Page 76 of Collide

“Christ. That’s why we left?” Noah tried to pull away but Cooper wouldn’t let him. Not that Noah couldn’t pull out of his one arm grasp, but he didn’t. “That must have killed Autumn. How could she do that? She knew how much I loved you.”

The pain in Noah’s voice broke Cooper’s heart. “So my mother slept with your uncle, and then I show up, and seduce their straight nephew?”

“Thinking awfully high of yourself, aren’t you? If I didn’t want to be with you, I wouldn’t be.”

But, they both knew that’s how Vernon, and maybe even Autumn, saw it. Even when Autumn had come back into the room just before Noah the other day, she still struggled with it. She explained the whole story to Cooper. How Noah’s father found out and they’d left. That his aunt hadn’t known until they got home that weekend, and Vernon confessed. She’d wanted time alone, so Vernon had taken Cooper camping.

That it had been hard, but she’s forgiven Vernon. That she knew her husband loved her. That what he’d done was wrong, but he’d tried every day to make it up to her.

It wasn’t that easy for Cooper to forgive. Not when it hurt his aunt, had taken Noah from him, and shattered his vision of the man he respected.

“Your family treated me like I belonged. I practically lived with you. I was happy in Blackcreek. I begged my parents never to make us have to move, and she slept with your uncle knowing it would cause me to lose everything that was important to me?”

This time, Noah did jerk away from him and paced the room. “Your aunt treated me like a son and then my mother, repaid her by hurting her that way? And then I waltz back into your life. Find my way into your bed and then shove my way into this hospital like I have some fucking right.”

“You have all the right.” Cooper told him.

Noah’s eyes flashed to him at that, burning with that heat Cooper had become so used to from his guy.

“I will never forgive her for making me lose you, Coop. How will your aunt ever be able to look at me?”

“Come here,” Cooper said. When Noah shook his head he continued, “Come here before I get out of this bed.”

Noah sighed. Cooper knew he wouldn’t risk Coop getting out of bed and getting hurt. When Noah got to Cooper’s side, Coop grabbed the back of his head with his good hand and pulled Noah toward him, until their foreheads touched.

“Because it wasn’t your fault. Just like what happened to my parents wasn’t mine, what your mom did wasn’t yours. I’m not going to pretend it will be easy and maybe it will always be a struggle, but it isn’t your fault and you won’t suffer for it.” Noah suffered too much in his lifetime. Cooper had too. They were due their happiness. Together.

“It’s not the same thing. Don’t pretend it is. I know it’s not my fault. That doesn’t mean it will be easier. I won’t come between you and your family. I’ve already turned your life upside down as it is.”

At that, Cooper smiled. He ignored the burn in his throat as he spoke. “If you did shake my life up, I wanted it. I needed it. I know we have shit to deal with. That it’s going to be tough with my family, and officially coming out at the station, but I don’t give it shit about that. None of it. I care about you.”

“Coop—”

“No.” Cooper shook his head. “There’s nothing or no one I want in my life as much as you. Don’t make this harder than it has to be, Noah. Twenty years ago you collided with me over that damn football, and my life was never the same.”

“The same way you and your damn truck collided with me?” Laughter lightened the frayed edges of his voice. Noah was coming back to him.

“Guess that means we’re meant to be. You were meant to be a part of my life, Noah.”

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” Noah kissed Cooper’s forehead. “One way or another, I’ve always wanted to be a part of you.” His lips came down on Cooper’s cheek and then the other one. “I have loved you since I was ten years old, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to stop now.”

Finally his lips landed on Cooper’s. Their tongues did that familiar give and take, their battle and surrender. Neither of them was stupid. They both knew there were obstacles ahead of them, but they would deal with them together.

“I love you too. Always.”

EPILOGUE

“Go talk to him.” Cooper nodded his head toward Wes who stood alone, in a corner on the other side of the house.

“Thank you.” Noah lead forward and pressed his lips to Cooper’s, so fucking glad that he could do that whenever he wanted. It didn’t matter that they were standing in a room full of people. Some of them were assholes about it, especially a few of the guys at Coop’s firehouse, but they were dealing with it—together.

Noah ran a finger over the sling that held Cooper’s arm, still sick to his stomach every time he saw it. He could have lost him. Lost his best friend. Lost his light. It had only been a couple weeks, but it was still all he thought about.

“I’ll be back.” Noah made his way through the crowded house. It was Wes’s sister Lydia’s house, which was bigger than the one Wes would now be living in alone with little Jessie.

“How ya doing, man?” Noah leaned against the wall behind him. Wes’s eyes were sad, lost, but during the funeral or here at the service, Noah had yet to see the man shed a tear.

“Okay.”

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