Chapter 28 #2
I can’t help picture it, so clear in my mind, seeing Cam for the first time.
“I got on my hands and knees—so fucking gross thinking about it now.” Cam laughs wetly.
“And I saw him huddled on the toilet seat, pressing his little fists into his eyes. He slowly pulled them away and I couldn’t speak.
Obviously I didn’t understand attraction back then, but there was something in his eyes that made me want to take his pain away. ”
“I instantly stopped crying when I saw him crawl under the door to me. He asked me what was wrong, and I told him my abuela just died. She was everything to me. She’s the only reason I’m alive.
I used to think she was being mean and strict with me, but I realize now that she was just trying to protect me.
I could cook before I was five. I could do laundry.
I knew so much so early. She was getting me ready to care for myself. ” Cam swipes his hand over his cheek.
“We found out we lived on the same street. Even when we didn't share classes, we always found our way to each other after school There’s this playground near our houses we used to meet at. Then he would come over to my house.”
“I’d listen to him practice piano for hours. I think I stayed there more than at home on the weekends.”
“I’d make us smoothies after school.” I can’t help but smile, slipping my fingers around his wrist and showing his tattoo. “More strawberry than banana.”
“What?” Jamie laughs.
I hold his tattoo up to show everyone. “Is that a dick?” Mark asks. Hunter glares at him. “Sorry. I mean, it’s adorable.”
I laugh. “Cam used to insist that I made his smoothies the best, but all I do is put more strawberries in it than banana.”
“It tastes better when you do it.”
“Oh my god, how did it take this long for you two to get together!?” Hunter shouts, surprising all of us. “They have the cutest fucking love story! That is so cute. They beat all of us.”
“Excuse me! Jamie and I have an adorable meet cute.”
“You blew me one night and I’ve yet to let go,” Jamie mumbles.
“Yeah, and now we’re in love. Unlike someone who had to blackmail Hunter into sleeping with him.”
“I didn’t blackmail him to sleep with me, Noah!”
“Well, how else do you explain it, because I really need answers?” Noah folds his arms.
“Can I ask?” I laugh at Mark and Hunter.
“The short story is, I got into some trouble in college. I was blackmailed for a crime I didn’t commit.
This douche canoe wanted me to fake date the hockey captain, but joke’s on him because I was already into you.
” He looks at Hunter. “I just had to catch that dick in his lies before he destroyed my life. I pretended to pretend to date you.”
“Could have just told Sawyer and me what was going on.” Hunter sips his drink.
“I was twenty! Scared out of my mind and alone. You know that thing I promised to do later tonight? Not happening now.”
“Sure thing, babe.” Mark’s eyes narrow on him. “Love you.”
“Well, Jamie and I still have the best tropes. Roommates to lovers, size difference—”
“Height or penis?” Mark flutters his eyes.
“Fuck off.” Noah’s lips purse.
“Both,” Jamie says, looping his arm around Noah’s waist as he tries to squirm out of his hold.
Noah deflates against him. Not that he was really trying that hard to run away. “We also have hurt comfort, forced proximity—”
“Noah, it’s not forced proximity if you’re the one forcing the proximity. That’s called a hostage situation.” Jamie shakes his head.
“Stockholm syndrome at it’s finest.” Noah kisses the tip of his nose. “What do Mark and Hunter really have? Sports romance. Lame.”
“Sports romances are literally your favorite sub genre,” Jamie says.
“Specifically hockey, which now that I think about it . . . the train you ran on my hockey team makes a lot more sense,” Hunter says.
“Will you guys please not bring up my shameful past in front of the love of my life?”
“That’s literally all you two do!” Hunter says to Noah and Mark.
“That’s tragedy plus time. If I don’t laugh, I will cry.” Noah leans back against Jamie’s big body. “They’re being mean to me.” Jamie hugs him tighter to his body.
“So uh, should I let Sawyer down easy?” Hunter smiles sheepishly.
“Oh, shit. I forgot I—”
“Yes!” Cam all but growls. “He’s off limits.”
Okay, I really like jealous Cam. A little too much. “I’m sorry, I didn’t even think of it.”
“Honestly, Sawyer wasn’t really that into it. It’s not you. He thinks you’re great. He’s just . . . I don’t know. Particular.”
“He’s a picky hopeless romantic. If his boxes aren’t all ticked, you’re not getting dicked,” Mark says.
“He’s not picky. Sawyer just has an idea of what he wants the person he’s with to be like, and he won’t settle for less.
Unfortunately, that dream revolves around a romantic as fuck unicorn who loves grand gestures and love-bombing the fuck out of him.
Good thing you’re so easy.” Hunter kisses Mark’s cheek.
“I can’t even be mad. We are easy. Very low maintenance.”
Noah blinks at Jamie. “What?”
“Aren’t you going to tell them how easy and low maintenance I am?” His arms fold over his chest.
“You made me swore I’d never lie to you.” Jamie kisses his hair. “Now, can we open presents?”
Bri claps her hands, getting up. She gives us all little gift bags.
“We didn’t know about this, sorry. We didn’t plan well,” I say.
“Gifts aren’t necessary,” Noah says, handing one to Jamie. “This was a last-minute thing. Just be ready next year! We’re going to go all out. A entire week of Christmas fun.”
“Goody.” Hunter thanks Bri as she hands us all a little gift bag.
I open it, smiling at the gift. She made us all really cute mittens with snowmen on them. “Thank you, these are adorable.”
“I hope they fit. I just used Noah and Jamie’s sizes for reference.”
“These are great.” I get up, grabbing the one that says my name and the one I got for Cam. “Go ahead,” I say as Cam looks nervously at the box I’m holding. “You first.”
He begins to unwrap his present, his eyes lighting up just like I hoped.
“Holy shit, Bo. This is amazing.” He smiles at his Piccolo figurine.
It was not cheap, but I don’t think he’s gotten a new one for his collection in a while.
I have to tell him we need shelves so he can put them all up.
“This is sick. Thank you. Go ahead, open yours.” I start to unwrap mine.
“Um, I’m going to be honest. I’m a little scared about this. ”
Interesting. Cam looks nervous. “Should I be scared?”
“Just go ahead and open it.” Unsure, I open the small gift box. A key sits on top of it, with a photo underneath of a cute little house. “What is this?”
Cam takes the box from me. “You see, the thing is, a couple of months ago I was looking at houses closer to my job. It’s also closer to the other restaurant.” He takes the photo. “I saw this house, and I put an offer in. I didn’t think they would take it since it was a lot lower than asking.”
“And?”
“They took it. My closing is in three weeks. I was going to ask you, before all of this, if you’d like to move in with me.
” Cam takes the photo of the adorable little house.
“Now I am asking if you’d please move in with me.
I can’t imagine life without you, and with everything we’ve been through, these last few months have been the greatest of my entire life.
I want to wake up next to you. I want to have movie nights.
I want to cook you food every day and fall asleep in your arms every night. ”
This is unbelievable. I stare down at the key. “How many rooms?”
“There’s three bedrooms and an office. Before this I was thinking we’d have our own rooms. Now I think we should make one a guest room, since we have friends now.” I laugh. “Then one room can be for your piano. That room has a huge window, and I think it’s perfect.”
“Oh, once you guys get settled in you’ll have to host a game night!” Noah says.
“That’s if Bo says yes.”
I look down at the key and the photo of the cute home.
It’s funny how in just two days my dream has become my reality.
I want to do it all. I want to have a home with him.
I want to wake up every day next to him and fall asleep every night wrapped in his arms. It’s not about the house. It’s just about him.
“Wherever you want to live is fine with me.” I smile big. “You’ve always been my home.”