Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Even though it was a beautiful afternoon and Florida usually never failed to put a grin on Matty’s face, it wasn’t the case that afternoon. Instead, Matty found himself clearing his throat a lot, feeling like he was coming out of his skin and almost as if he was going to puke. Wells followed the GPS, singing along to the radio, always so damn calm. It drove Matty mad, but he wouldn’t say anything.
He wasn’t sure if he could.
He was nervous. So fucking nervous, but he knew he had to do this. This was step one of coming out to his family. He wanted to make things right with Avery; she deserved that. He deserved that. But he had this feeling it was going to go badly, and he wasn’t sure what that would mean for him. Or more importantly, what it would mean for him and Wells. When Wells was out on the balcony a couple nights before, Matty had heard him on the phone with his sister. Wells was scared, worried Matty would leave him if things didn’t go well with his family, and he couldn’t blame him.
He was scared too.
Usually, that wasn’t a position Matty put himself in. He was very in charge of his life. Every aspect. He knew what he was doing and what would happen. Yeah, there were a few surprises that popped up here and there, but for the most part, Matty was in control. But this—coming out—was in no way under his control. He leaned back as Wells sang along to his favorite Ed Sheeran song, his hand smacking against the wheel as he belted out to one of the best songwriters of his time. Well, that was, if you didn’t count Avery.
“You know, Avery sold a song to him.”
Wells beamed over at him, turning the music down a bit. “Really? Which one?”
“Heart,” Matty said, a grin pulling at his lips. “It’s my favorite of his.”
“Mine too!” Reaching over, he took Matty’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “That’s really cool. We’ll have to see if there is a story to go along with it.”
Matty found himself clearing his throat once more as he nodded, looking back out at the road, his thumb stroking Wells’s hand. He wanted to say Wells’s easy calmness was helping, but it wasn’t. Matty was on high alert, his heart beating so hard it hurt. It scared him. Because if he was like this on the ride to Avery’s house, how would he be when he was face-to-face with her? Looking into a face that resembled his and a matching pair of eyes that he had betrayed.
Fuck.
Using his other hand, he ran it down his face, taking a deep breath. When Wells’s lips pressed to the back of his hand, Matty looked over at him, finding his lover smiling at him. “I’ll be right there with you. Don’t worry.”
He tried a grim smile. “Easier said than done.”
“We got this.”
We. Such a simple word that meant so much. We was a team. We was two or more people who stuck beside each other through thick and thin. At least, that’s how he saw that word. And his we included a man he knew would stand beside him. A man he sure as hell didn’t deserve, even though he loved him with every ounce of his being. But when he went to tell Wells that, the GPS announced that their destination was on the left.
Wells drove up alongside the curb in front of a house Matty had never seen, nor had he been invited to. It was adorable, and he knew immediately that Avery had picked it out. It was on the beach, a beautiful light blue color with bright yellow shutters. There were three rocking chairs on the front porch and big, blooming flowers lining the sidewalk. But what made him certain she had picked it out was the white picket fence that enclosed the front yard. When they were growing up, she’d always said she wanted a white picket fence someday. She’d always wanted the husband and the kids too. When she got that very early, Matty had resented her for it. He hated that she got to live freely, while he hid like the coward he was.
But that was all about to change.
“Oh, this is nice,” Wells said then, and Matty nodded.
“It is.”
Checking the driveway, Matty saw Avery’s car, and his heart jumped into his throat.
She was home.
Swallowing hard, he let his breath out in a whoosh and then nodded. “Okay, let’s do this.”
“There’s the spirit!”
He shared a grin with Wells, and they both got out and headed up the driveway to the front door. It was a bright blue color that didn’t match the house, but he liked it. It was unique. Swallowing hard, he just stared at the door, his hands shaking as Wells rocked back and forth on his heels. “You gonna knock? Or should I?”