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And now he was here.
I quickly rushed inside, expecting to find Andy waiting for me on the couch. When he wasn’t there, I moved to the bedroom, but that was empty, too. Once again, I wished I had my phone, and as I started to get worried, I heard the sound of the shower running across the hall.
I knocked lightly on the door before I pushed it open.
“Andy?” I could make out his blurry figure sitting in the bottom of the stall. “Hon, what’s going on?”
He didn’t answer.
I quickly stripped off my fire suit, compression clothes, and underwear. I didn’t bother to warn him I was coming inside; I opened the door and climbed down next to him. The warm water beat down on my skin as I stared at Andy. He gripped his head, his hair plastered to his scalp. I forced him to look at me.
“Don’t.” He gently pushed me away and tucked his head back against his knees.
My heart felt like it was ripped from chest. “What’s wrong? Did I do or say something to upset you?”
“Ricky, it’s not...It’s me. It’s always me and my stupid”—he smacked himself in the head—“fucked up”—another smack—“head.”
“Stop it.” I grabbed his wrist. “There is nothing fucked up about you. You’re so beautiful, hon, and perfect. I love you. Your parents love you. Everyone loves you.”
Andy’s body trembled. “I only want you to love me. No one else matters.”
“I love you,” I said again, and when I moved to wrap my arms around him, Andy didn’t stop me. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”
A loud sob escaped Andy’s mouth, and he began to cry again. I held him tightly, rubbing circles into his skin, murmuring how much I loved him and how amazing he was. That he was my favorite person now and always. He cried into my shoulder, hisfingers digging into my shoulders until long after our had skin pruned. Finally, Andy pulled away and pushed his wet hair back from his face, looking completely broken. He dragged his thumb over my bottom lip, over my cheek, and gripped the back of my head. He stared at me, his chin quivering as fresh tears slipped down his cheeks.
I pressed my lips to Andy’s mouth, then stood up and turned off the water. I grabbed two towels, drying his hair and body before I wrapped it around his waist. Then I did the same for myself. Normally I did my skin care routine, but I figured that it would be okay to skip it tonight. Instead, I brushed my teeth, Andy staring down at his feet without a word. I rinsed off the toothbrush, grabbed his, and held out to him. When he didn’t respond, I moved closer, pressed the brush to his lips and helped him when he wouldn’t do it himself. Then I led Andy into the bedroom, pulled back the blanket, removed the towel, and eased him down onto the mattress. Then my towel joined his on the floor, and I climbed in next to him.
The room was plunged into darkness when I turned off the light. I could hear the faint sounds outside but mostly Andy’s breathing. It was coming out in heavy pants and then he was crying again, his face pressed to my chest, his arms wrapped around me.
“Hon, what happened?” I combed my fingers through his hair. “Talk to me.”
Andy shook his head. He grumbled against my skin and then pulled back. “My mom.” He gasped. “My mom, she... After the pictures of us went up on some social media sites, she went to the press and... She said my dads are horrible people. That they turned me into this dirty person. That I wasn’t like this when she was raising me.”
“What!” I exclaimed. I reached over and flipped on the light.
Andy ducked his head. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry? For what exactly? You didn’t do anything wrong, hon, and neither did Maverick or Jackson. Your mother is a horrible person. She used you, abandoned you, and is now trying to manipulate you to get what she wants. You’re the man you were born to be. The one I fell in love with as a young, confused, sweet boy, who wanted nothing to but to make me and his fathers happy. The man who has sold millions of records, won Grammys, and rocked the faces of everyone. You, Andy Olson, are the most amazing man I have ever met.”
“Leo, Ricky, I don’t...”
I shook my head. “You don’t have to say anything.” I brushed my lips over his. “I’ve loved you since we were fifteen years old, and nothing is going to change that.”
“I love you.” Andy sniffed. “I love you, and I’m sorry that I fucked everything up. I never...”
“I know. You don’t have to say that to me anymore, hon. I forgive you. I forgave you the second you showed up outside my RV and passed out on my couch.”
He chuckled softly. “That was the way to win you back, huh? Sexy?”
“So, so fucking sexy.” I smirked.
Andy nuzzled his nose against mine. “I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have you back in my life.”
“Good thing you’ll never have to find out again,” I whispered.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Andy
