Page 113 of One More Time
“You shouldn’t risk everything for me, baby. I know how nervous you are about her finding out.”
“Yeah, I know but…you’re my boyfriend. I shouldn’t have to hide you. It’s silly. It’s the twentieth century. We should be able to be loud and proud.”
“I think you mean the twenty-first century.”
“Same thing,” I say with a wave of my hand.”
He chuckles, and I frown at him.
“Yeah, whatever you say. Just go and have dinner and forget about me.”
“Not possible,” I say, and I know he’s okay with this secret we share, but I also know he hates having to hide. It bothers him. And I shouldn’t ask him to do that either, to tuck away who he is all because I’m afraid.
“I’m gonna tell her. I’m gonna.”
“No,” Alec says, his tone firm, but my mind is made up. I’m gonna do it. Gonna come clean.
And that’s my plan as the two of us show up at my sister’s house a few hours later. I had to bribe Alec to come with me, and he reluctantly said yes. Brian answers the door, blinking in surprise at my guest. I didn’t tell them I was bringing anyone, and now, looking back, I probably should have mentioned it.
Brian’s lips turn up in a smile and he holds his hand out. “I’m Brian. The brother-in-law. So nice to meet you.”
The way he says it, it’s almost like he knows Alec is someone special to me.
“Is Uncle Jude here?” Jordan and Julia shout as they rush to the door. They engulf me in hugs, and I lift them both into my arms and press kisses to their faces. And then I make a beeline for Charlie, scooping him up and blowing a raspberry on his stomach. He farts loudly and giggles at that, my face showing off how horrified I am with his stinky butt.
“Oh, you made it,” my sister says, not exactly looking happy to see me, but also not looking upset that I’m here. Her eyes fall to Alec, who is standing next to me, looking far too sexy for his own good, if anyone were to ask my opinion, and she looks momentarily confused and then sighs.
“I’m Hayden, Jude’s sister, and you are?”
Alec reaches out his hand. “I’m Alec.”
She seems to be waiting for more, like why I brought this guy over for dinner, and for a moment, words seem to die on my tongue.
“Are you a new roommate?” she asks, and Alec shakes his head.
“No, Alec and I are…we’re friends,” I say.
I feel my heart sink at my blunder and for a moment, I worry that I’ve ruined it all, that I’ve upset him by being so cowardly.
But before I can make the correction, she turns and just nods. “Well, I’m glad you’re here, I guess.”
She looks at Brian just as Charlie farts again, looking a little too happy, and I wonder if he pooped. The smell wafts up to me, and I sigh.
“Yep. That’s a big one.”
“I’ll change him,” Brian says, but I just shake my head.
“No, I’ve got it. Maybe get Alec a drink while I do this?”
Brian nods and leads him to the kitchen while I go and take care of the explosive mess Charlie made. I swear, he thinks this is hilarious, just beaming up at me as I wipe him down. Jordan has followed me and is chatting nonstop about a new video game he’s playing, and I just bob my head as I listen.
When I return to the kitchen, I see Alec and Brian chitchatting happily, my niece coloring with Alec at the table. Jordan joins immediately, chattering to whoever will listen.
Just seeing Alec with the kids makes my heart rate increase, it’s almost stampeding out of my chest.
Suddenly the urgency of telling my sister envelopes me. Alec means a lot to me, a whole hell of a lot. I love him. I want to spend my life with him. He’s not just a fucking friend.
Without thinking too hard about it, I walk up to her, Charlie still in my arms and hover until she pays attention to me.