Page 189 of Last First Kiss

“That’s enough, LeeLee,” Kenny says. He slides an arm around her tense shoulders. She sighs so heavily, the tray almost tips.

Jamie springs into action. “Whoa, whoa! Let me get that.”

“Thanks, Jamie.”

“Of course, Momma C.” He grins for Leena.

“Such a gentleman.” She glares in Denz’s and Jordan’s direction. “I wish I had a son or nephew that was so helpful.”

Denz waves the notion off. “He’s just trying to earn brownie points.”

“Pot brownie points,” Jordan coughs into his elbow. When Jamie’s cheeks brighten pinker than the sky, Jordan’s head tips back with laughter.

Denz grins deviously. “Speaking of…”

Well, fuck. Jordan knew better than to tell Denz how it all started when he asked on FaceTime a month ago. How they shared that first kiss while Denz was snoring five feet away.

Jordan jumps to his feet. “I’ll go help Jamie.”

“Help him withwhatexactly?” Denz yells after him.

Jordan waits until no one’s watching him to flip Denz two middle fingers.

At the outdoor wet bar, Jamie expertly fills each glass. Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” pours from the speaker. Whoever curated this playlist has no clue how ironic and hilarious they’re being.

Jordan smiles, watching Jamie.

Jamie grins back. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh, it’s definitely something.”

And itis. Something.

It’s hard to put into words. It feels like popping candies in Jordan’s blood. Like fresh air in his lungs. Most days, it’s all he thinks about. How different life is.

Howhappyhe is.

The therapy certainly helps. He goes once a week, alone. Once a month with Tevin and his mom, as a family. It hasn’t solved everything. But he feels better afterward.

Like a wound he’s avoided acknowledging is slowly healing.

And the nightmares have stopped.

Nothing has changed at work. He’s still an event coordinator.So is Javi. But they find themselves working together more, even when they’re not assigned to. Their competitiveness pushes them both.

At the end of the day, they’re invested in each other’s success.

Jamie’s back to bartending. But only at a couple of bars. He’s looking for something else. Jordan not so subtly drops hints about that charming bookstore in Decatur. He’s pretty sure Jamie is warming up to the idea.

Living his best William Thacker life.

Sometimes, after a long day at the office, Jordan drives straight to Jamie’s apartment. Unintentionally, without thinking. It’s like his compass is permanently pointed in Jamie’s direction now. His north is Jamie. His home is where Jamie is.

Every night, he falls asleep in Jamie’s arms. Each morning, they wake up in one of their beds.

Jamie hasn’t moved out of the downtown luxury apartment yet. He’sgoingto. He wants a solid plan first. One he’s mapped out on his own. For the past month, Jordan’s had this itching desire to ask Jamie to move in with him, but it’s still early in their relationship.