Page 70 of Unfinished Noise

They ended up on the bed without deciding to. Spencer lay back first, tugging Jamie gently until he curled against his chest. The mattress dipped under their combined weight, warm and soft, and Jamie let out a long, contented sigh.

Spencer brushed his fingers through Jamie’s hair. “You look happy,” he murmured.

Jamie nuzzled closer, resting his cheek against Spencer’s shoulder. “I am. I feel… settled. Like everything finally makes sense.”

Spencer kissed the top of his head. “Good. I want you to feel safe with me.”

Jamie’s chest tightened. “I do. More than I ever thought I could with anyone.”

Spencer’s fingers slid down Jamie’s arm, slow and gentle, fingertips tracing the inside of his wrist. Jamie felt the touch all the way down his spine. He lifted his head to look at Spencer, their faces close enough that he could feel Spencer’s breath on his lips.

“What are you thinking about?” Jamie asked softly.

“Our future,” Spencer said. “Us. What it’s going to look like.”

Jamie’s heart fluttered. “Tell me.”

Spencer smiled, thumb brushing Jamie’s cheek. “I’m thinking about a cabin in Big Bear. Not huge. Just… ours. Somewhere overlooking the lake because you like to ice skate, and it snows during Christmas.”

Jamie felt his eyes sting. “That sounds perfect.”

“And maybe a studio,” Spencer added. “For painting. Or whatever you want to do.”

Jamie laughed. “I want that. I want all of that.”

Spencer’s kiss, slow and lingering, felt like a physical seal on their unspoken vow. Jamie melted into it, fingers curling into Spencer’s shirt.

“And you?” Spencer asked when they broke apart. “What do you picture?”

Jamie swallowed, suddenly shy. “I picture waking up next to you every day. I picture you making coffee and pretending you don’t like how much sugar I put in mine.”

Spencer snorted. “You put an irresponsible amount of sugar in your coffee.”

Jamie grinned. “And you love me anyway.”

“I do,” Spencer said, voice warm. “I really do.”

Jamie’s entire body softened. “I picture holidays with Alfie and Nathan. I picture you holding my hand when we go out. I picture… a wedding. Our wedding.”

Spencer’s face shifted, his gaze full of a tenderness that bordered on worship. “Yeah,” he whispered. “I picture that too.”

Jamie rested his forehead against Spencer’s. “I can’t believe this is real.”

“It’s real,” Spencer said. “And it’s ours.”

Jamie kissed him again, slow and sweet, letting the moment settle deep into his bones. Spencer’s arms wrapped around him, pulling him close until Jamie was tucked perfectly against him, warm and safe and loved.

They lay there for a long time, talking in soft voices about everything—where they might live, what kind of rings they wanted, who would cry first at the wedding. Jamie insisted it would be Spencer. Spencer insisted it would be Jamie. They both knew the truth.

Eventually, Jamie closed his eyes, listening to Spencer’s heartbeat under his ear. He felt the ring on his finger. He felt Spencer’s arms around him. He knew the future they were dreaming up wasn’t just possible, but it was already happening.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Spencer

Ridgecrest hit them with a wall of dry heat the second they stepped out of the van. Dry air, bright sun, and the kind of breeze that kicked dust around instead of cooling anything down. Spencer squinted toward the makeshift outdoor stage set up in the middle of a wide field. The lights rigged on metal trusses, speakers stacked like towers, and a crowd already gathered even though the concert hadn’t started.

“Feels like we’re about to play in a desert,” Nathan muttered.