Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Noah and I both got up, and I said, “The knee’s fine. I’m wearing my stretchy brace under my jeans, and I took the good drugs earlier—the painkillers that don’t actually reduce the pain, but that make me totally indifferent to it.” My boyfriends’ brows creased with concern, but I grabbed their hands, pulled them onto the makeshift dance floor, and started shaking my ass. When they saw I really was okay, they enthusiastically joined in.
We kept dancing until just before midnight, when glasses of champagne were handed out and everyone got ready for the countdown. Kel, who was a bit tipsy, pointed at us and said, “Pick a number between one and a million.” Noah picked three-hundred-fifty-two-thousand, and I picked six. Then Kel announced, “Since a three-way kiss on the lips isn’t going to work, I’m going to kiss Hudson first at the strike of midnight, then Noah, and then you two can kiss each other. Normally, we wouldn’t need to schedule it like this, but that whole New Year’s kiss ritual was perplexing until I figured out a system.”
I smiled at him and said, “That’s very wise. So, what was your number?”
“What number?”
“The one we were trying to come closest to.”
“Oh. I didn’t have one. I was just going in numerical order, and six comes before three-hundred-whatever,” Kel said.
Just then, JoJo climbed up on the coffee table, looking angelic in her white dress. “It’s almost time, friends! Count down with me,” she called.
Everyone began to chant, “Ten, nine, eight,” as my boyfriends and I joined hands. I glanced at Kel, then Noah, and I just had to smile. This was both a new year and a new beginning. For the first time, I felt optimistic about my life and the way it was finally coming together.
The crowd yelled, “Happy New Year,” and Kel pulled me into a deep kiss before kissing Noah in turn. Then Noah pulled me close and kissed me. When I wrapped my arms around both of them, my heart felt so full.
We’d made plans ahead of time to spend the night in Kel’s old bedroom, both because we figured we’d be a bit tipsy, and because getting a cab would be next to impossible. All that remained in there was a bed and dresser, which Kel was leaving for Timothy, who’d decided he liked them better than what he had. We’d also brought along the chinchillas in their travel carrier and Sadie with her dog bed, so the whole family settled in for the night. Lark was going to watch our pets for us on New Year’s Day, while we were gone on a quick trip.
The next morning, we got up early and took turns in the shower before getting dressed in the change of clothes we’d brought. Then I slung a garment bag over my shoulder, and we headed downstairs with Sadie.
To our surprise, all of Kel’s housemates were waiting for us in the living room. The New Year’s decorations were still up, but they’d replaced the hand-lettered sign over the mantel with one that said, “Good luck in your next chapter, Kel, Hudson, and Noah!”
Kel burst into tears, and Lark rushed forward and grabbed him in a hug. “This isn’t goodbye,” Lark told him. “No way is it that! We’re going to miss having you under the same roof, but we’re going to see you all the time. Heck, we’ll see you in just a few hours, when you pick up Sadie and the chinchillas! And then you’re coming over for Sunday dinner next weekend. Don’t forget, you promised you’d come.”
“We’ll be there for sure,” Kel said.
My phone beeped, letting me know the car I’d hired to take us to the airport was outside. I’d made the decision to retire from broadcasting because it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life, but I had one final obligation first—a guest spot on a pregame show, before a bowl game in L.A.
There were hugs all around, and more than one person teared up. JoJo grabbed Kel in an embrace and said, “I feel like I’m sending my kid off to college or something—not that I’m old enough to be your mom. Just know the door is always open, and you’re a part of this family forever.” She smiled at Noah and me and added, “That goes for you two as well.” There wasn’t a dry eye among us by the time the three of us headed for the door.
Once we were settled in the town car and on the way to the airport, I asked Kel, “Are you okay?”
“I will be,” he said, with a little smile. “Endings are always hard, and that was a wonderful chapter in my life. But it’s just like JoJo said, we’re family forever. That’s not going to change, just because my address did.”