Page 376 of Small Town Firsts

"Baby, let's put an ad on Craigslist."

"Shut up."

"You act like I'm bluffing. I'll take out a damn billboard if it gets your clothes in my closet, your smelly-good shit in my shower, and your fine-ass self in my bed every night."

"You're too much."

"Sometimes I worry I'm not enough," he says, letting his guard all the way down. "Sometimes I worry you'll realize you're too good for me and tell me to kick rocks."

"Never. You hear me? Not ever."

"Go shower before I toss you back down onto the bed and never let you leave."

I steal a quick kiss and dart out the door.

"Stell?" I call out as I enter our place.

"Babe!" she hollers back, rushing into the foyer to greet me. "Are you stoked for today?"

"Y'all are making such a big deal!"

"Um, because it is a big deal, sweets," Gabe says, scaring the hell out of me.

"Where did you come from?"

"My mother." He wobbles his head from side to side. "Or maybe my father. Depends on how you look at it. The chicken or the egg, am I right?"

"I—what?"

"Ignore him," Zach says, joining our weird little impromptu entryway party. "You here to get ready?"

"Yep, and y'all are here why?"

"To support you!" Gabe says, like it should be obvious.

"And by that he means we came for coffee."

"I am always down for coffee."

The four of us catch up over steaming hot mugs, laughing and cutting up, until I have to hop in the shower. "Thanks for coming," I say, getting misty eyed.

"Wouldn't be anywhere else," Zach says, hugging me before passing me over to his boyfriend, who redefines the termbear hug.

"Good luck today, sweets. You're going to kick all of the ass."

"Thanks, guys."

Stella sees them out while I hop in the shower. I soap up and rinse off in under five, tossing my wet hair into a braid before tugging on a pair of jeans and the hoodie Sterling bought me when I was in the hospital.

I like to think of it as my lucky hoodie and wear it pretty much all the time.

Stella's waiting for me in the kitchen when I finish getting ready. "I have something to tell you."

A million different scenarios bombard me.Deep breaths,I remind myself,you can only control what you can control.

"What's up?" I ask, pleased when my voice comes out smooth and even.

"I found someone to take over your portion of the rent."

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