Page 53 of Gift of You
MATTHEW
I swayedin the middle of the dance floor with Louis tucked close in my arms. Jesse and Salvador had converted one corner of their massive living room into a dance space, complete with colored lights, a disco ball, and a DJ. I wasn’t typically much of a dancer, but if it meant I got to hold Louis in my arms, I was game for just about anything.
We’d spent another thirty minutes in Jesse’s office alternating between kissing and talking, working out how our relationship might look going forward. We’d agreed that we’d try dating long distance, taking turns driving in to visit each other, and making calls or texts to fill in the gaps. It was going to take a lot of work, and I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but when the alternative was a life without Louis, I figured the work would be worth it.
After straightening our rumpled clothes—we’d gotten a little carried away with the kissing—we headed out to the living room where folks were drinking and chatting while enjoying plates of heavy hors d’oeuvres. Louis proudly introduced me as his boyfriend to everyone we spoke to, and while it had been a longtime since I’d been anyone’s boyfriend, I couldn’t say I didn’t like the sound of it.
Contentment wrapped around me like a blanket as we swayed back and forth while something smooth and a little sappy played on the speakers. The last twenty-four hours had been a wild ride of emotions, but once I’d climbed into my truck and started the drive, a feeling of rightness had settled over me.
Louis had given me so much over the last week. He’d breathed new life into me with his boundless energy and vibrant outlook. The fact that I was getting to keep him was the best gift I could have asked for.
“You never told me how you found me here.” He pulled back to look at me, eyebrows raised.
“You can thank Stevie for that. She’s like some sort of social media detective.”
His eyes danced with humor. “I’ll definitely have to bring her more cookies when I come out to visit in a couple of weeks.”
“I’m sure she’ll love that. Though I’m pretty sure she’s going to be unbearable for the foreseeable future.”
“Unbearable? Why?”
“She’s going to take full credit for the two of us being together, and she’s going to rub it in my face.”
Louis chuckled. “Eh. I’m too happy to care. Let her take credit if she wants.”
“I suppose. Though I’d like to think I would have come to my senses on my own. I’m pretty sure a few more days without you would have broken me.”
“Not if I hadn’t caved first. I was already plotting excuses to come back.”
We grinned at each other like lunatics, then leaned in for a kiss.
“Aww. You guys are so fucking cute.” Jesse approached with two glasses of champagne. “The countdown starts in about a minute. You two lovebirds should save your kiss for midnight.”
“Or we could start kissing now and just keep going right through the countdown...” Louis waggled his eyebrows playfully.
“I like your thinking,” I said, and then proceeded to do just that.
EPILOGUE
June 28
Louis
I ploppeddown in the empty chair in front of Jonathan’s desk and crossed my ankle over my knee, waiting for him to look up and acknowledge me. I knew by the way he clenched and released his jaw that he was annoyed, but that was okay. It was kind of the point. I’d made a habit of getting under his skin over the years, and I didn’t see any reason not to do so now, even if it was my last day.
He made a show of ignoring me, so I pulled out my phone, smiling at the name attached to the message lighting up my screen.
Matty
Have you left yet?
He’d texted me the same thing every hour, on the hour, since nine a.m. And every hour, my response had been the same:not yet. This time, however, I switched it up.
Almost
His response came in immediately, making me smile even wider.
Yeah?
