Page 65 of Persuaded

“Huh?” Finn blinked in wide-eyed innocence, but the smile twitching his lips made Joshua’s mouth tick up into an answering grin.

“Finn, what have you done?”

What he’d done—what they’d all done, because this was a Callaghan plot—was to invite all Joshua’s friends in town to a bon-voyage breakfast. “You bastard,” he said, laughing, when he saw everyone gathered inside, and had to hide his smiling tears against Finn’s shoulder for a moment. Finn wrapped an arm around him, stroking his back until he’d got control of himself enough to turn around and say hello—and goodbye—to everyone.

Sean and Tejana had put on a delicious spread and it was a joyful couple of hours, full of promises to come visit—which they would, of course—and wishes for good luck for his new life in LA. But eventually Finn tapped his watch and stood up from the table. “Josh, we need to get going if we’re gonna be on the road by eleven.”

“He’s got a schedule,” Joshua explained, smiling affectionately. “By tonight we have to reach—where is it?”

“Clearfield, PA,” Finn said. “And we’re taking the scenic route.”

After a final round of goodbyes, Joshua found himself swamped in one of Sean’s gigantic bear hugs. “We’ll see you soon, buddy,” Sean promised, but when he let go he kept hold of Joshua’s shoulders to look him in the eye. “Listen, I just want to say thank you. Finn’s...” He glanced over to where Finn was saying goodbye to Tejana, laughing at something she said. “He’s so freakin’happy, Josh. My whole life, I’ve never seen him like this. And it’s all you.” He shook his head. “It’s all you, man.”

Joshua’s heart swelled, his eyes lingering on Finn. “I’m happy too, Sean. I feel like the happiest man in the world.”

“Yeah.” Sean’s voice softened and when Joshua looked back at him his eyes were suspiciously bright, his smile wobbly. “Yeah, and it’s beautiful to see.” And then he hugged Joshua hard, thumping him on the back.

Joshua had to surreptitiously swipe at his eyes as they parted. Loving Finn, being loved by Finn, felt like his soul had found its way home—but loving Finn’s family, being loved by Finn’s family, was a joy he’d never anticipated. It made him feel like he’d won the lottery of life.

“Okay!” Finn turned to him from the other side of the room and held out his hand. “Let’s hit the road, Josh.”

Dramatic, since they were only walking back to Joshua’s house to let the movers in, but he went with it—Finn was fond ofdramatic gestures and Joshua was fond of Finn. So he took his hand with a smile, surprised when Finn led him toward the front door instead of back, out across the gardens. “Wait, where are we going?”

“I thought we’d take my car.”

“But your car’s in—” He stopped when he realized the front door stood open, Dee and her girls loitering outside, grinning back at him. If Finn hadn’t spent weeks planning their road trip in minute detail, Joshua might have expected to see a limo waiting to whisk them off to JFK. But he knew Finn wanted to drive, that the journey itself was meaningful to them both, so he glanced over at Finn in confusion.

“Come and see,” Finn said, squeezing his hand as they stepped outside. And there, parked off to the right and sparkling in the morning sun, sat a vintage Mustang convertible.

Thevintage Mustang convertible. The one they’d driven that long-ago summer, the one they’d borrowed the day they first kissed, the one they’d made love in under the stars.

“You’re kidding,” Joshua said, laughing. “You bought it?”

“I want to do this right, Josh. I want it to be perfect.”

“It will be,” he said, smiling into Finn’s sparkling eyes. “It already is.”

With a laugh, Finn swooped in for a quick, startling kiss. They’d never kissed in public before and it made Joshua’s heart soar in delight. Ali hooted gleefully while Finn went charmingly pink. And suddenly all Joshua wanted to do was drive, streak down the golden highway Finn had once seen stretching out into their future—just the two of them together, burning through the world so fast it couldn’t touch them.

* * *

Turned out, cruising across the country in a ’65 Mustang with the love of your life by your side was as close to heaven as it got this side of paradise.

They had two weeks on the road, the longest time they’d spent in each other’s company since the summer they’d fallen in love, and Finn was enjoying every damn second. Between his schedule and Josh’s commitments in New Milton, they’d only snatched a handful of weekends together since their miraculous reunion back in January and they both needed this trip. Hell, Finn had been aching for Josh every hour they were apart, and starting this new chapter of their lives at last—at fuckinglast—was a relief he felt in his bones. An actual, physical relief.

Today they were halfway between Lincoln, Nebraska, and the Rockies. Finn drove—he did most of the driving because Josh was, frankly, a terrible driver—and the road was straight, empty of everything bar the occasional truck. The mountains were only a blur on the horizon, crouching low under a bank of heavy cloud, but the sky above them was a pristine blue. Finn’s arm stretched along the seat back and Josh’s head lolled against it where he dozed. Even that made Finn’s stomach tighten happily and he had to fight the urge to take his eyes off the road and just gaze at him. He contented himself with curling his arm around Josh’s shoulders, letting his thumb brush the faint stubble on his jaw, and thinking about where to stop for lunch.

Neither of them had wanted to rush the trip, so they were taking their time—spending it with each other, talking, laughing, singing along to the radio or riding in silence with their hands linked together and the wind in their hair. Being with Josh was enough for Finn, driving this road with him like they’d planned all those years ago made him feel like he was finally getting his life on the right track. Josh would be living with him when they got to LA, which would be awesome, but Finn wanted them to buy their own place soon—somewhere they’d chosen together.Maybe not in LA, maybe somewhere farther up the coast. Some place quieter. Neither of them really knew where their careers were going now, but it didn’t matter. They were together and Finn didn’t care about anything else.

At his side, Josh stirred and Finn grazed his knuckles over his jaw. “Hey,” he said. “Good morning.”

“Ugh.” Josh sat up straighter, rubbing at his eyes under his sunglasses. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“It’s okay, sleep if you’re tired. I don’t mind driving.” Truth was, heloveddriving.

“Where are we?” Josh said, stretching his arms over his head to unkink his back. And fuck, but Finn loved the way he moved, that lean arch of his spine. He loved it so much he almost veered into the other lane.

“Eyes on the road!” Joshua yelped, laughing as Finn swerved the car back across the central line. “And you sayI’ma crappy driver.”

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