say anything else, no matter how much I wanted to. I knew she needed time to sort through her own feelings before I added mine to the mix.
"I'll be here for you, okay? No matter what."
"I know," she said as she pulled back, fresh tears staining her cheeks. "Don't worry, I'll be bothering you soon. But right now I need to... stop avoiding my husband, I guess, and get this over with." She gave me one last squeeze before letting go. "And you need to stop being an idiot and fix whatever's going on with you and Elliot."
I just stared at her, dumbfounded before shooting an accusatory look at the man who was making the rounds with the kids. "Did he...?"
"Do you seriously think I couldn't tell you were seeing someone? Besides, David told me."
I let out a huff of breath, feeling like my world had been turned upside down for the second time in just a few minutes.
"But I'm serious. Whatever's going on, fix it. Elliot's a keeper. I'm pretty sure he would've challenged me to a duel or something if I'd still planned to take David."
I let out a strained laugh, my gaze moving to Elliot. He caught my eyes, a question in his own.
"Call me later, okay?" I asked Ruth. "I want to know how it goes."
"Ditto."
She leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek, then left to talk to David for a couple minutes. As I made my way over to Elliot, I saw her slip out of the youth center, phone in hand.
"You did an amazing job," said Elliot, smiling cautiously at me.
"I had an amazing teacher." Licking my lips, my nerves frayed, I said, "Can we talk?"
Elliot left word with one of the other volunteers, then brought me into that same side room we'd talked in the first time. Back when he'd been little more to me than a stranger I couldn't get out of my head. It felt so different being here with him now. In such a short time, he'd become so much more to me.
I didn't know how I would have gotten through any of this without him, and I didn't want to think about facing any other challenges without him, either.
"David's staying here," I said, a little afraid to just launch right into my feelings.
"Yeah." A soft but warm smile curved his lips. "I'm really happy for you, Reuben."
We were silent for a moment, Elliot waiting for me to say something. I finally screwed my courage to the sticking place and did.
"I don't wanna do this. I don't wanna go back to being near strangers. Not having you in my life for this week, it's been... fuck, I don't want to be dramatic, but it's been unbearable."
"I know just what you mean."
His eyes were hopeful, but his posture was still closed off, like he was afraid of how this would turn out. I reached for his hand, taking it into mine.
"I know you didn't mean to hurt me and that you wouldn't have forced me into anything. I just got scared. I was afraid I'd end up with another Kayden, or any of the other guys who've pulled that shit on me."
"I know," he said softly, "and I'm so sorry. It was so stupid. I was... desperate. I wanted to have any chance at all of keeping you, but what I did was wrong. And I swear nothing like that will ever happen again, Reuben. Whatever happens with us, your friendship means too much to me to lose."
"I hope you want more than my friendship," I said, one of my brows quirking upward.
"I... well, yes, that would be ideal. But I don't want to imply... I mean I wasn't--"
Just as always, I could only find his nervous rambling incredibly endearing. I also knew there was only one way to stop it. Leaning down, I closed the distance between us, meeting his lips with a slow, affirming kiss that sent a flood of warmth through me, body and soul.
"I love you," I murmured, looking into his eyes. "I know it won't be perfect. We've got things to figure out still. But all I want is... you."
I felt him practically melt against me, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I love you, too. And you have me."
I knew how big that was for him. His wife was the only person he'd been with, the only person he'd loved. Even though I'd never met her, she seemed like such a good