Page 150 of Reluctantly You

No. I know I do.

I take my first step, Gideon next to me, my heart a thunderous noise in my ears, the thump almost deafening. When I stop in front of his front door, I’m frozen—the only feeling is Gideon’s hand on my lower back.

“You can do it,” he says, and I nod, swallowing loudly. My shaking finger extends and I push the doorbell, hearing the chime of it inside. There’s a cacophony of loud chatter that doesn’t stop.

Fuck, I’ve interrupted something.

Oh shit. I’m ruining his evening. I’m going to fucking ruin it.

I start to turn, to run away, but Basil opens the front door and cocks his head, trying to place me. Someone like him probably invites strangers over daily. I’m no one special, no one new.

But then his lips part and he smiles widely. “Hey! Mitch, right?”

Oh my god, he remembered my name. He fuckingremembered.

I feel my mouth open and then close as Gideon’s hand curls into a fist behind me. Grounding me.

“Come. Come in. I’m so glad you came. My son, Landon, is here with his husband, Finn.”

I blink as Gideon gently guides me inside the house. Immediately, I see the kitty castle spanning an entire wall and feel myself start to calm. A man like this won’t hate a man like me, right?

“Did you bring the kitty?” he asks.

I clear my throat, feeling almost guilty at my admission. “She’s in the van.”

“Oh, you can’t leave her there. Bring her in. She can use Curie’s kitty hotel. I mean, it’s a castle really. She’ll love it.”

I turn to Gideon, who is biting back a grin, the chaos in the house almost overwhelming.

“I can grab her,” he says and then moves toward the front door, leaving me reeling.

God, don’t leave me.

Come back.

Please.

Just as I’m thinking that, something nibbles on my pant leg and I glance down at a goat. What the hell?

“Oh, that’s Vincent. He’s a goober. Oh, and Kevin the pig is outside. God, you’re gonna love her.”

I feel my eyebrows rise. “Kevin is a girl?”

“Yep! The one and only.”

He doesn’t even explain, just accepts it as completely normal. And fuck, maybe it is. Maybe I’m the one who was raised wrong. Maybe I’m the one who gave too much care to things that never mattered in the end.

“Anyway, come on. Come meet the fam!”

He slings an arm over my shoulder and guides me into the farmhouse kitchen where I see a woman and two young men standing around an island and chatting. The woman with curly hair is drinking wine. I assume she’s Basil’s wife with the way she eyes the man. The two guys, well…I can guess who is Basil’s.The two of them look similar. With the same build and same hair.

God, I can even see myself in him.

“Guys! This is my friend, Mitch!” Basil nearly crows.

All heads turn to stare at me, and the woman smiles kindly.

“Hello! Welcome.”

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