“For fuck’s sake, Elias,” I wailed before throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him hard. “Of course you’d say it first.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “You’re angry because I said I love you?”

I shook my head and kissed him again. “I wouldn’t say angry, just frustrated that once again, I didn’t get my shit together and you just did what I’ve been agonizing over for weeks now.”

“Konjo.” The word was a caress, a loving rebuke, and a prayer all in one, and I was so fucking gone for him. I pressed our foreheads together before I spoke again, wanting to be as close as possible to him as I could.

I didn’t know if we’d be able to be together after I left here in a few weeks. If Elias would really come out to his family and leave Ethiopia. If I’d be strong enough to tell my mother the truth about what I wanted to do. I didn’t know anything for sure other than what I felt for him right now.

I could say that with certainty, and I did.

“I love you too.”

Chapter 24

As we pulled up to the big metal fence of Elias’s family home, I wondered if he felt as nervous as I did. But when I looked at him with his back straight, his head up, he seemed so resolute and certain, so certain. Meanwhile, I was doing my best to keep my shit together.

After our big confession the day before, Elias had stayed with me until dinnertime and then gone home with the promise to pick me up for dinner tonight. He had a lot take care of and I needed to buy some supplies for my trip north in a couple of days. My time in Ethiopia was wrapping up and the dread of going back to reality was starting to get the best of me. But tonight wasn’t about my shit, it was about Elias. I was determined to be here for him in every way.

We drove into the compound where his family lived, and before we were even out of the car, a beautiful woman who I assumed was his mother walked out of the house to greet us. She was wearing a traditional Amhara dress in white cotton with beautiful gold, red, and green embroidery running from the center of the neckline down to the hem. She also had traditional jewelry on. Gold earrings that looked like a sun and a small cross hanging from a necklace on her chest that I knew was the one from the Amhara tribe. All indications that she considered me an important guest, which only made my already-galloping heart speed up.

“Hello, Desta. Welcome to our home. I’m Negash. Eli has told us so much about you.”