He stays quiet long enough I wonder if I dumped too much. I don’t think I would have if it were anyone else. I don’t think I could have, but with Foster … he’s him.

“I’m sorry you lost so much. I’m sorry anyone made you feel like you had to make such an unfair choice. I’m sorry—fuck. I’m just sorry.”

I watch the fountain, the water cascading, the light and shadow.

“I would have hidden with you.”

“I wouldn’t have let you,” I whisper.

He sighs, standing up. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t have cared.”

I know.

After he walks into his room, he shuts the sliding glass door. “I need to go. I have something to do.”

I fight the dip in my stomach. “Okay. Night, Foster.”

The call ends, and I lift my face to the sky, feeling less raw. Not better enough to run and tell the world and plaster my name on billboards with my coordinates, but a little more healed with him knowing I didn’t want to leave him behind.

I gather the comforter, staying wrapped as I go inside. I haven’t even reached the doorway to the bedroom when Foster texts.

Fuck, I missed that. Missed him.

The video shows a carpet matching mine, gliding over it until Foster opens a door, steps into the hall, then he walks down it, turns to stop at another door.

“Let me in, Remi.”

Flutters. Tingles. A reemerging fever.

When I swing it open, Foster looks up, his forearm braced on the doorframe. He straightens and steps over the threshold until he’s right in front of me. His fingers hook under my chin, tipping it up, and his lips lower to mine.

A relieved breath escapes me, and he kisses me harder in response. Like he’s been as desperate for this as me.

Because nothing feels different about us this time. Instead, we’re how we were always meant to be.

He shoves his hand into my hair, backing me farther into the room. The door slams shut behind him as his tongue dives into my mouth. I let the comforter spill to our feet so I can run up his chest to the back of his hair, pulling him deeper.

His chest vibrates in a husky groan, and he frames my face with his hands. Cool blue eyes draw me in even more when Foster rests his forehead on mine, his body pressing closer. Skin hot against me.

“I need to make sure you understand how sorry I am, Remi. I’ve acted like a dick, and you haven’t deserved any of it.”

“I thought you hated me,” I say softly.

“I thought so, too, before.”

“Before what?”