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They blushed deeper, and I realized they were feeling shy about saying whatever it was they wanted to say, which made me even more curious. I waited a breath, hoping they’d speak up on their own, and I wouldn’t have to wheedle it out of them. Because I was totally okay with doing that.
“I was wondering if you’d teach me how to put on eyeshadow. And eyeliner. I tried it myself today, but it took me almost thirty minutes to get it right,” they confessed, and for a moment, I was stumped. I’d definitely not expected that, but even so, pride swept through me at the fact that they wanted to explore, that they’d even tried to do it on their own. They weren’t afraid anymore, and I felt so fucking proud of them.
“I would love to!” I exclaimed and then pulled them into a hug for good measure. The top of my head came up to their shoulders, so when they hugged me back, I was completely enveloped in their warmth and the faint perfume they’d used. I couldn’t recognize the smell; it was minty, but there was a spicy undertone to it. Somehow, the scent suited Charlie perfectly, and I didn’t want to leave that warm embrace.
It took me a minute to remember where I was, and I pulled back and smiled up at Charlie, hoping they hadn’t been weirded out by me suddenly jumping on them. The smile on their face told me they were fine, and I returned it as I said, “I’m so fucking proud of you, Charlie De Luca.”
Charlie flushed again but smiled with a pleased expression on their face. I extended my hand to them and said, “Come on, let’s shower some gorgeousness into that party.” Charlie chuckled before taking my hand, and I squeezed it once before leading them into the world of glitter and rainbows. It was going to besucha fun party.
9
Charlie
Mymouthfellopenthe moment we stepped into the lobby. The sun had almost set, so the interior was lit up with bright lights, making all the tassels and glittery decoration sparkle even more. Pride flags hung from posts around the room, and there wasn’t a bit of the wall that wasn’t decorated in one way or another. Balloons of all colors were strewn around the room. If this was what the lobby looked like, I couldn’t wait to see the party hall.
Brady chuckled at the look on my face before pulling me after him as he led the way down the corridor, waving to the people who passed by. No one gave me a second glance, and the last of the nerves seeped out of me. Brady had been right. I wasn’t weird or different here. And when we stepped into the party room, I realized that I wouldn’t just be accepted here—I couldbelonghere.
I looked around the room, and a sense of having a place here swept through me. There were so many people, and they looked so different from each other. And yet they were joined together as a community. A community I was a part of.
“There’s Luke! Come on, meet some of my friends,” Brady said and pulled me along as he squeezed between people, stopping every few steps to greet someone. It was clear that these people loved Brady, and I couldn’t fault them for it. Brady was such a bright and kind person; it was no wonder they cared about him.
Finally, we came to a stop before a couple standing off to the side, away from the crowd that was gathered around the snack tables and the dance floor. I could tell that they were a couple because the taller of the two, a man with golden-brown hair and warm brown eyes, was holding the shorter man’s face between his palms and whispering something to him. The love he had for the shorter man shone so clearly in his eyes, and my heart warmed for them.
Brady dropped my hand when we reached them, and I wondered for a split second if he didn’t want his friends to get the wrong idea, but then he jumped at the smaller man and pulled him into a hug, and I realized it hadn’t been about me at all. I shook my head at my own stupid thoughts as Brady hugged his friend.
“Luke! Were you planning to leave already? Without seeing me?”
The shorter man—Luke—grinned at Brady as he shook his head. He was beautiful, with raven hair and gray eyes, and with his shy smile and the way he clung to his partner, he looked like the complete opposite of Brady in every way. And yet their bond was clear as daylight as they chattered with each other for a few minutes, forgetting about the rest of us as they talked.
Brady seemed to remember me after a few minutes because he gave me a sheepish smile in apology before turning around to the others. “Luke, Scott, this is Charlie. They are the one you thought was stalking me.”
Luke shook his head and glared at Brady before smiling shyly at me and extending his hand. “Apologies about my friend. He can be a bit of an idiot sometimes. It’s a good thing he’s lovable.” Brady laughed as I shook Luke’s hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Luke.”
“We’ve heard a lot about you,” Scott said with a warm grin as he shook my hand, and I flushed.
“I wasn’t really stalking him, I promise,” I assured them, and Brady grinned as the others laughed.
“Oh, we know that. Don’t worry. But yeah, I was planning on heading home soon, actually. I’d really like to stay and chat but…” He shrugged and gave Scott a look that seemed to mean something to him because he immediately pulled Luke into his side, holding him almost protectively as he gave us an apologetic smile.
“Sorry, Luke had a tough therapy session, and he’s still recuperating. How about the two of you come by for dinner next weekend? I’ll make the spaghetti that you love so much, Brady, and I might just convince Luke to bake some cookies.”
“Of course!” Brady agreed instantly, and I nodded. That sounded like a good idea, even though Scott seemed to be treating us like Brady and I were a couple. Brady gave Luke a one-arm hug and murmured something in his ear that made him chuckle. After a last goodbye, they made their way out of the room.
“I can bet Cherry on the fact that there could only be two reasons they came here in the first place,” Brady said, and I turned to look at him, raising up my brow in question. “Either Mama D threatened them because they’d missed so many meet-ups, or they really wanted to meet you.” I’d heard a lot about Mama D from Brady so if I had to guess, I’d say it was the first option. I was both looking forward to and dreading meeting her.
“Brady Knight!” a voice called from somewhere in the room, and Brady swore under his breath.
“Talk of the devil,” he mumbled before turning around with a wide smile directed at a woman who was walking toward us with narrowed eyes. She appeared to be in her fifties, with brown curls framing her face and sharp brown eyes that were currently trained on Brady. She was short, probably a few inches taller than Brady, and her warm brown skin shone with a layer of glitter.
Once she’d reached us, she immediately pulled Brady into a hug, holding him so tight that I was almost afraid she’d break him. She pulled back after a few moments, and then her eyes fell on me. I held my breath as she looked me over. “Who’s your friend, Brady?”
“Mama D, meet Charlie. Charlie, this is Delilah Sparks, but you better call her Mama D, or she will kick your ass.”
“That’s right,” Mama D said before pulling me into a hug much like she had with Brady. And damn, what a hug it was. I’d lost my mother when I was ten, and both my grandmas had already been dead at the time. I barely remembered what my mom’s hugs had felt like, but right now, as Mama D hugged me, I knew. I understood now why everyone called her Mama. She was made to be a mother to all the kids who needed one.
I pulled back after a few minutes, not wanting to hog her attention even though I felt like never leaving her embrace. I had to clear my throat a few times before I could speak without my voice cracking. “It’s so good to meet you, Mama D.”
