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“Huh,” he heard Jessica grunt. “Well, that was absolutely adorable.”

“Never thought I’d see someone like Carter and use the word adorable, but you’re right,” Dean said from behind Carter.

“Would youfuckoff?” Carter snarled, turning on them.

Dean beamed. “Ah, there’s his normal personality. Welcome back, Carter. I was afraid you might have actually become a nice person when I wasn’t looking.”

Jessica’s lips quirked. “Don’t have to be a nice man to be a good one.”

It was so close to what Marco had told Carter the first night they met, and it brought a smile to his face. Marco understood then that without realizing what they’d done, they’d brought Jessica into the fold, and he hoped she stayed. He mouthed histhanks to her, just as he’d verbally said it to her a dozen times. She rolled her eyes, waving him off.

Yeah, she’d fit right in.

“Right, well, I’m sure this is the point where Jessica and I should take off. I’m treating her to some amazing eclairs,” Dean proclaimed, rounding the front of the car.

“What?” Marco complained. “You bastard.”

Dean raised a brow. “Right, because you’re going to pass on an intense reunion with Carter for some chocolate and cream.”

Marco slapped a hand over Carter’s mouth as it opened, afraid of what would come out. “No, but you’re still a bastard.”

Carter glared at him, but Marco gave him a wide smile. His heart was still thundering in his chest, but he was coming to understand that it was real.

“Oh,” Dean reappeared. “And don’t forget, weekend after the next, housewarming party. I expect you both there, got it?”

Marco rolled his eyes, making eye contact with Jessica. “He’s not mentioning the part where the damn thing should have been, like, two weeks ago. It’s a month after the original date.”

“The Pile got the better of us,” Dean complained as he hopped in the driver’s seat.

“Or they didn’t want to deal with it,” Marco grumbled.

Jessica waved, her eyes lingering on Carter before she slid into the passenger seat. Marco hoped she’d had the chance to talk to Carter; if she didn’t, he would ensure they did.

“C’mon,” Marco said as the car pulled off. “Let’s get inside.”

Carter nodded but remained silent as Marco twined their hands together and pulled him toward the house. Without thinking, he glanced up to find Mrs. Palmer staring down at them as she watered her plants. She still looked unamused, but there wasn’t a scowl when their eyes met, so he thought it was progress.

“You left the door wide open,” Carter accused when they got inside Marco’s apartment.

“In case you didn’t notice, I didn’t put on shoes either. I got the message you guys were pulling up, and I just went,” Marco admitted without remorse.

“You’re ridiculous,” Carter muttered as he closed the door behind them.

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

And then Carter was behind him, wrapping his arms around Marco’s waist and drawing him back. Marco felt the tension run out of his body, bleeding right onto the floor. Carter was a warm, muscled furnace behind him, and the steady rhythm of his heart near Marco’s ear was a soothing beat.

“You did,” Carter began, voice shaking, “so much for me.”

“What?” Marco asked, eyes snapping open.

“They told me. Dean, Sloane, Jessica. They told me what you did.”

“Yeah,” Marco said softly. “Still feel bad for pushing Jessica into doing it. I didn’t really give her a choice.”

Carter snorted. “She mentioned that. Told me if I could get that idea out of your head, that would be great. She would have done it if she’d known what happened to me.”

“And what did you tell her?” Marco asked quietly.