Page 109 of A is for Aftercare

“Because I want to write a gay main character?”

He chuckles. “Well, yes, but because you’re choosing to follow your heart rather than continue to write something that’s making you miserable.”

I shrug. “The publisher has to accept my decision to quit Orion and my pitch for a new series.”

“They will.”

“How do you know?”

“Because you’re a hard man to say no to.”

I stroke his cheek. “That’s because I’m your Dom,” I remind him. “I don’t sleep with them.”

“Good to know, Sir!” Archie laughs heartily for several seconds before breathing in and regaining control of himself. “Seriously, what choice do they have? You’re coming to the end of your contract. Either they sign you to write a new series, or you move to a different publisher. It’s not like you won’t get snapped up.” He snaps his fingers. “Just like that. They know it. You know it.”

“Aye, maybe.”

“Just do me one favour?” he asks, brushing his lips against mine.

“What’s that?”

“Make Orion King’s final novel the best yet?”

I pull him against my chest and kiss him fiercely. “With you here to inspire me? It’ll be a piece of cake.”

25

Archie

“It feels like the end of an era,” I say as I close the box containing the last of my books.

“That’s a bit dramatic,” Corey says.

“He’s been hanging around with an author for too long,” Blake jokes. “All the flowery language is rubbing off on him.”

I push his arm playfully, temporarily knocking him off balance. “You both know what I mean.” I sniff and swipe at my eyes. “It’s going to be weird not living with you.”

My brothers stand on either side of me, each looping an arm over my shoulders.

“Face it, Archie, you’ve barely been living here since you and Hamish got together,” Corey says.

“And it’s not like you’re going to Timbuktu or anything,” Blake points out. “We’ll all still be a train ride from each other.”

They're not going to find a new place to live together after all, so it's the end of any of the ABC triplets living together. I'm happy for them and myself, but it will be strange to not live in each other’s pockets.

“You’re not getting cold feet, are you?” Blake asks.

“No, of course not.” My heart does this silly fluttering thing as I think of Hamish. It always does, which is how I know I love him and that moving in with him is the right thing. “I’ll just miss you, that’s all.”

“And me?” Lexi asks, skipping into my room.

“I’ll miss you most of all,” I say, hugging her as she throws her arms around my waist.

She presses her cheek against my stomach and squeezes me tight. “Can we come to visit?"

“Definitely. Just call first,” I say to Corey with a wink.

“We’ll book in advance,” Corey retorts. “We wouldn’t want to interrupt anything.”