Page 80 of Chasing You

Adele laughed and shuffled over to make room for Frey, who flopped beside him. “More like reminding me of all the ways I’ve already fucked up before we even got started. I don’t have rings.”

“Go to one of those cheap-ass places in the mall,” Frey said. “Then order nice ones later. Or don’t do rings at all. Who cares when it’s you and Kash.”

Adele couldn’t help his smile because it was true. It was him and Kash, and nothing else mattered. “I hate how chaotic this all feels.”

“You’d hate it more if it was a big white wedding,” Frey pointed out.

That was true. Adele had hated his first—not because of his ex but because it was a big production to show off her father’s money and how pretty she looked in her white dress. Which she had. She’d looked like a goddess. But she’d had the emotional range of one too.

“Dallas texted. He wants to know if he can bring Dani and her girlfriend,” Frey said, staring at his phone.

Adele smiled. He adored Danni and Poppy, even if it was a little strange that Poppy had been married to Monty’s father not that long ago. He wasn’t even sure the divorce had been finalized yet, but he didn’t really care. Not as long as they were happy.

“Yes, please.”

Frey set his phone down and rolled onto his side, propping his head up with his fist. “It’s time for you to let go.”

Adele blinked at him. “Uh. Of what?”

“Of this need to still be everyone’s fucking dad in the middle of what is probably one of the worst crises you have ever been through.”

Adele’s chest got a little tight. “I’m not?—”

“Stop. You’re trying to deal with insurance, grief, trauma, an engagement and a wedding, worrying about your son, and still trying to make room for our problems,” Frey told him. “I can see it on your face. You’re going to crack if you’re not careful.”

Adele’s breath left his chest in a tremble. “If I let go, I will fall apart.”

“So fall apart. You have the population of a small town standing under you, waiting to catch you before you hit the ground.” Frey’s eyes met his. “You’ve saved us over the years. All of us. It’s time to let us return the favor.”

“Fuck off before I start crying, please,” Adele begged. “I’ve done enough of that for a lifetime.”

Frey laughed and swung his legs off the bed. “Fine, but only because Renato and Kash are home, and I know your lover boy will want to kiss your face off before you both take off for court.”

Frey was out of the room in a hurry, which gave Adele enough time to compose himself before Kash appeared. He was walking steadily, though he was leaning heavy on his cane, but he left it at the door as he crossed the room to the bed.

Adele immediately took him into his arms and kissed them as they dropped against the pillows. “Mm, I have been waiting for this all day,” he murmured against Kash’s lips.

Kash laughed. “Good. Me too.” He took a deep breath. “You smell amazing.”

Adele was beyond glad the shower had worked because he knew the scent of smoke was hard for Kash and Gage to take. “I need to get dressed, but we do need to go soon.”

“I was thinking about getting something to eat after.”

Adele rolled away and stood up off the bed, turning to look at his lover. “Are you taking me on a date?”

Kash grinned. “If you’d let me.”

“I’ll think about it.” He winked and moved to the dresser to pull out one of the two pairs of jeans he had that fit him. Dallas was closest to his size and had sent over some extra clothes, but on his teaching salary, he didn’t have a lot to spare.

Adele planned to shop for all of them, but he wanted to wait until they were somewhere a little more permanent. “You’ll have to make do with me like this, so I hope those plans aren’t fancy,” he said, pulling the Henley over his head.

Kash pushed up from the bed and walked over, taking Adele by the waist. “You could be in a potato sack and I’d still want to rip it off you and choke on your dick.”

Adele nearly swallowed his own tongue. “You’re saying that shit to me right before we have to leave the house?”

Kash grinned, then seized his hand and all but pulled him through the door. They stopped to get shoes on, and then Adele called a quick goodbye before he and Kash made their way outside to the car.

Their mood had sobered a little by the time Adele was on the road, but before he could panic about Kash having second thoughts, he reached over and took Adele’s hand, kissing his wrist.

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