Page 51 of Ballads of Lines Blurred

“The lung somehow hit me in the stomach,” Dash added. “It fell to the floor, but I called the five second rule and picked it up to eat it.”

“He had red food dye on his lips,” Romeo chuckled.

My brother grinned. “And you licked it off.”

“Couldn’t let it go to waste.”

It wasn’t long after when I heard the engine of Milo’s car rev up my driveway. Neither Dash nor Romeo moved, even when the two men who had burrowed deep into my heart nearly crashed through the screen door.

Cody stopped in front of me, but Milo had no reservation and threw himself onto my lap so he could wrap himself around me. “Please don’t tell me you thought we’d leave. Or that you’re walking away from us. I didn’t go through this transformation into being a commitment-loving man for you to bail.” He leaned back so I could see his face, worry pulling his lips down. His hair was all over the place, pink pieces falling to either side of his head.

Dash patted Milo’s arm. “Glad you got here without causing an accident. I told you not to rush.”

“We’re the ones who woke you up and told you to get over here.”

“And I did. You didn’t have to drive like a bat out of hell.”

“If I want to break the speed limit to get to my boy… boyfr… boyfriend, then I will.”

“You okay there? Took you a second to get that out.”

“Fuck you. Go home.” Milo shooed him away.

Dash stood and turned his nose up. “Fine, but don’t bother coming over for breakfast. Vail taught Tris how to make amazing French toast. And the Danish pastries he baked already… Sweet god, I want to drown in them.” He rubbed his stomach and licked his lips.

Romeo got up and grabbed Dash’s arm to pull him toward the door. “Okay, dramatic, time to go home.”

“I didn’t say no to breakfast,” Milo called.

Dash flipped him off.

“I want to eat too!”

Romeo smiled. “Don’t worry. There will be plenty of food. Come by in thirty minutes. Or longer in case… You know.” He winked.

The screen door shut behind them. Dash started waxing poetic about bacon and sausage. I stopped listening, because knowing him, it was going to turn dirty fast.

Cody took the seat Dash had been in beside me. Brown curly hair fell onto his forehead. I couldn’t resist touching it, feeling how soft his hair was. “You’re not leaving us, right?”

“I should ask you the same thing,” I said.

“Slater, we aren’t going anywhere. Not now. Not ever.”

“Don’t say things you can’t possibly promise.” To say they were here with me now was fine. The promise of a future was entirely different. I could tell them I would be around that long, that there was no way I was giving them up. Cody and Milo were still young. They could decide I wasn’t for them. Sure, I got it was partly my anxiety talking, but it was also a solid fear.

Cody’s hand went to my cheek, his thumb rubbing over my stubble. “What’s it going to take for you to realize I’m in this? How many months did I wait to turn twenty so I could prove to you I wanted you and was still here? What else do I need to do so you know with certainty I’m not leaving you?”

“Stay,” I whispered, then turned to Milo, who still straddled my lap. “Please.”

“Rock star, we’re not going anywhere. Except to work because I have a shift tonight, and I’m pretty sure Cody is supposed to be at the gym.”

My head whipped back to Cody. “You should go. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

“Who do you think woke me up this morning and told me to get over here? I didn’t have to open today. I was asleep when my phone rang. Xaiden called to tell me what they said online. I hope you don’t mind, but I told Xaiden, Val, and Corbin about us. I didn’t go into details, just that you were worried about what would happen when the media dug into our pasts. Xaiden told me he had the gym covered and to come see you. I called Milo. He said he’d pick me up.”

“Yeah, and I called Dash as I was running out the door,” Milo said. “I was stupid enough to think it would take the media longer to figure out who we were. Neither of us are anyone people would know about. They got pictures of us together but called us mystery men at first.” He put mystery men in air quotes. “Whatever. I don’t care what they say. They’re rehashing the news coverage from when my parents died. Nothing that wasn’t already out there. They’ll figure out my job, but again, I don’t care. If I was embarrassed by it, I wouldn’t do it.”

Cody sat back, resting against the cushions. “I didn’t read it. Xaiden told me not to bother. It would be about my parents and while it’s in the past, I don’t want to tear open that wound again. Before you pull away,” he said to me, “it’s not because of you and our pictures. I don’t want to see the articles again. I lived them. Saw them when they came out. Here, with you two, that’s where I want to be. Not in the past. Not being swallowed whole by memories of what happened.”

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