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I slid my hand into his and squeezed. “Will you tell me about it?”
He shook his head. “I can’t. I already feel like I’m barely holding on.” He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, letting the last of the daylight kiss his beautiful cheeks. “It took me twenty years to finally feel like I’d found myself again. I worked so hard to get back to feeling like a real person.”
“And then I came home.”
“And then you came home,” he agreed.
“Do you want me to leave the store? I will. If me being here is too much for you—”
His grip was so tight that I worried his nails might pierce my skin. “Don’t you dare.”
“I don’t want to hurt you anymore, Gray.”
His jaw trembled. “You can’t, Kent. Please? You’re the only person who …” His hand slid down, stopping at my wrist. It took me a moment to realize what he was staring at. When his finger traced my small rainbow flag tattoo, every word that went unspoken was clear in his eyes. I was the only person who knew the real him. The boy he’d hidden away. The side of him he never got to show. He’d kept himself hidden to keep himself safe.
I made a silent promise to myself. An unbreakable vow to the boy I once loved. I couldn’t leave him there to do this on his own. I wouldn’t. I was the boy who ran. The man who returned. I knew Gray Collins in a way no one else ever would.
“I promise,” I said, and I’d never meant anything more in my life.
He gave me a final squeeze before prying himself off of me and shifting himself up. His knees popped as he stood. Once he was on solid footing, he held his hand out for me.
Gray glanced out at the water. “Old times’ sake?” He grabbed the tail of his shirt and tugged it over his head, making visible a delicious sight of pale skin and reddish-brown chest hair. The shoes came off next, and then he made his way toward the water. With his ankles submerged, he paused, lost in contemplation. After a moment, he unbuckled his belt and unfastened his jeans. “No funny business,” he said, peering back over his shoulder with an unconvincing smile.
“I can control myself. I’m more than just my penis.”
“Well, thank gosh for that. Wouldn’t be much to you if you were.” He kicked off his pants, tossing them over his shoulder.
“That’s a lie and you know it. God, Gray. Worst best friend ever.”
“Bestbest friend ever,” he shouted as he ran into the water.
Following behind him, I tore my clothes off at lightning speed and made my way into the lake, swimming toward him. He disappeared under the water.
I groaned. “Not this again.” I spun in a circle, trying to find him. When something brushed against my leg, I kicked. As someone pinched my ass, I squealed. The second Gray rose from the water with puffed-out cheeks, I was ready for him. A long stream of disgusting, unsanitary lake water spewed out of my mouth and across his face, taking him by surprise. Gray opened his mouth, letting water he’d collected pour down his chin. I floated forward and reached for his face. “Got a little lake on you. Just right there.” I wiped away the water from his already-drenched skin.
“We’re fully submerged in a lake. How is that helpful?” He floated forward and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I’m so happy you’re home.” In a moment of weakness, I let my arms slide around his back, and I pulled him closer. He pressed his lips against my ear, bringing his voice to a whisper. “Don’t ever leave me again, okay?”
“I promise.”
“You mean it?”
“I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention, but I don’t really have many other options at the moment. I haven’t heard back from any of the places I’ve applied to. West Clark might be stuck with me for good.”
The look of relief on his face was overwhelming. “Well, in that case, I’m glad you sent a picture of your privates to the world and had to move back in with your mother in your thirties.”
“You’re just mad I didn’t send it to you.”
He rolled his eyes, skimming his fingers up and down my back, as platonic friends so often do. “I’ve seen it in person, remember? Can’t believe they’d fire you over four inches. Doesn’t seem very fair, if you ask me.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, and then I reached behind him and tapped his bald spot. Gray looked absolutely scandalized.
“Don’t worry,” I whispered, leaning closer to his ear. “I think it’s cute.”
“Sarah hates it. Keeps asking me to start wearing hats.”
“With those ears of yours?” I reached for him, tugging his unnecessarily elongated earlobe. “Don’t listen to her. You’re perfect.”
“I am?”
