Page 65 of Curtain Call
“Did you really mean what you said that morning?”
“Which part?”
Colin is grinning but Riley can’t see it. He knows what Riley is getting at but wants him to say it.
“About spending your life with me. About loving me.”
Colin squeezes again.
“You’re the only one I have ever wanted. For me, this is nothing more than a small hiccup. I will not force you to say or do anything you don’t want to do. I promise to stand by your side and support you. But you have to promise me one thing first.”
“What’s that?”
Colin turns to face Riley with his foot now tucked under him.
“You have to take care of yourself first,” he taps his finger to his head. “I want you to focus on you, and what you need to do to beat this. I know this may be something you are battling for years to come but I can be there to support you and to love you along the way. But you must do this for yourself, first and foremost.”
“God, I wish I could touch you right now,” Riley tells him.
Colin’s chest expands, “in public?” he teases.
“Shut up. Not like-”
Colin, without hesitation, leans in and kisses Riley. His lips are soft and sweet. Colin’s brain short circuits thinking this was too sudden until he feels Riley kissing him back. Riley’s tongue sweeping across his. Colin moves his hand up to the back of Riley’s neck and runs his fingers through the nape of his hair.
Colin unlocks his lips from Riley long enough to whisper, “I love you, and I’m proud of you.”
Another tear drops from Riley’s eye.
“During my audition, I realized I have felt it for so long but never told you,” Riley pulls back this time to look into Colin’s eyes. Riley folds Colin’s hands into his own, “Colin, you have been in my heart for as far back as I can remember. I love you with every ounce of my being.”
Colin wraps his arms around Riley’s waist and pulls him into another kiss. Colin’s insides are like melted butter. He knows that this kiss will burn for hours. He will feel it across the bridge back to the mainland, through downtown Boston, and back to Rockport.
Riley feels warm, and Colin wants to get lost in his embrace forever. It’s like a comfy blanket has been draped over him. Soft. Cuddly. Secure.
“Get better soon so you can come home,” Colin tells him.
Home. Colin liked the sound of that. Riley liked the sound of that too, and maybe, just maybe this wasn’t made up in his mind after all.
“I get out next week. Can I take you to dinner?”
“I don’t think so,” he tells Riley, watching his face fall six stories. “You don’t have a car and it’s too cold to be riding on the back of your bicycle. How about I takeyouto dinner?”
“Smartass.”
Riley jumps up and excuses himself after looking at the clock on the wall.
“Shit!”
“What’s wrong,” Colin asks with a concerned look.
“I’m late for the group session and it’s mandatory. I need to go,” he tells Colin with panic in his voice.
Colin hates that his time was so brief, although after examining his watch, he has been at the facility for almost three hours. Riley reaches into his front pant pocket and slips a piece of paper into Colin’s hand before giving him a final kiss goodbye and walking toward the same doors he came out of earlier.
“What’s this?” Colin calls out.
Riley pauses in the doorway.
