Page 97 of Unforgettable

“I love you too,” Oz says, both of us struggling to keep our hands and mouths off one another. “I love you so much.”

His hands are about to slip down to grip my ass when Maddy calls out, “Oh my god, can you stop kissing so we can hug you guys?” letting us know they’ve been watching us, shamelessly, the whole time.

My shoulders shake with laughter, and the smile spreading across my face interrupts our kiss but captures exactly how happy I am right now.

“I’m going to kill them,” Oz says quietly, the twinkle in his eye and the matching smirk saying otherwise.

I chuckle. “You’re a big, friendly giant, you’re not killing anyone.”

Arms and cheers surround us, and Oz’s sisters jump and scream in excitement.

“We’re so happy you came back,” Kat manages to say into my ear despite the squealing.

Noticing Oz watching her talk to me, I offer him a wink. “Me too.”

With our fingers still entwined, Oz and I hug each of his sisters, and then make our way to his mom and dad who have never looked prouder of their son than they do right now.

“They know about the blog,” Oz tells me quietly as we get closer.

Surprised, I tug on his hand, stopping him. “They do? How did it go?”

“Really good.” Smiling, he kisses me on the forehead. “Everything is really fucking good.”

* * *

If you ever needed to define the word perfect, it would be today. With Oz and his family. How happy and hopeful we are. And not just about our relationship, but even our own individual futures.

When everyone managed to come down from the high, I Facetimed Callie and Poppy, thanking them for putting up with me over the last month, and Callie said seeing us so happy made it all worth it. I also introduced her to Oz’s sisters just before Oz took the phone off me and went into one of the bedrooms to talk to her privately.

“Hey,” I say to Oz, burying myself under his arm, now that we’re back at his place, all satiated and blissful. “What did you and Callie talk about?”

“Your parents,” he says nonchalantly.

Sitting up, I twist to face him. “What? Why?”

“I just wanted to know how it went when you told them you weren’t working for them. And if you had been taking care of yourself while you were gone.”

“You could’ve asked me,” I say, feeling a lot less shocked. I lay myself back down and settle into his arm. “I wasn’t going to tell them till they were back and expecting me to return from Vermont. But then I figured, what does it matter, the outcome will still be the same. In the end, in my quest to try and be the good son, I had overcomplicated it for myself,” I explain. “And they really didn’t care. And not in a ‘we love you, Reeve, do as you wish, we will always support you’ type of way. But more of the ‘that’s fine, your allowance will be cut off and we’re not sure how helpful we’ll be if you ever need us’ type of way.”

Oz’s fingers softly ghost along my arm, up and down, always touching me. “Does that bother you?”

“No,” I say honestly. “Deep down, I think I wanted them to be mad, because it was the only way I knew they cared.”

“You sound okay about it.”

I laugh and turn, my body now practically on top of him. “I’m okay, I’m not lying. Having this weight off my shoulders and being here with you, knowing I don’t have to leave and we can be together?” I shrug. “It’s a no-brainer, Oz.”

“Not because I think it matters, but is working at V and V enough?” he asks.

“I’m happy there. With you and Murph. And it gives me the freedom to decide what’s next, on my time.” I kiss him, because I don’t know how to be in his presence and not. “Like you and the blog, you know?”

“Move in with me,” Oz blurts out.

“What?”

“Move in with me,” he repeats, sitting up and taking me with him.

“You don’t think it’s too soon?” I hedge.

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