“He is?” I can hear the surprise in his voice. “Wow, that’s amazing. Congratulations to your friend.”
“Will you be my date?”
Luan’s silent on the other end of the phone, now making me worried. Why wouldn’t he say yes right away? I mean, this is Luan we’re talking about. He says yes to anything I suggest even before I voice it.
“When?”
“Tomorrow. I know it’s last minute, but he just told me. And Lily and Colin said they’dloveto have you there. Not that this is the only reason you should come, but we’d get to see each other again. And then I get to hold you in my arms and kiss you, and I can tell you awesome other news.” Telling him about being the new captain starting next season is definitely a thing I can tell him in person. I know he won’t be as excited as I am, but maybe he’ll still be happy for me.
“You had me at ‘Will you…,’ but kisses sound great. I’ll be there.”
“Good.” I smile to myself, now even more excited because God, I miss this tiny curly-headed monster. He’s not that tiny, but we’re going to ignore that because heisa curly-headed monster. He ismytiny curly-headed monster. “I should be home around eleven p.m. tonight. We’re still stuck in Detroit for a few hours and our plane leaves at nine. So depending on when you’ll get on the next flight, you might be home alone for a few hours.”
It's only two p.m. here, so around twelve for Luan. If he manages to get the flight in let’s say three hours, he’ll be in New York in eight and therefore he’ll be home earlier than me.
“That’s fine. I got your keys.” That he does. “But depending on when I land, I might just wait for you at the airport to get that kiss I’ve been promised a little faster.”
“I miss you so much.” It’s a miracle I manage to sleep at night. In just the two weeks Luan had been with me back in March, I’ve gotten so used to sleeping with him in my bed. And now all there is is emptiness whenever I’m at home. No Luan. But we’ll change that in a few months. He asked me to give him at least a year, a year will be over in five months.
Luan laughs, but I know he feels the same way. Even if it wasn’t for the million texts in the middle of the night, when I’m supposed to be sleeping, saying he misses me, I’d still know. “If you’re in love with me, Grey Davis, you can just say it.”
“Not over the phone.” We haven’t said it yet, either of us. We’ve been officially dating for over half a year, and trust me, saying I love you has been on the tip of my tongue for quite some time now, but I’m not going to do that on a stupid phone call. When I say it, I want to see him react and then kiss him right after.
Luan gasps and I bet he’s grinning like always. “My, my, Grey Davis, that sounds like a love-confession in my ears.”
I snort. “Yeah, me ignoring you for months also sounded like one to you, so don’t get your hopes up, baby.”
Luan knows I love him like I know he loves me. I don’t need to tell him for him to know, and still I know he’s desperately waiting for it. For some reason, Luan doesn’t make the first move. He was waiting for me to kiss him for the first time, he was waiting for me to ask him to be my boyfriend, and I know he’s waiting for me to initiate anything more intimate, as well as he’s waiting for me to say I love you first.
He wouldn’t admit it, I don’t think, but I believe it’s because he’s scared if he does either of those first, he’d be forcing all of those things to happen. It’s bullshit, I think we all know that by now, but I get where he’s coming from.
“I’ll see you tonight then?” Luan’s voice jumps an octave at his excitement. “I’m already checking flights. The next one leaves in two hours, and they have two seats left. If I leave right now, I could make it. But I won’t have any clothes oranythingwith me.”
“Good thing you have a boyfriend with two whole closets full of clothes that fit you, huh?” It’s truly a blessinganda curse at the same time.
“Indeed.”
Chapter 11
“if she gives you her heart / don’t you break it”—If You Love Her by Forest Blakk
October 2025
I didn’t wait at theairport because their flight got delayed by an hour which then would’ve had me waiting for three whole hours. I preferred being somewhere warm and cozy than where it’s noisy, cold, and uncomfortable.
It’s just before twelve a.m. when I hear the door open. In seconds I jump off the sofa, run toward the door, and launch myself into my boyfriend’s arms like I haven’t seen him in years. Not years, but I haven’t seen him in months.
Grey wraps his arms around me so tightly, I think I might suffocate. It would be worth it.
“I love you,” Grey whispers, then presses his lips to mine right after.
I melt into his kiss like I never have before, feeling my heart hammer inside of my ribcage. Putting my hands on his jaw and slightly tilting my head, I deepen our kiss. A tear drops onto my cheek but honestly, I’m not sure if it’s mine or Grey’s, and I don’t care either.
“You just said it,” I say slightly out of breath when we pull apart to get some air.
“You kept on telling me to.” Grey closes his eyes like he realizes what he said might sound wrong in my head. “Not like that, Luan.”
“I know.” I smile, he smiles back. The door is still open, Grey’s suitcase stands in the hallway, and I swear I can hear a little boy giggling. But I don’t care. “I love you, too.”
