Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“No, it’s a cooler. You’re supposed to put food in it.”
“You’re right.” I opened the refrigerator, gathered a handful of his neatly stacked blueberry yogurts, and dropped them in the cooler.
“You’re stealing my yogurt?”
“I believe the correct term is pilfering, but you know what?” I snapped my fingers and pulled a notepad and pen from our community “junk” drawer. “I’ll replace them and I’ll even write it down so you have a record. Here you go…”
I folded the note and passed it over, my heart slamming in my chest.
Holden’s bottom lip trembled slightly. “What is this?”
And just like that, I found the words I needed.
“It’s a sonnet. From me to you. It says…I love you, Holden. I love you.”
He opened his mouth and closed it. “You…”
“I love you. I really fucking love you. It was always you. I’ve spent more time wondering how I could possibly get you to notice me and too little time wondering why it meant so much. One day I looked up, though, and everything seemed different—better, more interesting. And this guy who drove me batty had become my best friend…the person I want to share my life with. God, I’ve spent years trying to figure out how to avoid making the mistakes my parents made and it’s occurred to me that all I have to do is tell the truth. My biggest truth is…I love you.”
He raked his teeth over his bottom lip. “Oh, Ezra…I love you too.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.” He kissed me hard. “We can go slow if you want. You don’t have to come out right away or—”
“I’m out. I told Blake earlier. I’ll tell everyone else starting…now.”
“Oh. That’s…wow.”
I gave a half laugh and curled my fingers around his nape, resting my forehead on his. “I want a new start, Shakespeare. With you. I’ll be your king, your peasant, your joker, your fool. I’ll pluck stars from the sky for you to study, alphabetize your cereal…just say the word and it’s yours. Let me make you happy.”
“And a little crazy?”
“Yeah, but in a good way. Tell me you’re mine. I need to hear you say it.”
“I’m yours, Ezra. I’m yours.”
We melted into each other with our lips fused and eyes closed. I couldn’t speak for him, but I wanted this moment to never end. I wanted to freeze time and always remember that this was where we pushed Play and truly began.
I’d spent a good portion of my life believing half-truths told for the sake of keeping peace, and years wrestling loss and confusion. But I could see clearly now. It wasn’t complicated. I was just a guy who fell in love with another guy.
Now it was time to move on and write our own story.
A love story…and a history of us.
EPILOGUE
“I would not wish any companion in the world but you.”—Shakespeare, The Tempest
Holden
Lacrosse seemed like an easy enough sport to understand, but the rules confounded me. I specifically remembered reading that it was illegal to hit a player who didn’t have possession or wasn’t within five feet of the ball. And number five on the blue team definitely just slammed into my boyfriend. Where was the whistle? Or the flag?
I tapped Beth’s shoulder and pointed at the field. “That…that rapscallion should be out. That was a flagrant misdemeanor!”
Beth grinned. “I think you mean foul, but Ezra kind of tripped him, so I think the ref is letting it slide. It’s a rec team, Holden. They’re just having fun.”
I shook my head in dismay at what grown adult men considered fun and folded my arms against the cool April evening chill. Well, I might not comprehend the rules, but I enjoyed these weekly lacrosse games or matches or…whatever they were called. The action was fast-paced and my fellow spectators were very welcoming. I already knew Asher and Beth, of course, but there was a slew of enthusiastic significant others who jumped, hollered, and screamed bloody murder at the refs. All in good fun.
A whistle sounded, signaling the end of play and soon after, Ezra was walking toward me, stick in hand and an ear-to-ear grin on his sinfully handsome face. He looked like a knight leaving the battlefield in victory, ready to celebrate with an evening of debauchery…or dinner with friends.
He dropped his equipment on the grass, captured my face in his hands, and sealed his mouth over mine. He smiled sweetly when we came up for air. “We won and I want a prize.”
“What kind of prize?”
“Your body will do,” he replied, pulling off his goggles.
“Shh! Geez, Ezra.”
He snort-laughed as he gathered his equipment, then slung his bag over his shoulder. He stopped to exchange fist bumps and high fives with his teammates before leading me to the parking lot.
“Did you see my goal?” He grinned at my enthusiastic nod. “It was epic. I didn’t think we had a shot at winning without Blake. That was sweet. Are he and Ash meeting us at Tommy and Noah’s?”