Page 2 of Conflict Conclusion

James was pretty sure not a single moment passed when Leon wasn’t thinking about Hailey leaving for college. Almost every time she dropped by, which had steadily picked up after graduation, she mentioned something about dorm room assignments, class selection, or orientation packages. Hailey’s mom was a little more sparing with the college talk when they passed each other in the hallway or ran into each other in the elevator. Perhaps she was better able to interpret Leon’s expression, or maybe she understood what it felt like to be excited, proud, and terrified all at the same time.

Maybe that was why she’d begun texting James her questions about college meal plan sizes and textbook rentals. Leon had gone to college more recently than James, but he had been an adult, living and working off campus while taking classes at night. James had to dig deep into his memory, and he’d even consulted a few of his more recently graduated minions.

“We should get some sleep. Don’t you have to be at the airport at fuck-thirty in the morning?” Leon asked, pulling James out of his thoughts.

“Yeah, that’s what it says on my ticket. The plane leaves at ‘fuck-thirty,’ and boarding starts at ‘fuck-fifteen.’”

Leon peered over his shoulder, his eyebrow piercing raised and a small, accusing smirk on his lips.

“I’m just repeating what you said,” James said, for some reason feeling the need to defend himself. “There were quotation marks around it. You just couldn’t hear them.”

Leon’s smirk grew into a grin, and James had no choice but to kiss him, and when Leon rolled over, pressing his strong, beautiful, semi-naked body against James’, he had no choice but to make love to him for a second time that night.

“We really are so glad you could come, James,” Linda said, as she breezed past him.

“Yes, wonderful to have you along, son,” Howard said, passing by James, but at a much slower pace.

James hefted Linda’s duffel higher up on his left shoulder, straightened out Howard’s backpack on his right, and gripped the handle of his and his mom’s roller bags. “Happy to be here.”

“I told you that you wouldn’t be an inconvenience,” his mom said, dutifully staying by his side as he hiked his way up the steep gangway to the cruise ship.

James could only grunt as Linda’s duffel slid down to the crook of his elbow.

“I also told you that you didn’t have to come,” she said, and he didn’t have to turn his head to look at her to know she was smirking.

It was James’ own fault. He had been loading the dishwasher when he overheard his mom agree to go on her first ever cruise with Howard and Linda. He could have kept his mouth shut and done as the therapist he saw every few months advised: trust that his mom knew her limits and wouldn’t do something outlandish like go on a week-long cruise if she had any concerns about her ability to navigate the decks and handle her luggage.

Of course he hadn’t listened to himself, or his therapist, and had opened his big mouth. Howard and Linda had been very patient and answered all of his questions and concerns about cruises and accommodations. After his eleventh question, however, his mom had crossed her arms and said, “If you’re so concerned, James, why don’t you just come with?”

James had tried to argue, not wanting to impose or get in the way, but Howard and Linda had grabbed onto the idea, and before he knew it, Howard had cashed in a shockingly large number of points to book them a suite. He had offered to pay for Leon to go as well, but it only took a quick text to confirm that Leon would much prefer to “Keep my feet on solid fucking ground, where they belong.”

So, here he was, dragging their luggage across the deck and down the impressively opulent hallway to their suite. Thankfully, they had been able to check their larger bags, which would arrive at their room sometime after dinner that evening. In the meantime, they all wanted access to their swimwear, medicine, and toiletries, so they’d opted to bring their smaller bags themselves.

Themselves, meaning on James’ back.

“Here we are!” Howard said, throwing open the door to a small but well-outfitted living area, with a balcony looking out at the ocean. It had that smell that beach houses got, like warm summer evenings and well-loved wicker.

“Oh, how beautiful!” his mom said, clapping her hands together before turning to James for his reaction.

Given that he had gotten less than three hours of sleep and had completely lost feeling in his left hand, he was rather proud of the smile he managed. “It looks great.”

“It is a tad on the small size,” Howard said, casting Linda a similarly searching look.

“Quite cozy. It will be perfect for when we want to take a break from the sun, and the couch looks big enough for us to watch our shows together at night. Great find, dear.”

Howard puffed up like a prized peacock, and James scooted—as much as he could scoot with four pieces of luggage—past him and towards the larger of the two bedrooms. “I’ll just set your things down in here, and then I might lie down for a bit.”

His phone buzzed in his pocket with the pattern he’d set for Leon back when they were still just friends, and James was in complete and total denial that he was falling for his former nemesis-turned-crush. If he had a free hand, he would have reached for it, but as it was, all he could do was drag their bags into the room.

“Will you be joining us for dinner?” James’ mom asked, trailing behind him.

“As long as I wake up in time, sure,” James said absently, as he placed the duffel and backpack on the window ledge and hefted his mom’s suitcase onto the small luggage rack in the corner.

His mom was unusually silent behind him, and his phone buzzed a second time, but he ignored both of those things to make sure his mom would have enough space to navigate around the corner of the bed to get to her bag. It was a tight squeeze, so he pushed, shoved, and manhandled the rack and suitcase until they were turned at an angle against the wall and would be easier for her to get into. The setup would also give Howard and Linda more space to access their luggage.

His phone buzzed a third time, which could either mean a third message or just a reminder about one of the first two. He reached for his pocket as he turned around, but dropped his hand to his side when he saw his mom’s expression.

Her eyebrows were pinched together in a way they shouldn’t be on vacation, and her lips were set in a serious line. “It would be nice to all sit down together tonight, if you’re up for it.”