Page 176 of The Incredible Ordinary

Rory shrugs. No other reply.

Theo looks at Jordan and nods. “I like that you’re happy.”

Jordan’s whole body relaxes, and he strides over to Theo and pulls him into a hug.

“I love you, kiddo,” he says.

Theo grins. “Why wouldn’t you? I’m great. Do we have food? Because I’m also hungry.”

The smile on my face is effortless. It feels like something permanent.

“Go get dressed,” I say. “We’ll go have lunch somewhere. You two pick where.”

They sound like a herd of elephants when they run up the stairs.

I smile some more and Jordan slides his arm around my waist while I throw mine over his shoulders and kiss the side of his head.

There’s still a lot we have to figure out. A lot of unknowns in the future. I’m not worried, though.

Because I have Jordan.

I have a home.

Family.

“I love you,” I tell him.

And he smiles.

There’s a lot of uncharted territory all around us, but the foundation we’re building everything on is a strong one. It canweather any storm. Handle anything we throw at it. I don’t have to wonder, I simply know.

Whatever life throws at us, we’ll figure it out.

THEO

The graduation morning is chaotic.The normal kind that happens in a house where a lot of people need to be in the same place at the same time and nobody can find anything they need.

“Has anyone seen my cufflinks?” Milán rushes in from the hallway and starts opening the drawers.

“You wore those to Theo’s debate thing,” Dad says. He looks up from the toast he’s buttering. “Somewhere upstairs?”

“That narrows it down.” Milán snatches the piece of toast from Dad’s hand and grins at him when he rolls his eyes. Milán’s hair is still wet from his shower, and he’s thrown his shirt over his shoulder instead of wearing it.

“Any news of Remy?” he asks Dad.

Dad bites back a smile. “He’ll be fine.”

“Picking upyourex andmymother from the airport at the same time is hardly being fine. Why did we punish him like that again?”

“He said it was his Christmas present for us,” Dad says.

Behind him, Rory rushes past, carrying one dress shoe.

“Where’s the other one?” Milán asks.

“I usually keep them in two separate locations,” Rory throws over his shoulder. “For security purposes.”

Dad sighs the kind of long-suffering sigh that says he’s lived with teenagers for too long.