”

“That was temporary.” Zach waves a hand.

“I have to say, this story isn’t really giving happily-ever-after.” Kieran shoots him a grin.

“I don’t think I ever advertised it that way.”

“But you said you dated for a while,” he points out. “So there must be more to the story.”

Zach concedes with a nod. “In the end, the thing with his costar was a one-off, but I definitely thought they were together for a while after that, so I made no moves and basically hid from him, and then school was out for the summer, and I was working full-time and had no idea if he was even, like, in town. But then one night he showed up at my job—”

“Which was?”

“Bowling alley.” Zach ignores the way his stomach flips at the bright, pleased grin he’s granted. “He definitely didn’t know I worked there, but then after he came in the first time he kept coming in, and even I could tell he was flirting with me, and then Mara dragged me to a party at his house, and then that was that.”

Kieran quirks an eyebrow. “And then that was what? Who started it?”

All Zach can do is laugh. “Do you really think I had the guts?”

“I would have put money on it before you said that.”

“Would have been wasted.” Zach shakes his head. “No. Me making a move was showing up, making occasional eye contact, and trying not to pass out.”

“Mm.” Kieran is clearly trying not to laugh. “Yes.”

“When the party was winding down he came to find me and told me we were due a conversation.”

“Bold,” Kieran observes.

Oh my God, Zach realizes all at once. I have a type.

“Yes. Bold. Anyway, we went out to the deck alone, and I used up all of my courage to ask him why he’d kissed me.”

“And?”

“He said that he’d—that he did it because he wanted to, and—”

Zach cuts off, realizing he’s talked himself into a corner and now he’s going to have to say the next bit out loud. Which he’s never done.

“What did he say?” Kieran leans forward.

Sinking low into his seat, Zach mutters, “HesaidheguessedhewouldhavetomakesureIknewhowhefeltandthenhekissedme.”

Kieran bursts out laughing. “Pardon?”

“Oh my God.” Zach drags at the skin under his eyes with his fingertips. “You’re killing me. Okay. He said that he guessed he would have to make sure I knew how he felt. And then he kissed me.”

Looking oddly pleased with this conclusion, Kieran nods. “And then it was happily-ever-after.”

“Notice I still haven’t used those words. That’s on you.”

“Okay, okay,” Kieran concedes, pushing his empty glass away. “When did it end?”