Page 135 of In Plain Sight

I let out a humorless laugh. “I mean, it’s very on brand for me to do it this way.”

He chuckled. “That’s very true. You take the saying go big or go home seriously.”

“I really do.” Reluctantly, I stepped back from him, already missing his warm body against mine. “It’s not great for my mental health, but it’s efficient.” I bit my lip.

“What’s that look for?”

“Last night, you said we were together. That means we’re boyfriends, right?” My face flushed hot, and I hoped to fuck I wasn’t as red as I felt.

“Yes,” he said seriously. “We’re boyfriends.”

A big, beaming smile split my face.

Smiling as big as I probably was, he took my hand and led me into his dining room/pool room.

“What are we doing?” I eyed the pool table. “Are you going to fuck me on there?”

He barked out a laugh. “I was going to suggest we play a few games to give you something to focus on so you could process everything, but I’d never say no to that.”

Grinning, I jumped up on the edge of the pool table and spread my legs wide so he could stand between them.

He slipped his arms around my waist. I rested my hands on his hips and hooked my legs around his, tilting my face up for a kiss.

Zander obliged, and the world quieted the moment our lips touched.

“I’m going to tell my mom before work tomorrow,” I said when he pulled away.

“You are?”

“Yeah. I need to. She works from home on Mondays, so if I don’t do it tomorrow, I’ll have to wait until after work, and that’s really not a conversation I want to be having right before shegoes to bed and after I’ve had a long day at the shop.” I sighed. “I need to talk to her anyway, so I might as well tell her about me, and us, at the same time.”

“What do you mean?”

“The reason Jade came over was because she’s worried about Mom and how stressed-out she’s been. She overheard Mom talking about how she invited Eddie’s kids and their families to Christmas dinner, but she hasn’t told us yet, not about anything.”

“Has she invited them for holidays before?”

“No. Jade and I have never met them. But they know Mom.”

He raised one eyebrow.

“They both live in Seattle, so it’s easier for Eddie to go to them. I think his son has two kids, and his daughter has three with another on the way. So yeah, they’re busy. Mom’s gone with Eddie a bunch of times, so she knows them, but we don’t.”

“Do you want me to go with you?” he asked. “Not while you talk to her, but for moral support. I can wait in the car.”

“Really, you’d do that?”

He nodded. “If it’ll help.”

“Yeah,” I said. “It would.”

“I’m going to tell my mom too.”

My jaw dropped. That was the last thing I expected him to say.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while now.” He looked at me seriously. “I never really minded hiding who I am because I didn’t have anyone worth coming out for.”

My breath caught in my throat.

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