Page 104 of No Summer Hotter than You

“Remember how I mentioned the other day that I started looking around for a therapist?” I asked, licking the whipped cream off my upper lip.

“Yeah,” he replied. His eyes darted between my eyes and lips as he swallowed his hot chocolate. “You found one?”

I grinned. “Yup. I contacted her earlier today and got a session booked for next week.”

Anthony’s eyes immediately lit up into this beautiful golden brown as a warm smile spread across face. He leaned across the way and kissed me softly on the lips. “I’m happy for you, Shoua.” His deep voice lightly tickled the corner of my mouth.

“Thanks for encouraging me to do this.” My voice was barely a whisper as he pulled away.

I knew months ago I needed to start seeing a therapist, but I had been making excuses not to find one. Not because I didn’t want to work on myself, but because I knew it’d be hard. However, Anthony kept therapy as part of our everyday conversation. As work slowed down, I had time to reflect on what I wanted for my life, including what I wanted my relationships with Anthony and my mom to look like. I felt it was time to finally start therapy instead of being scared of how hard it was going to be.

He set his mug down on the coffee table and then took my mug from me and set it next to his. His hands immediately cupped my face and then he pulled me into a hug with a long sigh into the nape of my neck.

“Anything for you to feel better, baby.” His arms tightened around me as I nuzzled my face into his warm shoulder. “You just keep surprising me today, huh?”

“Too many surprises for one day?” I asked.

He chuckled. “Nope, not if they make you happy.”

He snaked his arms around my waist and pulled me into his lap. “Then what makes you happy?” I asked.

“Seeing you finally feel safe to freely cry.” His answer was a soft whisper into my ear and my eyes became watery again. “It’s what I’ve always wanted as your best friend.”

I smiled. “You’re the greatest friend anyone could ever ask for.”

“And man,” he said as he nodded. “I’m your man too, aren’t I?”

I laughed as a tear escaped the corner of my eye, and I didn’t bother to wipe it away. Anthony reached out to capture it with his thumb with the widest, heart-fluttering grin. My heart began to pound as he stared back.

“You are. You’re my best friend, man, partner in life—everything.”

“Exactly, yours.” He touched my face gingerly as he kissed the corner of my lips.

“Mine.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and captured his lips in mine.

anthony

2 YEARS LATER

I tried my best not to sigh as I glanced around my old living room. I forgot how it felt when Shoua and me first moved into this duplex four years ago.

Four years.

It was wild to realize it’d been that long since we bought this place, renovated it, moved in, fell in love, and were now moving out. Warm memories and emotions ignited deep in my chest as I thought of how much this place meant to us.

This was our home—two duplexes with two best friends living next to each other.

Over time, it became a couple with their own separate spaces living next door to each other. Now we’re living together in the dream home we built together. There was a time I never envisioned the life I’d live after moving out of this duplex. This was my pride, and now the home I built with Shoua was my new joy. But our first place would always have a special spot in my heart.

“Ready?” Shoua called out from the door.

I nodded. “You’ve triple checked your place?” I asked. “You didn’t leave anything behind, right?”

“It’s squeaky clean.” She smiled.

“Good.” I quickly glanced around the living room and the foyer again.

“Have these two duplexes always been this big?” Her voice was curious and amused as she looked to the empty space behind me.

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