Page 106

“Of course,” Daniel says, taking the pen and scribbling his name with a practiced flourish. Charlie follows suit, adding an encouraging “Go Wolves!” beneath his signature.

I watch them interact with the guys with a strange mix of joy and apprehension. The attention they get whenever we’re out on the streets is still new for me to witness. They handle it so naturally, whereas I could never.

I’m about to leave to use the restroom when one of the guys notices me, and his eyes widen even further.

“Oh, wow,” he mutters, nudging his friend again. “Is that Harrison Price? I heard the rumors, but I didn’t think…”

My stomach flips. So much for flying under the radar, I guess.

The first guy leans in closer, his eyes ping-ponging around the table. He takes in the closeness that three friends don’t typically have. “They’re definitely together.”

There it is—the moment of realization I’ve been waiting for—and dreading. A part of me wants to crawl under the table, but another part is strangely liberated that there is no hiding our relationship.

Daniel catches my eye and gives me a reassuring smile before turning back to their admirers. “Yup. That’s Harrison.”

The guys stare at us for another second before one of them blurts out, “That’s insane! You’re like…the coolest people ever.”

Charlie chuckles, clearly amused by their enthusiasm, and flashes a wink that sends them into another frenzy.

I blink, trying to process what I’ve heard. “Wait a sec. You find us…cool?”

“Cool? Yes!” The guy looks around at his buddies for confirmation, and they nod enthusiastically. “You love who you love, no matter what anyone else thinks about gender or the number of people in the relationship.”

He sounds…almost envious.

“We wish we had the guts to do the same,” he adds, confirming my suspicions.

This is not at all how I’d imagined any of this would unfold. Instead of scandalized whispers and side-eyes, we’re being treated as rock stars for going against society’s rules.

Charlie beams at me and Daniel. “See? We’re not as crazy as we thought.”

Daniel laughs, also clearly pleased with this unexpected turn of events. “I guess we’re trendsetters.”

“Or we’ve been worried about nothing,” I add.

The guys linger for a few more minutes, asking about game schedules and requesting selfies with Charlie and Daniel.When they finally head back to their table, I grab my glass of water. “Here’s to defying expectations.”

“And doing it in style,” Daniel adds with a playful grin.

We settle back into our seats as our food arrives. As I watch Daniel and Charlie dig into their food as if they haven’t eaten in years, I reflect on everything that’s happened since that fateful New Year’s Eve. What started as a wild kiss behind bars has turned into something none of us could have predicted.

The rest of the evening passes in a blur of delicious food and endless conversation about everything from Charlie and Daniel’s baseball superstitions to my favorite Broadway shows. When we finally step back out into the warm night air, I’m lighter than a feather despite the amount of food I packed away in my belly.

“What now?” Charlie asks, slinging his arms around Daniel and me as we walk down the crowded sidewalk.

“We could go for a walk in the park,” I suggest. “It’s a nice night for it.”

“Ooh, that sounds fun,” Charlie says, smiling at me. “Let’s.”

Central Park isa welcome respite from the bustling city streets of Manhattan. Charlie takes my right hand while Daniel grasps my left, our fingers intertwining as we amble along the winding paths.

We come upon an empty bench beneath a lamppost and settle onto it. The moonbeams cast everything around us in an ethereal glow.

It’s romantic. Intimate. Perfect for the conversation I’ve been wanting to have, but couldn’t because a fancy restaurant was certainly not the place.

“So, Chuck,” I say with a smirk. “I have a confession to make. Remember last week when Daniel was walking funny?”

Charlie nods. “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask about that.” He cranes his neck around me to stare at Daniel, whose eyes areresolutely glued to the ground. “Did you pull a muscle or something?”