Stupid Love (Stumbling into Love 1)

“No, it wasn’t. But I know the real you. I know what’s in here.” I put a hand on his chest, right over his heart. He placed his palm over it and closed his eyes as if he was savoring this moment.

I wanted to know what had happened with his parents…with Richie, but not then, not in that moment. It belonged to us and no one else.

I pushed up on my toes and pressed my lips to his.

And I knew it was right. We were right together. This was love.

EPILOGUE

Shaw

Six Months Later

I snapped one photo, then another and another of Elijah as he danced. It was a performance with his dance studio that he had been working hard on for months. He jumped, then did this twisty thing in the air before his legs shot out in opposite directions in a way I could never do.

“Holy fuck. Your boyfriend really is bendy,” Will said from beside me. Danny and Brooklyn were on the other side of him.

I elbowed him. Hard. “Oh my God. Shut up.” I glanced at Deidre, who was sitting on the other side of me, Michael beside her, but they didn’t seem to have heard.

They were great and loved me the way I knew they would. I was pretty sure they knew I was boning their son since we were living together and stupidly in love with each other, but they also didn’t need to hear Will talking about the way Eli could move his body. I mean, he was bendy, and I definitely reaped the benefits of said flexibility, but he was all mine. “Don’t look at my boyfriend like that.”

“He’s dancing, and I’m here to watch. I can’t help the thoughts flowing through my head.”

I ignored Will and watched my boy move.

Things had been great since I’d almost ruined the best thing that ever happened to me, before making up for it in the most spectacular way. People were still talking about it, and I couldn’t blame them. I was basically the best boyfriend in the history of the world.

And the luckiest, because I had him.

I’d still had to do some groveling, even after my big moment and our talk outside. We’d gone home and talked for hours. I told him how afraid I was that he would leave me, and he admitted he’d been waiting for the other shoe to drop, that he hadn’t felt like I could feel for him the way he did for me. But I did—I was fucking crazy about him.

I’d told him how I spoke with my parents, let them know I wanted no part in their arguments anymore. That I loved them and wanted a relationship with them, but I didn’t want to be the referee, or therapist, or the one they called when they fought. They still didn’t get it. We’d fought that day, and they were still all over the place when it came to their relationship, but I had an unnegotiable rule now that they didn’t talk to me about any of that. They struggled at first, but they were getting better about it. I couldn’t fix them. Only they could do that.

Elijah had been curious about my discussion with Richie—how I’d told him the ways he hurt me and that I didn’t know if I could ever be friends with him again, but that I had to make my peace with him so I could move on with Elijah. Richie had surprised me by saying he understood, that he didn’t like it but figured he had it coming. Maybe he’d grown and changed. Time would tell, but I didn’t know if I would be around to see it. We hadn’t spoken since, and I had no plans to talk to him. I might forgive him one day, but that day hadn’t come yet. Even if I did, I couldn’t see us ever being friends again.

All I wanted was Elijah. My person. My boyfriend. My stupid love.

We continued enjoying the show, which was hot, by the way. Elijah dancing was a beautiful thing. When it was over, he changed, then spoke to his adoring fans before finding his way to us.

I handed him a single rose. See? I was good at this boyfriend shit.

“Thank you, baby,” he said, and kissed me.

“Whipped,” Will coughed. This time, E’s parents heard, and his mom cocked a brow at Will.

“Kidding!” He held his hands up. “Sorry, ma’am.”

“You’re an idiot,” Danny told him.

“Remind me again why I hang out with you guys?” Brooklyn asked.

Elijah ignored them all and turned to his parents. “Thanks for coming. It felt great to perform again.”

His mom hugged him, and then his dad said, “It was wonderful seeing you out there. I’m proud of you, Elijah. Every part of you. I hope you know that.”

Elijah threw his arms around his dad. They hugged, and I pretended not to be a little misty-eyed. Love fucked with my emotions. I didn’t like that part of it.