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“The grocery store,” he says.

“You really helped me back then,” I admit. “I was so hungry. Dad had just overdosed, and Mom didn’t give a flying fuck, and I was so hungry.”

“You don’t need to explain yourself,” Aden says. “You did what you had to do to survive.”

“You could have called the police back then, but you didn’t.”

“You know, I saw this young guy with a can of macaroni in his hand, and I just couldn’t look away,” he says after a while. “I just couldn’t.”

He saw me shoplifting that time, and instead of calling the police, he not only bought me the can of macaroni, he added a whole bag of groceries to it and handed me enough money to get through the next couple of nights. He even handed me an address for a shelter.

“You saved me, and it was my turning point. I stopped running away, and I guess I started to turn my life around.” I look at him. “I know for you it wasn’t big—”

“It was,” he says, to my surprise. “It was my turning point, too. I didn’t remember it wasyou, but I never forgot that years ago, I met this young guy who pulled me out of my depression. I was at my lowest back then, but just looking at you and hearing you thank me, so genuinely, really pulled me out of my slump.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

I wait for him in case he wants to tell me more, but he stays silent. I guess he isn’t quite so ready to share everything yet. Not so long ago, that would have made me insecure, but now I don’t mind. He doesn’t need to tell me everything immediately. I know he will eventually.

“What did you do afterwards?” Aden asks.

“I went to the address you gave me, the homeless shelter for young men. They helped me stay safe, and I got a job,” I say. “I cleaned toilets first, then eventually got a job at a fast-food chain. I even finished school. I wanted to study too, but I just… You know, my dad’s debt kept looming over me.”

“You achieved a lot,” Aden points out. “You need to be much prouder of how you turned your life around than you are, Noel. You had zero support at that time. Mateo and Sterling weren’t in your life then, but you pulled yourself out of the pit. You are leading a successful life now.”

“Well, I had a kind stranger reach out a hand to me, when I needed it the most,” I say. “Sometimes that’s all a person needs.”

“I usually don’t believe in fate,” Aden brushes his fingers through my hair. “But this is almost too much to be a coincidence.”

“You have a point,” I admit. I never believed in fate either, because if I did, it would have made my situation even worse. But now, with Aden, it feels like it was worth the struggle. “Is it weird?” I ask.

Aden keeps brushing through my hair softly. “What’s weird?”

“If we both hadn’t been at our lowest, we might have never met. Maybe we would be entirely different people today. So, in a way, I am glad life brought me to you, as much as I hated the steps I had to take to meet you again.” I pause. “Is it weird to think that way?”

“Not at all,” Aden says. “I think the same.”

Chapter 27

*NOEL*

I feel drowsy when I wake up, noticing that I am in Aden’s bed. I have no idea how he managed to drag me up there, but apparently, Aden can just do anything. One look at my watch tells me it’s 10 a.m. already–insanely late for me!

Aden is not in bed anymore either, but I take the hint of the smell of coffee coming through. Well, no time to waste!

Jumping out of the bed, I rummage through the half of the wardrobe Aden emptied for me to keep my stuff in. I don’t want to wear any of my clothes, though, so I grab one of Aden’s sweaters and a pair of boxers, and head to the bathroom. My face doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would, or maybe it’s just because Aden nursed me so well. There are only two ugly scratches from my mom, and some light bruising. Nothing makeup can’t hide.

Ten minutes later, I am walking down the stairs, ready to tackle the day.

Last night was a disaster, but it does not detract from all the things I achieved beforehand. The altercation with Mom may have been unavoidable, so better to have it over and done with now, than waiting for it to happen.

“Aden!” I call out, and before he can turn around, I wrap my arms around him from behind. My man is standing in the kitchen, making breakfast for me again. “You are spoiling me.”

“Well, you put up with quite a lot concerning me and my work, I feel like giving something back,” he says.

“You feel like giving something back?” I blurt out. “After I am the one bringing all the drama to you?”