Page 145 of Summer Holiday Lifeline

“I thought Stephanie was doing that.” Jet stepped back and, without even looking at her, caught Shelly when she jumped off the sofa arm towards him.

“Change of plans.” Steven turned to look at Myles. “Hi?”

“You’re here.” Myles limped over the hard tile, ignoring that he still had his damp boots on when he stepped onto the hardwood.

Steven nodded.

“You, um.” He blinked, a long, slow blink, his breath caught in a tight chest, but when he opened his eyes, Steven was still standing there. Jarred into motion, he tossed his cane towards the couch and scooped Steven into a hug. “Shit. You’re really real.”

Steven grunted out a chuckle. “Last time I checked.”

Myles squeezed him tighter. “How are you here?”

“Hey. You’re trembling.” Steven gripped the sides of Myles’s face and pulled him into a firm, grounding kiss. It was too short a kiss, but it was very, very real. “Okay?” Steven asked, gazing at him intently.

Myles nodded. “Maybe?” He swayed slightly, his hip fading out on him, so he had to grip Steven hard around the waist to stay on his feet.

“Sit down, Uncle Myles,” Jet ordered, setting Shelly down.

She immediately ran for his cane and wedged it under his hand.

Pat pushed Myles at the couch. “I’ll get more coffee. Jet.” She waved at him. “Help me, please.”

“Right.” Jet took Shelly’s hand, and the three of them trooped into the kitchen.

The door closed decisively behind them.

Steven guided Myles to the couch, even helping him pull off his boots and taking them to the rack by the door. They both sat, facing each other.

Myles touched Steven’s cheek, tucked a bit of hair behind his ear, and a grin spread over his face. “You’re here.”

“I’m surprised Tris didn’t give it away while I was on the road.”

Ozzy’s uncharacteristic sharpness with his boyfriend over their last phone call suddenly made sense. “Are there actual kittens?” he asked. Because that was most relevant thing to find out.

“Six of them. Tris has been dying to facetime you so Shelly can pick hers before he finds homes for the rest. Marcus and Eli want two of them. One for the diner, and one for their apartment.”

“Can you keep a cat in a diner? How are you here? I thought Stephanie and Bob… Your house. Shit. Are you okay?”

“Breathe.” Steven leaned close to touch their foreheads together, running fingers along Myles’s jaw and finding his hand to hang onto. “Take a breath, babe.”

“I’m breathing.” But his chest still felt tight, and his head swam.

“You’re hyperventilating, and I’d kiss you to make it better, but I’m afraid you might pass out of I do.”

“Kiss me,” Myles demanded, because that usually did make things better.

“Bossy.”

“Yes.”

“Fine, but only because you appear to need it desperately.”

“I do.”

And he was right. Steven’s kiss calmed his circling thoughts and eased the pounding of his heart. His smell, soap and dusty books and optimism, surrounded Myles, and suddenly he could breathe. He could think. He closed his eyes and let the world pause around them.

“Okay?” Steven asked when he’d pulled away.