Page 117 of Say It Again

Marco’s gaze flashed up to his. Then back down at the counter. He looked like he didn’t quite know what to do as he slowly pointed a finger at whatever he was looking at. “Apologies for reading it. It caught my eye, is all.”

Aaron circled the counter, uneasiness seizing his grasp on his emotions. He followed Marco’s gaze, and it was like one of those scenes in a movie when the loud music crunched to a halt. The same as his breath crunched from his chest. Why hadn’t it caught his eye? He’d walked right by it.

Tucked under a potted plant was a handwritten note. Beside it, Daniel’s ring.

He rushed to it, nearly spilling the plant over as he ripped it away and read every word. And every word again.

“Hey. Look at me,” Marco said after a beat. “Can you look at me for a minute?”

He scanned the words of the letter again.

“Aaron.”

When he finally peeled his eyes from the letter, it was because Marco had lifted his chin.

“My apologies if this is insensitive, but the timing feels serendipitous. This is something that needs to be said.” Marco’s gaze was so calm. So soothing. “I like you. No, I more than like you. I’m nuts about you. And quite honestly, I think you’re into me too. I think you have been for a while.”

Aaron tried to glance down at the letter, tracing his thumb over the pen strokes, but Marco lifted his chin again.

“You have no idea the kind of life I can provide you,” Marco said in that mercifully sincere way of his. “You’d never have to work another day in your life so long as you had me.”

No one had ever said that to him. What a sanctuary.

“Hey, think about it this way.” Marco freed the letter from Aaron’s grip and tossed it on the counter, then held his face in his warm palms. “Now this trip can be the beginning of our future together. A future where I will take extraordinary care of you, Aaron. It’d be my pleasure.”

A sanctuary. A surrender. And to come from someone so unsparing and kind.

“Come on. Get your things. Let’s go.” Marco held his gaze and kissed his cheek in pillowy softness. Then the other. “What do you have to lose?”

“Everything.” He didn’t need to think about it. He didn’t need to squander a second longer in whatever hesitation had led him here. He gently pushed Marco’s hands away. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry to waste your time. Your money. Your effort. All of it. I respect you so much. But I will lose everything if I go with you.”

Marco’s tongue worked over his teeth. It was impossible to tell if he was angry or hurt. Maybe both. After a few moments, he asked, “Are you serious? You’re really not coming?”

“I won’t lose him.” He shook his head, already searching for his keys. What was startling was that he wholeheartedly meant it as he said it—“I’d rather be penniless.”

DEAR AARON,

In my heart, I’ve known all along that you deserve to be who you are, not just who I want you to be. Just like I’ve known all along I deserve to be who I am too. The part I wish I could change? It’s that you being you, and me being me, means our time together has to end.

I don’t regret one second of our time together, mister. I will always remember you. I will always wonder if you’re happy. I will always love you.

Daniel

Chapter Twenty-Six

DANIEL HAD parked outside of the studio just to be near something he loved. His phone rang with an unknown number. Fucking telemarketers. He waited for the call to run its course. Then it rang again. Only Aaron that time.

There was that feeling. The one that made him slump over the steering wheel with shoulders rounded and knuckles clenched white. The one that insisted he was making the right choice by leaving. He hadn’t cried a single tear since he left the ring behind. That had to mean something. If it wasn’t the right choice, then he would’ve been a blubbering mess. His eyes were exhausted, but they were dry.

He pressed his lips together as hard as it took for him to keep from answering as Aaron’s beautiful picture illuminated his screen. “I can’t. I can’t hear your voice, I can’t beg you to stay, I can’t talk to you knowing he’s there too. I’m so sorry.” He swung the car door open, and it almost felt symbolic when he slammed it shut. “But it’s over.”

Most of the studio lights had been cut for the night, except for a few, and surprisingly the front door was still unlocked. He tugged it open only to startle Madeline from her graceful crescent moon shape as she held the barre, one leg extended to the side.

She spun around and pink bloomed across her cheeks. She’d been dancing in the dark alone.

“Lovely,” he said, offering a tiny wave. “As always. So lovely. Don’t let me stop you.”

“I don’t know why,” she said, crossing her ankles, a sweet smile splitting her face, “but I had a feeling I might see you here.”