“So… who’s the lucky girl?” She asks, her little fingers brushing under my collar. Oh shit—hickeys!

“Shit! Sarah, I don’t think you want to hear about that—” I say, my cheeks already heating up.

“Oh, come on,” she laughs, slapping my chest. “I just said I was happy for you. You can tell me.”

Well… damn. This is the first time I’m saying it out loud. Am I ready?

Once I say it, it’s real.

I swallow hard.

“Nathan, it’s fine. I don’t care—”

“It’s a guy. It’s… it’s a man.” I stutter.

Sarah’s eyes widen. She quickly sits up, pulling herself from under my arm. I swear, I stop breathing as she looks at me, absorbing this new truth.

“Hoooly shit… you’re…”

“Gay.” I take in a big breath of air. “Yeah. I’m pretty sure I am.” I nod.

Woah, that felt good to say out loud. Even if I’ve never admitted it myself, it feels like a huge load just released off my shoulders. Something I’ve been battling since forever now feels…settled. Just saying it feels like I just came up for a breath of air. Reminds me of when I first saw Caleb…

I swear I see every emotion flash across her face: excitement, curiosity, joy, confusion—it’s all there.

“I’m really happy for you,” she finally says, throwing her arms around my shoulders.

I bury my face in her neck, melting into her embrace. “Really?”

She pulls back, hands on my shoulders. “Yeah! I mean… I wanted you to go experience life and figure yourself out. And look at that. A few weeks, and you did just that. I couldn’t be more proud of you.” She pulls me into another hug.

I try not to squeeze the life out of her—but it’s hard. She’s saying all the right things. I feel like I can finally breathe.

Well… almost. There’s still one guy who holds the rest of my breath.

“So, what are you still doing here?” she asks, brushing her hair out of her face.

“What?” I chuckle, helping fix the strands she missed.

She winks, nodding toward the same door Caleb walked out of.

I take a sharp breath and turn to her. She guessed right.

“You know… I really do love you,” I say, squeezing her hand one last time.

“I know,” she smiles. “Now go catch your man.”

27

caleb

“Dad, we need to talk.” I step into my father’s office. It’s been a week since I’ve been back, and I’ve felt sick every day. No word from Nathaniel, but then again, why would he talk to me?

I left him. Again. After I told him I would never do that to him again. I can barely stand looking at myself since the day I walked out of the wedding. My dad hasn’t said much to me either since I returned home without any engagement news.

He didn’t accept my reasons. In his eyes, I let him down. I’m not serious about life or my future. I can’t stand it. And the fact that he doesn’t even know the whole truth—yet still manages to be disappointed? That’s just the cherry on top.